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Laxmi Bank’s Smart FoneLoan lets you borrow loans up to 2 lakh from your phone

GadgetByte
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Laxmi Bank’s Smart FoneLoan lets you borrow loans up to 2 lakh from your phone

Securing a loan in Nepal entails going through the arduous process on banks or other financial institutions. However, things are getting simpler now thanks to the introduction of FoneLoan facility by different banks in Nepal. As of now, Laxmi Bank, Citizens, Kumari, Mega, and Nabil Bank are offering the “Smart FoneLoan” feature.

Here, since we had an account with Laxmi Bank, we decided to try out its Smart FoneLoan facility. Simply put, Laxmi Bank’s Smart FoneLoan is a paperless loan service. It does not require any collateral to be eligible, while the application procedure is completed in a matter of minutes.

Laxmi Bank Smart FoneLoan Overview:

What is Laxmi Bank Smart FoneLoan?

In its most basic form, it is an entirely digital method of applying for and receiving a loan. Laxmi Bank customers can simply use the bank’s mobile application, Mobile Money (Android | iOS), to apply for a short-term pre-approved loan.

Smart FoneLoan uses an algorithm known as “Decision Analytics” to determine a customer’s eligibility for the loan and its eventual approval. And after the customer agrees to the terms and conditions, the approved loan amount will be disbursed almost instantly.

Who are eligible?

For the time being, the service is available to customers with payroll/savings account in Laxmi Bank. Besides this, they also need to meet other criteria defined by the analytics algorithm. This implies that not every Laxmi Bank customer can access this service.

The pre-programmed algorithm thoroughly examines the user’s past transactions, account history, and other factors to determine their eligibility.

Here, the Decision Analytics algorithm mainly focuses on four factors:

  • Average monthly balance of the account
  • Deposits and withdrawals in the account
  • Status of existing loans in bank
  • History of previous loans in bank

With this, the system generates a cumulative score of every individual account holder. Then, if a customer’s score meets the bank’s minimum threshold limit, they will be able to apply for Smart FoneLoan. This will be indicated by the “Register for Short-term Loan” prompt in their dashboard of the Laxmi Bank Mobile Money app.

Laxmi Bank Smart FoneLoan feature in Mobile Money app

Even if you are ineligible for Smart FoneLoan for now, don’t worry. Provided that your account’s status grows positively in the favor of Decision Analytics’ parameters in the future, the algorithm will automatically enroll you on the eligibility list.

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering how to check the score of your account, let me be clear: you can’t. Like I mentioned earlier, if you see a “Register for Short-term Loan” widget on the Laxmi Bank app, you’re good. Otherwise, you’re not.

Limit and time period of the loan

Now because it’s a collateral-free loan, you can only apply for loans ranging from Rs. 500 to Rs. 200,000. However, not every account holder can apply for a loan as high as two lakhs.

The maximum applicable loan amount for an account is also determined by the Decision Analytics algorithm. For example, if it determines the limit of Rs. 75,000 for a certain account based on the aforementioned parameters, then the individual can apply for a loan amounting to Rs. 75,000 or less. Besides this, the maximum tenure to repay the loan is 30 days.

How to apply?

So, if you’re eligible, you can apply for Laxmi Bank Smart FoneLoan by following these simple steps:

  • First, click on the “Register for Short-term Loan” option displayed on the landing window of the Mobile Money app, after you log in.
  • Then, proceed to register your email and click the verification link forwarded to your email account. Laxmi Bank will use this verified email for notifications, authorizations, and other purposes.
  • Now, you will see the “Apply for Virtual Credit Card” window in the app. It is displayed so since this short-term loan acquisition facility’s working principle is the same as a digital credit card.
  • Then, input the desired loan amount and payback date in the two input fields given.
  • After you enter the amount and date, click on the “Check Eligibility” option to find out the maximum loan amount your account is eligible for.
  • In case you’re happy with the amount applied and the tenure date set, proceed to tick the terms and conditions checkbox after reading it. Then, click on “Proceed”.
  • Or, if you’d like to make some changes to your loan’s variables after learning the max applicable amount, head back to the previous window and make the desired change.
  • After this, you will receive a card verification value (CVV) number on your registered phone. Enter the received CVV in the given field and the applied amount will be automatically deposited in your account—after deducting all the pre-defined fees, that is.

Charges and payback process

Here, even if the process seems a bit sophisticated, Laxmi Bank has kept the charges to a minimum. An applicant will be charged a flat Rs. 250 as the loan administration or processing fee regardless of the loan amount. Similarly, the monthly interest rate is only 1.25% of the loan amount (or 15% p.a.). And if you set a payback date of less than a month, you’ll only pay interest for the number of days.

Smart FoneLoan - Maturity Date

Moreover, the payback process is quite simple. If the account holder maintains the net payable amount on the day of the loan’s maturity, the system will deduct it automatically.

To note, Laxmi Bank Smart FoneLoan does not have a pre-payment option. That means even if one collects the payable amount before the loan’s maturity date, they’re still unable to clear the loan. You need to wait till your maturity date expires and pay the daily accrued interest until then accordingly.

However, if you fail to maintain the required balance, you will be fined Rs. 300 as a late fee every 30 days, plus daily interest. Also, every subsequent deposit made into the account will first be debited to pay off the loan.

Similarly, if your account is in overdue status for a longer duration, Laxmi Bank’s loan recovery process following Nepal Rastra Bank’s regulations will be initiated. But considering Smart FoneLoan’s minimal fee structure, no honorable person should face this problem.

Laxmi Bank Smart FoneLoan: Conclusion

To conclude, I would say that the FoneLoan service introduced by multiple Nepali banks is a much-needed move towards boosting the country’s digital economy. Since it does not require any in-person human intervention either, that’s another win in this time of the pandemic. We expect the concerned authorities to further push the boundaries of cashless culture in Nepal in the future by introducing similar technologies.

  • Watch: Laxmi Bank Smart FoneLoan Explained (Nepali)

FIFA 22 is getting more realistic gameplay with HyperMotion Technology

GadgetByte
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FIFA 22 is getting more realistic gameplay with HyperMotion Technology

EA Sports has just revealed the official trailer of FIFA 22. The trailer primarily focuses on the new HyperMotion Technology. This new feature is said to make the gameplay more realistic and immersive on next-gen consoles. Let’s take a look at HyperMotion Technology and other new features in the upcoming FIFA 22.

FIFA 22 Overview:

HyperMotion Technology

It’s a machine learning-backed motion replication system. The trailer showcases players in a special motion-capture suit. The suit captures the real-life movement of the player. This data is then fed to a machine learning algorithm, which creates real-time animations. EA Sports says it will bring out players’ real-life traits on the pitch.

Unfortunately, HyperMotion Technology will not be supported by last-gen consoles. You will need to have PS5, Xbox Series X/S, or Google Stadia to enjoy the new feature.

Other changes

FIFA 22 will continue to improve on popular game modes on the franchise. EA Sports is hinting at an all-new goalkeeper system. “Create a Club” under the Career Mode is also getting revamped. Similarly, VOLTA FOOTBALL is receiving enhanced gameplay.

Chelsea in FIFA 22

FIFA Ultimate Team Heroes is going to be a new addition to the game. It will follow the glorious tales of legendary players.

FIFA 22 Launch Date

FIFA 22 is up for pre-order and will be launched on October 1. Those who pre-order the Ultimate Edition by August 11 will get an untradeable FUT Heroes player item on December 1. Players will be able to enjoy the game on their PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC (Origin and Steam). The Legacy Edition will also be available in Nintendo Switch.

EA Sports Game Launch Date
FIFA 22 October 1
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of Realme X7 Max.

OnePlus Nord CE Review: Kinda Sorta Okay

Yural Maskey
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OnePlus Nord CE Review: Kinda Sorta Okay

In this review, I’ll be sharing my experiences with OnePlus Nord CE. I have been testing it out for the past 3 weeks alongside other mid-range phones like the Mi 11 Lite, Galaxy A52, and the iQOO Z3.

OnePlus Nord CE Specifications:

  • Body: 73.5 x 159.2 x 7.9mm, 170 gm
  • Display: 6.43-inches Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz refresh rate, Supports sRGB, Display P3
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio, 410 PPI
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (8nm Mobile Platform)
  • CPU: Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 570)
  • GPU: Adreno 619
  • Memory: 6/8/12GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128/256GB UFS 2.1 storage (fixed)
  • Software & UI: Android 11 with OnePlus’ OxygenOS 11 on top
  • Rear Camera: Triple (with LED flash);
    – 64MP f/1.79 OmniVision primary sensor
    – 8MP f/2.25 ultra-wide lens, 119º FOV
    – 2MP f/2.4 mono sensor
  • Front Camera: 16MP f/2.45 Sony IMX471 sensor (punch-hole cutout)
  • Audio: Super linear mono speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Security: Optical in-display fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Electronic Compass, Gyroscope, Ambient Light, Proximity, Sensor Core
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou / NaVIC, USB Type-C, NFC, 4G LTE, 5G
  • Battery: 4500mAh with Warp Charge 30T Plus (30W adapter provided)
  • Color options: Blue Void, Charcoal Ink, Silver Ray
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 44,999 (8/128GB) | Rs. 51,499 (12/256GB)

OnePlus Nord CE Review:

Here, the Nord CE is such a complicated phone from OnePlus. It is definitely not a phone that I would 100% recommend, but neither can I say—oh, it’s a bad phone, don’t buy it! With this device, I found 2 crucial mistakes from the company. First, I think they launched this phone a bit late.

Nord CE - Design 2

For what’s supposed to be a cheaper edition of the OnePlus Nord from last year, it shouldn’t have hit the market this close to the OnePlus Nord 2 announcement. And also, with all the features the Nord CE is packing, if it was launched like 6 months ago, it would have made a lot of sense. But right, now the competition is absolutely wild!

Secondly, I think they should have launched just one variant of this phone—with an 8/128GB memory configuration for a slightly lower price. Maybe INR 23,000 or some NPR 40,000 here in Nepal. Plus, I don’t understand why OnePlus bothered to bring the 12/256GB variant either since it’s an overkill given the phone’s specs.

Design & Build

  • 73.5 x 159.2 x 7.9mm, 170 grams
  • Polycarbonate back/frame, glass front

Like always, let me get started with the design. With the OnePlus Nord CE, you get a pretty basic, no-nonsense look. Yet, I just feel like the collaboration between OnePlus and OPPO goes beyond software and R&D these days. And that’s vividly reflected with the Nord CE’s design.

Here, like with OPPO’s recent F-series phones, the Nord CE has a plastic back and frames. But more importantly, it just feels like you are holding one of those OPPO phones with a lightweight build and curved edges. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but what is, is that skips on the signature alert slider that we’ve come to expect from OnePlus phones.

Despite this, the hands-on feel of the device, I must say is quite good. It has a nice grip and is not as wide as say, Xiaomi’s latest mid-range phones. Thankfully, my unit of the Nord CE hasn’t suffered any scratches either, so I haven’t actually missed the Gorilla Glass protection here.

As for the color options, you can choose from 3 alternatives: Blue Void, Charcoal Ink, and Silver Ray. The Charcoal Ink variant that I have with me has this glossy finish and hence invites a lot of fingerprints.

Display

  • 6.43-inches FHD+ Fluid AMOLED display
  • 90Hz refresh rate, Supports sRGB, P3
  • AGC Dragontrail protection on the front

On the front, you get a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. And for the most part, I have no complaints about the display. It has nice colors, the touch response is impressive, and it can get fairly bright as well.

Plus, there’s also an in-display fingerprint sensor here which I found to be faster and more reliable than the one on Samsung’s Galaxy A52. Still, it doesn’t hold up against the flagship OnePlus phones. The only thing that’s missing here is the aforementioned absence of Gorilla Glass protection—although the company has tried to make up for it by going for the cheaper Dragontrail glass instead.

Nord CE - Display

Still, I think that this is an unnecessary omission and it’s more like what OPPO usually does with its mid-range phone—but never something OnePlus would do. Similarly, watching movies or listening to music during my usage on the Nord CE hasn’t been a great pleasure either because it doesn’t come with stereo speakers.

No stereo speakers

These days, even cheaper phones come with a decent set of stereo speakers and I wouldn’t have minded if this mono speaker was half good, which sadly it isn’t. The bass is lacking and it doesn’t get very loud either. However, if it’s any consolation, you get a 3.5mm headphone jack in here. Additionally, the haptic feedback on this phone is strictly average too.

Regardless, as I said before, Nord CE hosts a nice display, and OnePlus has optimized it really well. Hence, I didn’t face any weird stutters or micro lags while using the phone in 90Hz mode. To recall, you will notice such lags in phones like Xiaomi’s Mi 11 Lite and Note 10 Pro.

Performance

  • Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G SoC (8nm)
  • 6/8/12GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128/256GB UFS 2.1 storage (fixed)
  • Android 11 with OnePlus’ OxygenOS 11 on top (upgradeable)

Similarly, I also found the performance of this device to be quite good, if not excellent. With the ever-so-optimized OxygenOS, fairly capable Snapdragon 750G chipset, and 8GB of RAM at the helm, day-to-day tasks like Whatsapping, scrolling through Instagram and Twitter, and switching between those apps is fluid and responsive experience.

Nord CE - UI

Likewise, dark mode is well implemented here too. And after recently switching to the Nord CE from Xiaomi phones, I realized how easy, ad-free, and one-handed friendly this OxygenOS UI is—and ultimately, this is why many people prefer OnePlus phones over those from other Chinese brands.

Gaming experience

For this review, I played a bunch of games on the OnePlus Nord CE. However, I would rate its performance in this regard to be good enough although you won’t be able to hit 60fps in demanding games like PUBG or Genshin Impact. In PUBG Mobile, you can get a fairly stable 40fps gameplay under Smooth graphics and Ultra frame rates.

Nord CE - Gaming

Similarly, Genshin Impact is only playable at 30fps by dialing down everything in the setting to Low. Lighter games like Call of Duty and Shadowgun War Games, on the other hand, can achieve a stable 60fps in Very High graphics and frame rates.

Nevertheless, OnePlus hasn’t optimized this phone to run games at anything beyond 60fps, thereby leaving a lot of room for performance upgrades on the table. So, for what it’s worth, maybe the Nord CE should have had a slightly more powerful chipset, like the newer Snapdragon 780G for instance.

Cameras

  • Triple-camera setup at the back
  • (64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP mono)
  • 16MP selfie camera in the punch-hole cutout

OnePlus has been using the popular 48MP Sony sensor in most of its camera setups until now. But with the Nord CE, they have gone with the new 64MP OmniVision sensor. Yet, it doesn’t come with any extra bells or whistles like OIS which the original OnePlus Nord had. Completing the triple camera setup, we have an 8MP ultrawide lens and a useless 2MP depth sensor.

Normal Images

Here, like with the flagship OnePlus 9 Pro, the Nord CE’s primary images produce natural colors. And for the most part, I like its natural color science as well. However, in certain scenarios, I feel like maybe OnePlus could have added a bit more saturation to make the images truer to life.

I also found its photos to be plenty bright and with decent contrast. But, the one area where the OmniVision sensor struggles is in terms of the details.

Wideangle Images

Photos from the 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor aren’t spectacular by any means but aren’t that bad either.

There’s a noticeable color shift if you put the shots from the main camera side-by-side as you can see that the ultra-wide images are more saturated. It’s also lacking in details and the dynamic range is compromised too.

Portrait Images

As for the portraits, as you can see from these samples, it actually does a pretty decent job with good skin tone, contrast level, and bokeh.

However, in difficult situations like in this image, the subject and background separation looks abnormal and the portraits don’t come out as good.

Nighttime Images

The one aspect where the Nord CE struggles is with the nighttime shots where its images are grainy and lacking in detail.

Turning on the night mode doesn’t significantly improve the image quality either and instead makes the photos look a bit unnatural.

Selfie Images

Selfies from its 16MP shooter are decent though.

They’re bright with good details and background exposure management.

In terms of portrait selfies, the edge detection isn’t that good as you can see the camera struggling in the hair areas.

Videography

Videography-wise, the OnePlus Nord CE delivers as expected from a mid-range phone. Here, the 4K 30fps recordings are fairly stable and the videos have good details and contrast levels.

On the other hand, the 1080P 30fps and 60fps modes aren’t that stable and you will notice significant wobble when taking a video when you’re walking. The ultra-wide-angle videos are limited to 1080P 30fps and as anticipated from this average sensor, the videos lack details and aren’t that stable.

Moving on, there’s no 4K recording with the selfie camera as it’s restricted to 1080p 30 or 60fps modes. Despite its narrow field of view, videos turn out pretty decent. The audio pick-up from the microphone is acceptable as well but it could’ve been better if OnePlus had installed a relatively high-end microphone.

Overall, OnePlus Nord CE’s cameras are nothing spectacular. But at this price range, you don’t get that reliable camera setup. The only other phone that offers a superior camera performance at this price range is the Galaxy A52, while similarly priced phones like the Mi 11 Lite, Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, and Realme X7 all struggle in one area or the other.

Battery

  • 4500mAh with Warp Charge 30T Plus

Finally, getting to the battery life, its 4500mAh cell provided me with good endurance. It is similar to what I was able to get from the A52 or the Mi 11 lite—which is a consistent 6 – 7 hours of screen-on time.

Nord CE - Charging

So, what I can confidently say is that if you are a heavy user, the Nord CE should last you till the end of the day or that could extend to a day-and-a-half under fairly lax usage. Charging via its 30W adapter is pretty fast too as it can get from 0 to 100% in about an hour.

OnePlus Nord CE Review: Conclusion

To conclude this review, I have enjoyed my time with the OnePlus Nord CE, and that’s mostly thanks to its well-optimized OxygenOS. Still, for the price, I am not 100% convinced that it’s the best value-for-money mid-range phone right now—although it’s a decent option in the Nepali market.

To compare, Samsung’s Galaxy A52 has it beat when it comes to the cameras. On the other hand, POCO F3 is a better value in terms of sheer performance. Overall, the OnePlus Nord CE is a pretty well-balanced mid-range phone mostly thanks to its optimized OxygenOS.

  • Watch our video review of the OnePlus Nord CE.

OnePlus Nord CE Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Well-optimized OxygenOS
  • Comfortable ergonomics
  • Vibrant 90Hz AMOLED screen
  • Decent performance level
  • Pretty balanced cameras
  • Impressive battery life

Cons:

  • Misses out on an alert slider
  • No stereo speaker setup
  • Not the best value for money
  • No Gorilla Glass protection

MSI GF65 Thin 10UE Review: Thin-and-Light Gaming Machine

Nikhil Shrestha
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MSI GF65 Thin 10UE Review: Thin-and-Light Gaming Machine

MSI is a globally renowned name when it comes to gaming laptops. The company recently updated its “GF” series of thin-and-light gaming laptops with NVIDIA’s latest RTX 30-series graphics cards. Following this, the MSI GF65 Thin 10UE has been available in Nepal for a couple of months now. And I’ve been using it ever since. So, in this review, I’ll be sharing my experiences with the MSI GF65 Thin 10UE gaming laptop.

MSI GF65 Thin 10UE Specifications:

  • Design & Build: Plastic + aluminum build, 14.13W x 10.0D x 0.85H-inches, 1.86 kg
  • Display: 15.6″ matte IPS panel, 144Hz refresh rate, 45% NTSC color space
  • Resolution: FHD (1920×1080) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
  • Keyboard: Chiclet-style backlit keyboard (Red), Anti-Ghost keys
  • Trackpad: Plastic multi-touch trackpad, Windows Precision drivers
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-10750H CPU (Comet Lake), 6C/12T, 5.0GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 12MB Intel Smart Cache, 14nm process, 45W TDP-up
  • RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM (2666MHz) (Up to 64GB)
  • Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (expandable)
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 75W (6GB GDDR6, discrete)
  • Audio: 2x 2W bottom-firing speakers with Hi-Res Audio
  • Battery: 51 Watt-hours Li-Ion battery
  • Power Supply: 180W AC power adapter
  • Webcam: 720p HD camera (no privacy shutter)
  • Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 6 (ax), Bluetooth 5.1
  • I/O Ports: 1x LAN (RJ45), 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x 3.5mm headphone combo jack, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x Kensington Lock
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 215,000
  • What’s inside the box: Laptop, power adapter, quick start guide

MSI GF65 Thin 10UE Review:

Design

  • Plastic + aluminum hair-brushed finish
  • Impressively lightweight for a gaming laptop

Starting with a design, this device respectably adheres to its thin-and-light heritage. Despite featuring a 15.6” chassis, MSI has managed to keep GF65’s weight below 2 kg. More specifically, it weighs just 1.86 kg. As a result, if you’re on the hunt for a powerful gaming laptop, but one that’s also fairly lightweight, then this could be one of the options you could consider.

Plus, GF65 Thin 10UE’s outer lid hosts a brushed aluminum finish for an elegant look. And maybe also to keep the spotlight away from its plastic build material. Therefore, MSI’s “GL” or “GP” series will fare you better—if a comparatively premium build quality is what you’re gunning for.

Additionally, this laptop’s keyboard deck, screen, and lid attracts dust and fingerprints way too easily. Consequently, I had to carry around a piece of fabric so that I could wipe it clean. Regardless, its hinge is pretty sturdy and the keyboard chassis doesn’t flex much either—unless when applied excessive pressure, of course. Moving on, MSI GF65 Thin 10UE brings a handful of I/O ports.

This includes a barrel-pin charging connection and an HDMI 2.0 port on the left while you’ll find two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, one combo audio jack, one LAN (RJ45), and a Kensington Lock port on its right frame. Here, I find the lack of a Thunderbolt port disturbing.

Display

  • 15.6″ matte non-touch IPS LCD panel
  • 144Hz refresh rate, 45% NTSC gamut

Moving up front, GF65 Thin 10UE brings a big 15.6” screen with support for a 144Hz refresh rate. To minimize cost on such relatively affordable gaming laptops to the optimum level, manufacturers compromise on the display department and unsurprisingly, that’s what’s happened here.

GF65 Thin 10UE - Display

This 15.6” IPS LCD panel covers just 45% of the NTSC color gamut. So, you’re obviously not going to get the most vibrant color reproduction on this screen. Therefore, the colors look noticeably flat here, especially the reds. In the default factory color calibration, I noticed that things leaned slightly on the bluish side of things.

Strictly sub-par display

What all this boils down to is the fact that professional graphics designers or someone in a similar field searching for a gaming/content creation hybrid machine will have to look somewhere else. Besides colors, this gaming laptop’s brightness level is just about average as well.

Even when indoors, I’d have to set the display’s brightness level around 60-70%. That should effectively rule out any possibility of easy visibility when taking this machine outdoors. Anyway, mediocre color reproduction and brightness levels aside, I don’t have much to complain about this panel’s viewing angles as they’re pretty good.

Plus, I couldn’t notice any sort of backlight bleeding here either. Overall, GF65 Thin 10UE’s screen is strictly acceptable only—although most other comparable gaming laptops don’t do much better either.

Keyboard

  • Backlit chiclet-style keyboard (single-color)

As expected, you’re getting a full-sized chiclet/island-style keyboard here. But despite its 15.6” chassis, MSI has skipped on a dedicated Numpad on this setup. Instead, this compact layout leaves an open flank—which should’ve been complemented by a set of front-firing speakers if you ask me. But, alas!

Nevertheless, I’m quite fond of the key travel distance on this keyboard while they don’t rattle much either. I would’ve preferred a quieter sound profile though. Now, since this is a gaming laptop, you’re gonna ger RGB lighting here as well.

GF65 Thin 10UE - Keyboard

Before you raise your expectations, let me quickly simmer it down. Unlike the quad-zone or per-key RGB lighting on relatively expensive gaming laptops, MSI has settled for a single-zone backlit keyboard on the GF65 Thin 10UE with red lighting. You can toggle between three levels of brightness on this keyboard.

I found the second level to be fairly bright enough. But what’s weird here is that shortcuts like volume, brightness control are embedded into the arrow keys; instead of the Function keys which is where most of us are used to seeing them.

Trackpad

  • Plastic trackpad with integrated left/right keys

Likewise, its trackpad is of pretty average quality too. Its non-centric placement and the comparatively compact form-factor don’t bode well with tasks like photo editing and such—although it’s no problem for regular everyday usage. I find the integrated left/right keys a little too plasticky as well and they click quite loud. Despite all this, since it supports Windows Precision Drivers, I had no trouble with using multi-finger gestures here.

Webcam

  • 720p HD webcam, No privacy shutter

Moving on, while a handful of 2021 gaming laptops so far have seen a taller 16:10 aspect ratio implementation, the MSI GF65 Thin 10UE doesn’t enjoy the same fate. The big chunky bezels on the top and bottom look quite dated, even though it’s nothing of a deal-breaker. Here, the top bezel houses a standard 720p HD webcam.

GF65 Thin 10UE - Webcam

It’s not accompanied by a physical privacy shutter either. But, the F6 key hosts a dedicated notification LED to indicate the camera’s on/off status. Talking about the quality of the camera itself, things are exactly how you would expect from a laptop webcam.

Videos turn out pretty grainy whereas the subject itself looks a bit dark too. Yet, the audio pick-up from the built-in microphones is quite decent. All in all, this laptop’s camera will suffice you just fine for your video conferencing needs—but you’ll need to shell out for a dedicated webcam if you’re into streaming.

Audio

  • 2x 2W bottom-firing speaker setup
  • Hi-Res Audio certified, Nahimic tuning

In terms of audio, like in other relatively inexpensive gaming laptops, this one has a dual speaker setup totaling to 4W of output. It supports Hi-Res Audio too and can get adequately loud enough for an average-sized living room.

But of course, the sound quality from these bottom-firing speakers is strictly sub-par. While mids sound clear enough, you can notice that it clips the highs—on top of the audibly non-existent bass. Still and all, thanks to the elevation aided by the sharp rubber feet, the audio doesn’t get muffled as much.

Performance

  • Intel 10th-gen Core i7-10750H CPU (45W TDP)
  • NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU (75W, 6GB GDDR6 VRAM)
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD

Allow me to talk about the performance side of things now. As I mentioned in the beginning, the GF65 Thin 10UE brings the latest RTX 30-series GPU from NVIDIA. However, maybe due to the global chip shortage or to maintain its affordable stature, MSI has opted for the older 10th gen Intel Comet Lake CPU here.

GF65 Thin 10UE - Design

In Nepal, you’ll find two configurations of this gaming laptop—one with the Core i5-10300H, and the other with the i7-10750H CPU. Despite the processor difference, both variants share 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD.

Our review unit of the MSI GF65 Thin 10UE boasts the high-end Core i7 processor which retails for NPR 215,000 in Nepal. On the other hand, the i5 variant costs NPR 190,000. It’s sad to see these price tags since the i7 configuration of this laptop goes for just USD 1,300 (~ NPR 155,000) in the international market.

CrystalDiskMark
Read (MB/s) Write (MB/s)
SEQ1M Q8T1 2232.07 1147.36
SEQ1M Q1T1 1925.42 1139.02
RND4K Q32T1 506.25 262.73
RNK4K Q1T1 65.95 147.35
Cinebench R23
CPU: Multi-Core 4737
CPU: Single Core 835
MP Ratio 5.67x
Geekbench 5
CPU: Single Core 1197
CPU: Multi-Core 5726
Compute (OpenCL) 82505
Unigine Heaven

(FPS: 114.0, Score: 2872, Min FPS: 9.1, Max FPS: 245.6)

API: OpenGL Multi-monitor: Disabled
Quality: High Anti-aliasing: x2
Tessellation: Extreme Fullscreen: Yes
Stereo 3D: Disabled Resolution: System
GFXBench
1440p Aztec Ruins OpenGL (High Tier) Offscreen 153.058 fps
1080p Car Chase Offscreen 341.440 fps
1080p Manhattan 3.1 Offscreen 459.853 fps
1080p ALU 2 Offscreen 1936.73 fps
1080p Driver Overhead 2 Offscreen 169.657 fps
1080p Texturing Offscreen 187.417 fps
3DMark
Overall Graphics Physics Combined
Fire Strike Extreme v1.1 8235 8554 17460 3975
Total Graphics CPU
Time Spy v1.2 6706 6801 6215

Anyway, even though it’s a last-gen CPU, the i7-10750H is still a powerful processor and it’s not given up on my day-to-day workloads. With 16GB of RAM onboard, multitasking has been no hiccup for this laptop either. Oh, by the way, you can upgrade both RAM and SSD on this thing if you want to. No soldered limitations here.

Upgradeable to Windows 11

And one more thing, many of you might be wondering if this device can be upgraded to Windows 11. Thankfully, it comes with TPM 2.0 pre-installed, thereby letting you upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft Windows when it becomes available.

In order to maintain a thin-and-light form factor, MSI has gone with the Max-Q design of RTX 3060 with a 75W TGP (Total Graphics Power). So, this RTX 3060 won’t be able to deliver as powerful a gaming performance as say, Ripple’s Raze Pro which boasts a high-TGP RTX 3060 (Max-P design). In spite of this, I was able to get impressive gaming results here.

Before talking numbers, let’s quickly discuss the MSI Dragon Center. It lets you toggle between different performance profiles while also allowing you to adjust fan speed settings. For the absolute best performance, there’s the “Extreme Performance” mode which cranks the speed of the dual-fan setup underneath to max. Under this, the fan noise is quite loud but that’s easily drowned out when putting on headphones during your gaming sessions.

Gaming experience

In relatively less graphic-intensive games like FIFA 2021, I managed to get a stable 160fps gameplay under the Highest graphics settings with 4X MSAA turned on. Even after playing the game continuously for more than 2 hours, I was impressed to see that there was no performance throttling of any sort.

Yet, the GF65’s thermal solution couldn’t quite keep up with such load as the upper portion of the keyboard deck got quite hot with such usage. The trio of exhaust vents—one on the left frame and two on the rear—blow warm air continuously although the dual fans and the integrated heatpipes couldn’t efficiently bring down the temperature.

Likewise, CS: GO is playable with 133 – 135fps under High graphics settings and 8X MSAA whereas Valorant gives you 138fps on average under High graphics and 4X MSAA. Contrary to these, playing demanding titles like Star Wars Battlefront II does take a toll on this gaming laptop.

GF65 Thin 10UE - Gaming

With DX12 turned on and graphics setting kept at High, I got around 48 – 49fps on average whereas that number jumped to 52 – 55fps when dialing down the settings to Medium. On the other hand, turning off DX12 altogether gives 99 – 106 and 108 – 114fps on average under High and Medium graphics settings, respectively.

Battery

  • 51 Watt-hour 3-cell battery
  • 180W AC power adapter

Finally, let’s talk about the battery life of this laptop. Throughout the review period, I managed to get 2 – 2.5 hours of screen-on time from the 51Wh battery on MSI GF65 Thin 10UE. My usage consisted of light photo editing and browsing multiple tabs on Chrome; with the performance profile set to Silent and brightness level at 70%.

GF65 Thin 10UE - Charger

For a gaming laptop, that’s a fairly standard battery endurance. And if you primarily work from home, then that’s never going to be a problem in the first place. However, those who are constantly on the run might find it tenuous exhausting to carry around the big power adapter. Unfortunately, the onboard USB-C ports don’t support power supply. Whereas, the 180W AC adapter takes around 2 hours to fully juice up this battery.

MSI GF65 Thin 10UE Review: Conclusion

To conclude this review of the MSI GF65 Thin 10UE, for its price, this is quite an average gaming laptop. Its mediocre display, last-gen 10th gen Intel CPU, plastic build quality, and sub-par battery life could be a dealbreaker to many. Additionally, at its price range, you can get something like the Asus TUF Dash F15 (2021) which is powered by the newer 11th gen processor—while also bringing a bigger battery and a relatively premium build quality.

MSI GF65 Thin 10UE Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Portable build quality
  • Smooth 144Hz refresh rate
  • Efficient port selection
  • Great gaming performance
  • Decent thermal solution

Cons:

  • Sub-par display quality
  • Older 10th gen CPU
  • Average battery life
  • No USB-C power delivery

Samsung brings new AI-powered washing machine to Nepal

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Samsung brings new AI-powered washing machine to Nepal

Samsung has expanded its portfolio of AIoT products in Nepal with the launch of a new AI-powered washing machine. It comes with a multilingual user interface and Samsung’s proprietary EcoBubble, which saves time and electricity while delivering 45 percent more fabric care. So let’s have a look at the specifications, features, and official price of the Samsung AI washing machine in Nepal.

Samsung AI Washing Machine Overview:

Digital Control

The new machine flaunts a user-friendly sleek digital interface with a simple jog dial control. As aforementioned, it comes with a bunch of AI-powered washing solutions such as Laundry Planning, Laundry Recipe, and HomeCare Wizard. 

Samsung AI Washing Machine Front

Here, the Laundry Planner allows users to plan the end of their laundry time, whilst the Laundry Recipe provides automated suggestions for ideal wash cycles based on factors like fabric kinds. Similarly, the HomeCare Wizard warns users of potential problems and provides quick troubleshooting.

Ease of doing

Furthermore, the EcoBubble technology used in it dispenses the correct quantity of detergent and produces a thick foam that penetrates 40 times quicker. According to the company, this technique provides 45 percent more fabric care. Furthermore, the Super Eco Wash program washes clothing at 15°C, but delivers the result of 40°C wash. Similarly, it consumes just 30% of the energy.

Samsung AI Washing Machine

Additionally, Hygiene Steam eliminates entrenched dirt as well as 99.9% of germs and allergens, while the Bubble Soak aids in stain removal. The Drum Clean technology keeps the washer bacteria-free, and the Drum Clean+ notifies users when it needs cleaning.

Samsung AI Washing Machine Price in Nepal and Availability

The AI-enabled washing machines are available in Nepal starting at NPR 109,990. It is available in two capacities: 8/6kg and 12/8kg washer dryer combination. You can get up to 15% cashback on the purchase of a new washing machine and also is available at Samsung Smart Plazas located across Nepal.

Washing Machine Price in Nepal (Starting) Availability
Samsung AI Washing Machine NPR 109,990 Samsung Smart Plaza
  • Meanwhile, check out our impressions of the Samsung Galaxy A22.

Pixel 6 series leaks in full, confirms custom Google chip

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Pixel 6 series leaks in full, confirms custom Google chip

Last year’s Pixel 5 was Google’s flagship offering, yet it was only a mid-range smartphone when put up against the best from other brands. It had a relatively under-powerful chipset and borrowed design from the cheaper Pixel 4a. But recent reports suggest that the tech giant isn’t holding back anymore. About a month ago, Jon Prosser leaked renders of the upcoming Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, and now he has revealed their complete specs.

Google Pixel 6 Pro Rumors:

Design and Display

According to Prosser, Google Pixel 6 Pro is codenamed Raven, and it will feature a 6.71-inch Plastic OLED from LG. The information doesn’t align with previous leaks by OnLeaks, which claimed a 6.67-inch panel.

All the leaked renders reveal a center-placed punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The bezels around the screen are minimal. The display is curved at the edges, giving it a premium look and feel. There is no news of a higher refresh rate yet.

Google Pixel 6 Pro Display and Design leaked

At the back, Pixel 6 Pro has a dual-tone finish with the camera module in between the two colored stripes. This horizontal stripe enclosing the rear camera setup has a significant bump to it as well.

Google Silicon Whitechapel

The phone will also be the first to be powered by Google’s own chipset. Google has been relying on Qualcomm’s silicons for its Pixel lineup of smartphones so far. Yet, it was revealed earlier that Google is collaborating with Samsung’s Exynos division for its own SoC called Whitechapel this year.

Just like Apple’s M1 chip, this silicon will be used in both smartphones (Pixel) and laptops (Chromebooks) from Google. There is not much information about it online except for the reports that it is codenamed “GS101” internally.

Triple camera setup

Moving on, Pixel 6 Pro houses three cameras at the back—a first for the lineup. Up until now, Google relied on a dual-camera setup at best. The triple camera configuration includes 50MP primary camera, a 48MP periscopic telephoto lens, and an additional 12MP sensor for ultrawide shots.

Google Pixel 6 Pro Camera

In addition to the camera, the module also houses an LED flash, a couple of sensors, and a microphone.

Rest of the specs

As expected, the Pixel 6 series will be the first to come with Android 12 out-of-the-box. According to Prosser, Google will also be providing 5 years of major software updates on these devices.

Likewise, Pixel 6 Pro will feature a dual-speaker set up with a top and a bottom-firing unit. The device will feature a 5,000mAh battery, and there will be support for wireless charging. It will also house an optical in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics, which will be yet another first for a Pixel phone. Up until now, Google has been including a rear-mounted physical fingerprint scanner.

Google Pixel 6 Pro Specifications (Rumored):

  • Display: 6.67-inch curved Plastic AMOLED
  • Chipset: Goggle Silicon “Whitechapel”
  • Memory: 12GB RAM, 128/256/512GB internal storage
  • Software: Android 12, 5 years of software update
  • Audio: Stereo speaker
  • Rear camera: Triple (50MP primary + 48MP telephoto + 12MP ultrawide)
  • Biometrics: Optical in-display fingerprint scanner
  • Battery: 5,000mAh
  • Extras: Wireless charging support

Google Pixel 6 Rumors:

The standard Pixel 6, on the other hand, will feature a 6.4-inch AMOLED panel. The phone will retain the primary and ultrawide camera but will skip the telephoto lens. It will arrive in two memory configurations – 8+128GB and 8+256GB. It will also feature a smaller 4,614mAh battery.

Google Pixel 6, 6 Pro Specifications (Rumors):

  • Display: 6.4-inch curved Plastic AMOLED
  • Chipset: Google Silicon “Whitechapel”
  • Memory: 8GB RAM, 128/256GB internal storage
  • Software: Android 12, 5 years of software update
  • Audio: Stereo speaker
  • Rear camera: Dual (50MP primary + 12MP ultrawide)
  • Biometrics: Optical in-display fingerprint scanner
  • Battery: 4,614mAh

Google Pixel 6, 6 Pro Launch and Availability

For now, there is no information regarding the exact launch date for the phone. However, it is rumored that Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will be unveiled in October later this year.

Smartphone Model Expected Launch Date
Google Pixel 6 series October 2021
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the Realme X7 Max.

Meet Snapdragon Insiders Phone: Qualcomm’s first ever phone

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Meet Snapdragon Insiders Phone: Qualcomm’s first ever phone

Qualcomm has teamed with Asus for its first smartphone. As the name suggests, Snapdragon Insiders Phone is exclusive to Qualcomm’s Insider program. Here, we will be looking at key specs and features of the Snapdragon Insiders Phone, along with the expected price in Nepal.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Insiders Phone Overview:

Display and Design

Snapdragon Insiders Phone features a 6.78-inch Samsung AMOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. It boasts a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. Similarly, the phone covers 111.23% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It has a layer for Gorilla Glass Victus for protection.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Insider Phone design

Asus is responsible for the design and manufacturing of the Snapdragon Insiders Phone. You have traditional bezels around the screen. At the back, you can notice the horizontal camera bump with a red accent. The panel also houses Qualcomm’s logo and a physical fingerprint scanner.

Performance and Memory

Under the hood, the phone packs Snapdragon 888. Interestingly, Qualcomm decided not to go with the beefed-up Snapdragon 888+. Adreno 660 handles the graphics. In addition, the phone is equipped with Snapdragon Elite Gaming. It supports a wide range of technologies, including Variable Rate Shading, Game Quick Touch, and 10-bit HDR.

As for memory, the phone arrives with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage.

Camera

The aforementioned camera bump houses three camera sensors. Qualcomm has chosen the 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor for the primary camera. It even supports Optical Image Stabilization.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Insider Phone camera

For ultrawide shots, there is the IMX363 sensor capable of taking 12MP shots. Completing the setup is an 8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. There is a 24MP selfie camera up front.

You can record 8K/30fps videos using the primary camera. The secondary camera can record 4K/30fps videos.

Audio

You get a dual-stereo speaker. One speaker faces the front while the other is on the side

Snapdragon Sound Technology

The Snapdragon Insiders Phone is also the first to support Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Sound Technology. It is a suite of audio technology that includes low Bluetooth latency, listening profiles, ANC, and 24-bit 96 kHz. The phone comes with Master & Dynamic TWS earbuds.

Rest of the Specs

The whole setup is fueled by a 4,000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 5. However, the charging is limited to 65W instead of the 100W charger that the technology supports. Qualcomm will be including a 65W charger in the box. However, some regions, including India may receive a slower 35W charger.

The phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner backed by a second-gen Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Insider Phone Specifications:

  • Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED, 144Hz refresh rate,  111.23% DCI-P3, 10-point multi-touch, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, 1200 nits peak brightness
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm)
  • RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 RAM (Pro)
  • Storage: 512GB UFS 3.1 storage
  • OS: Android 11
  • Rear Camera: 64MP Sony IMX686, 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens, 3x telephoto lens
  • Front Camera: 24MP selfie camera
  • Audio: Stereo speakers, Qualcomm Sound Technology
  • Security: Qualcomm 3D sensor Gen 2
  • Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6E a/b/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, Type-C port
  • Battery: 4000mAh with Quick Charge 5.0 (65W)
  • Extra: Master & Dynamic TWS Earbuds inside the box

Qualcomm Snapdragon Insiders Phone Price and Availability

The Qualcomm Snapdragon Insiders Phone comes with a $1,500 price tag. It will be available for purchase starting in August. The phone will first be available for participants of the Snapdragon Insider Program.

If it ever launches in Nepal, we expect the price to be NPR 1, 85,000.

Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of the Mi 11X Pro.

Nokia G20 Review: A Battery King (And Not Much Else)

Nikhil Shrestha
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Nokia G20 Review: A Battery King (And Not Much Else)

Before getting into this review of the Nokia G20, allow me to paint a bigger picture of the Finnish company. I don’t know… it feels like Nokia is slowly but steadily losing its grip in the mobile industry—once again.

Nokia G20 Specifications:

  • Body: 76 x 164.9 x 9.2mm, 197 gm
  • Display: 6.5-inches IPS LCD panel, 2.5D cover glass
  • Resolution: HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio, 269 PPI
  • Chipset: MediaTek Helio G35 4G (12nm Mobile Platform)
  • CPU: Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A53)
  • GPU: PowerVR GE8320
  • Memory: 4GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
  • Software & UI: Android 11 (Part of Android One program)
  • Rear Camera: Quad (48MP main, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth)
  • Front Camera: 8MP sensor (teardrop notch)
  • Audio: Single speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Proximity
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Beidou, USB Type-C, 4G LTE
  • Battery: 5050mAh with 10W charging (10W adapter provided)
  • Color options: Night, Glacier
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 19,999 (4/64GB)

Nokia G20 Review:

Quick, can you recall the last flagship phone from the company? Two years into its launch, the Nokia 9 PureView still doesn’t have a successor. And throughout this period, Nokia’s releases have been confined to a few budget and mid-range phones every now and then. Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with not launching flagship phones

Nokia G20 - SIM Tray

And while the company has earned praise for its stock Android experience, competition like Motorola, for instance, has caught up to the point where Nokia can no longer afford to rely on this one factor to sell its phones.

Plus, its latest affordable launches haven’t seen much success either, mainly due to their unimpressive price-to-performance ratio. With all that in mind, how is the Nokia G20, which is yet another mid-range phone from the company that applies the same formula? Let’s find out in this review of the Nokia G20.

Design & Build

  • 76 x 164.9 x 9.2mm, 197 grams
  • Polycarbonate back/frame, glass front
  • Dedicated Google Assistant button

Nokia G20 looks like any other affordable Nokia phone we’ve seen so far. Its polycarbonate back comprises subtle vertical ridges for a better grip and even a bit of a visual flair. Thankfully, it doesn’t attract nearly as many fingerprints or smudges as regular plastic back phones either, which is great. The circular camera module looks quite unique in this price segment while its mirrored finish is something of a head-turner too.

Here, Nokia G20 is offered in two color options: Night and Glacier. I feel like the company’s promo materials undersell the beauty of this bluish Night hue, to be honest. It walks an elegant line between blue and purple which looks appealing to my eyes.

Pretty decent design

Additionally, the curved back further adds to the comfort of holding this otherwise relatively bulky phone. At 197 grams, the Nokia G20 will definitely make its presence felt in your pocket—especially when complemented with a case. But most of the time, I ended up abandoning the case since it brings down the phone’s beauty drastically.

Moving on, the power and the volume buttons on the right frame are fairly easy to reach and offer decent tactile feedback. Plus, Nokia has integrated a fingerprint scanner into the power button which takes about a second to unlock the device. You can also opt for the face unlock option but that’s even slower. Anyway, there’s a SIM tray and a dedicated Google Assistant button on the left.

I’m once again let down by the fact that this button isn’t user remappable by default. And even when switching to third-party apps, you can’t disable the system’s Google Assistant trigger. Besides this, there’s a 3.5mm audio headphone jack and a primary microphone on the top while you’ll find a USB-C port, a speaker grille, and a secondary microphone at the bottom.

Display

  • 6.5-inches HD+ IPS LCD display
  • 2.5D curved glass, 20:9 aspect ratio

On to the display side of things, it’s your standard budget phone stuff here. What this means is an average HD screen with a notch on the top. Nokia G20 flaunts a 6.5” IPS LCD panel with a teardrop notch for the selfie camera. The “HD” of it all sure sounds like a direct disadvantage to this phone but I must say I rarely faced any issue regarding the display’s sharpness.

Even pixel peeping doesn’t quite reveal pixelation on this panel. But mind you that this applies to your standard UI/UX elements, web browsing, and similar use cases—and not video streaming strictly. Thankfully though, force enabling 1080p mode on YouTube gives a decent viewing experience here and videos look adequately sharp.

HD streaming on Netflix

Nokia G20 is also Widevine L1 certified for HD streaming on OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Regardless, because this is a budget phone, you can notice big bezels here—especially on the chin where an additional “Nokia” branding resides as well. The curved edges don’t fall victim to backlight bleeding, which is pretty nice.

Nokia G20 - Display

Also, this display can get fairly bright enough indoors although it does struggle with visibility when you’re outside—even on a fairly cloudy day. Colors, for the most part, look okay-ish on this screen. It is a bit on the undersaturated side but that’s to be expected from such inexpensive phones.

But what’s weird here is that in multiple YouTube videos, I noticed that people’s faces embody this unnatural yellow tint for some reason. You can dial down the White Balance on the cooler side for a slight improvement—but don’t expect it to drastically turn things normal. Apart from this, G20’s screen has a pretty terrible touch response rate as well as it fails to recognize touch input now and then.

Performance

  • Octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 4G SoC (12nm)
  • 4GB RAM, 64/128GB internal storage (expandable)
  • Stock Android 11 (Part of the Android One program)

Over on the performance, powering the Nokia G20 is MediaTek’s Helio G35. Based on a 12nm process, we’ve seen this chipset in action in multiple budget phones in the past like the Redmi 9C or the POCO C3.

And both of these phones cost way less than what the G20 goes for. Its sole 4/64GB variant retails at INR 12,999 in India or NPR 19,999 here in Nepal. To compare, the 4/64GB option of POCO C3 costs just INR 8,499 (NPR 14,999). You see what I meant by the “unimpressive price-to-performance ratio” in the beginning?

Yep, Nokia phones have never been known for their aggressive pricing but at this point, I feel like it’s inexcusable. And even factoring in its ad-free, stock Android experience, the G20 fails to make a compelling argument for its outlandish pricing. As a result, everything from opening apps to playing games is an underwhelming experience on this phone.

Nokia G20 - Design

Apps take at least a second or so to load—and that’s not even when factoring games. Still, it’s not slow to the point where you’d have to settle for the “Lite” version of your apps. Multitasking between lightweight apps is respectably fine as well. Nokia did the right thing by shipping the phone with a standard 4GB of RAM, otherwise, the end-user experience might’ve turned out differently.

Clean Android experience

Among the scarce crown jewels of this phone is the stock Android experience. Plus, Nokia G20 falls under the “Android One” program as well which guarantees 2 years of version and 3 years of security updates to the phone. Ad-free UX on budget phones is a definite thumbs up from me but I’m a little skeptical of Nokia’s promise in terms of software updates.

The thing is, as HMD Global’s portfolio of smartphones has grown over the years, the company hasn’t quite been able to deliver timely updates. More recently, it had to delay the Android 11 update schedule by a quarter on multiple phones than previously promised. I just hope the Nokia G20 doesn’t share the same fate.

How about gaming?

Moving on to gaming, playing relatively less demanding games is a perfectly enjoyable experience on this phone. For this review, I tried titles like Clash Royale and Redungeon on Nokia G20. Here, both games play fine whereas comparatively taxing games do take a toll on the Helio G35.

Call of Duty Mobile stutters by quite a bit under Low graphics and High frame rate while the gameplay becomes slightly better under Low frame rate. PUBG Mobile lags frequently even in the lowest setting (Smooth graphics, Low frame rate) so I tried its Lite version instead.

Thankfully, the gaming experience here is pretty fluid under Smooth graphics and Extreme frame rate—although I did notice minor stutters here and there. After about 30 minutes of gameplay, the CPU and battery temperature rose to 41ºC and 38ºC, respectively, while the phone got noticeably warm near the camera module. Similarly, Mobile Legends Bang Bang plays fine under High graphics quality with dismissable jitters on a few instances.

Cameras

  • Quad-camera setup at the back
  • (48MP main, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth)
  • 8MP selfie camera inside the teardrop notch

Let’s talk about the cameras now. Nokia G20 sports a quad-camera setup the back inside the aforementioned circular module. This consists of a 48MP primary, a 5MP ultra-wide, and a couple of 2MP sensors for macro and portrait shots. On the front, there’s an 8MP selfie shooter.

Normal Images

Under ample lighting, photos from the primary camera turn out fairly well detailed. Yet, the phone does struggle to lock in focus ever so often.

The overall photo turns out oversaturated when turning on Auto HDR whereas it messes with the exposure by a bit as well.

Sadly, turning off HDR altogether doesn’t improve the image quality by a lot either.

Wideangle Images

Contrary to normal photos, the ultrawide shots dial down the saturation to a much more natural level.

HDR doesn’t quite work well in wideangle mode and because of its slow shutter speed, shooting moving objects can result in visible ghosting artifacts.

Portrait Images

Unfortunately, portrait mode from the rear camera failed to work after a while.

In a couple of shots I did manage to click, the photos came off looking a bit oversharpened whereas the edge detection is half-decent only.

Macro Images

Close-up shots from the onboard macro camera aren’t that great either.

Taking photos from its fixed-focus lens is a struggle too. With enough patience, you can shoot okay-ish shots although they do tend to look oversaturated.

Nighttime Images

Likewise, under relatively sufficient lighting, nighttime shots come off grainy and with little detail, while it shoots soft-looking photos sometimes.

Turning night mode on boosts exposure a little, but nothing more.

Selfie Images

Selfies from the front camera are just average only.

The dynamic range is pretty terrible whereas the photos look quite soft and the colors turn out muted.

Unlike the rear camera, Nokia G20’s software-based portrait selfies work as advertised though. On top of uneven edge detection, it miscalculates black levels too.

Videography

In terms of videos, the phone maxes out at 1080p/30fps recording from the primary, ultrawide, and the selfie camera. As expected, the footages come off quite wobbly in all three modes—with especially blown-out skies on the selfie video. There’s also a “Wind Noise Reduction” feature on the rear cameras but I couldn’t notice any difference when turning it on/off.

Battery

  • 5050mAh battery with 10W charging

Anyway, aside from the below-average cameras, Nokia G20 shines the brightest in terms of its battery endurance. In fact, HMD Global is so confident in this regard that it says the G20 is “a 3-day battery” phone. Equipping a low-res HD display and a big 5050mAh battery, I was surprised to discover this claim to be somewhat true.

Nokia G20 - Charging

What I mean is, under medium to heavy usage, I managed to net out 8 – 10 hours of screen-on time on average. And if your use-case is relatively less demanding, I can easily see it lasting three days straight. Impressive!

Charging it up, on the other hand, is quite a drag. Its maximum power input is limited to just 10W. Using the power adapter provided inside the box, I graphed that it goes from 0 to 100% in around 3 hours 4 minutes. Still, the company has used a Type-C data/charging port here instead of Micro USB which is something of a relief.

Audio

  • 3.5mm headphone jack, mono speaker

Finally, the audio quality from the mono speaker is nothing to write home about either. It audibly struggles with dynamic range when maxing out the loudness. Plus, the audio sounds completely flat with lowering the volume as well. You also get a 3.5mm earphone inside the box whose quality is equally disappointing. Also, I faced no call-drops or similar issues when using my NTC SIM on the phone with VoLTE turned on.

Nokia G20 Review: Conclusion

To wrap up this review of the Nokia G20, it’s a fairly underwhelming phone. While its design, clean Android experience, and battery life are somewhat of saving grace, the phone ultimately lags behind the competition when it comes to performance.

Maybe MediaTek’s Helio G80/G85 would’ve been a better choice for a phone at this price bracket. Still, if you’re a casual smartphone user who wants an excellent battery endurance and reliable software experience, the Nokia G20 makes for an appealing choice.

Nokia G20 Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Decent design language
  • Stock Android experience
  • Guaranteed software updates
  • Excellent battery endurance

Cons:

  • Not the best value for money
  • No FHD resolution display
  • Unreliable camera setup
  • Only 10W charging support

Panasonic launches JS650 and HX750 series TVs in Nepal

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Panasonic launches JS650 and HX750 series TVs in Nepal

Panasonic has launched two new smart TVs for Nepali consumers – HX750M and JS650. Both are Android TVs with HDR and Dolby Atmos but differ in screen size and resolution. So, let’s dig in to know the specs, features, official price, and availability of Panasonic HX750M and JS650 in Nepal.

Panasonic HX750M 55” and 65” Overview:

Display

Starting with HX750, it is a 4K TV,  which is available in two screen sizes –  55-inch and 65-inch. It is  HDR 10+ complaint. It features a 4K color engine that scales up HD/FHD content to offer detailed pictures. The panel also supports Hexa Chroma Drive, which adds 3 complementary colors (CMY) to the 3 primary axes (RGB).

Panasonic TH-65HX750M Design and Display

Moving on, it has 8GB of eMMC storage and 2GB of RAM. Here, the 55-inch variant weighs 10.62 kg, while the 65-inch weighs 17.6 kg.  

Features

As it boots on Android Q, you have access to Google Assistant, Google Home, and Chromecast. On the audio front, it boasts a 20W output speaker with Audio Booster+. HX750M also has Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 2.4GHz support for wireless connectivity. Similarly, it has Dolby Audio and DTS audio decoding. 

Panasonic TH-55HX750M Design and Display

In terms of I/O connectivity, it features two USB 2.0 ports, three HDMI ports, and one ethernet port. Likewise, you also get an AV, DTV, RF, and S/PDIF port.

Panasonic HX750M 55”, 65” Specifications

  • Display: 55/65-inches, HDR 10+, Hexa Chroma Drive, 4K color engine
  • Resolution: 4K Ultra-HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
  • Dimensions: 
    • 55-inch: 1227 x 280 x 770 mm (w/ pedestal) | 1227 x 75 x 7143 mm (w/o pedestal)
    • 65-inch: 1447.7 x 289.7 x 898.6 mm (w/ pedestal) | 1447.7 x 81.3 x 836.8 (w/o pedestal)
  • Weight: 
    • 55-inch: 10.62 kg (w/ pedestal); 10.52 kg (w/o pedestal)
    • 65-inch: 17.7 kg (w/ pedestal); 17.6 kg (w/o pedestal)
  • Sound: 20W output
  • Audio Decoder: Dolby Audio, DTS, V-Audio, Audio Booster+
  • OS: Android Q
  • Memory: 2GB RAM, 8GB eMMC storage
  • Power: 
    • 55-inch: AC100-240V 50/60Hz (150W)
    • 65-inch: AC100-240V 50/60Hz (200W)
  • Wireless Connectivity: WiFi (dual-band), Bluetooth 4.2
  • I/O Ports: 3x HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, 1x Ethernet (LAN), 1x DTV, 1x S/PDIF, 1 x RF, 1x AV input

Panasonic HX750M 55” and 65” Price in Nepal and Availability

The price of the Panasonic HX750M 4K HDR TV in Nepal is NPR 112,390 and NPR 193,390 for 55″ and 65″ variants, respectively. You can purchase them from the authorized stores.

Panasonic HX750M Price in Nepal Availability
55-inch NPR 112,390 Authorized Stores, Panasonic Nepal
65-inch NPR 193,390

Panasonic JS650 42” Overview:

Furthermore, Pansonic has also launched a 42-inch FHD TV with AccuView display and Hexa Chroma Drive. It also supports HDR, adaptive backlight dimming, and noise reduction for the optimized color of the content. 

Panasonic JS650 42-inch Display

In terms of audio, it has the same 20W speaker with V-audio and Audio Booster+. For audio decoding, it has Dolby Audio support. The smart TV boots on Android 9. Similarly, you get a built-in Google Assistant, Google Home, and Chromecast compatibility. 

Powering the TV is a quad-core processor with a 1.5GHz clock speed. For connectivity, it has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. 

Panasonic JS650 42” Specifications

    • Display: 42-inches Adaptive Backlight Dimming, HDR, Noise reduction, Hexa Chroma Drive
    • Resolution: Full HD
    • Sound: 20W Output
    • Audio Decoder: Dolby Audio, V-Audio, Audio Booster+
    • OS: Android TV 9
    • Processor: Quad-core CPU (1.5GHz)
    • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

Panasonic JS650 42” Price in Nepal and Availability

The Panasonic JS650 42” TV is available in Nepal at a price of NPR 59,490. It is available through authorized retailers.

Panasonic JS650 Price in Nepal Availability
42-inch NPR 59,490 Authorized Stores, Panasonic Nepal

Panasonic TV Price in Nepal [Summary]

Panasonic TV Model Size and Resolution Price in Nepal
JS650 42″ FHD Rs. 59,490
TH-55HX750M 55″ 4K Rs. 112,390
TH-65HX750M 65″ 4K Rs. 193,390
    • Meanwhile, check out our review of Realme Buds Q2.

    Insta360 GO 2, the world’s smallest action camera, now available in Nepal

    GadgetByte
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    Insta360 GO 2, the world’s smallest action camera, now available in Nepal

    Insta360 launched its second generation of GO cameras back in March 2021. And now, the GO 2 has arrived in Nepal as well. To note, Insta360’s GO lineup of cameras can’t shoot 360 videos, unlike the EVO series. So, let’s dig in to know the specs, features, price, and availability of Insta360 GO 2 in Nepal.

    Insta360 GO 2 Overview:

    Body

    To begin with, the Insta360 GO 2 is a tiny, pill-shaped action camera—the world’s smallest of its kind. It weighs just 27 grams and enables high-resolution hands-free recording without the bulk of carrying traditional action cameras. This mini-camera is water-resistant to IPX8 standard and can therefore withstand a plunge in the pool.

    Insta360 Go 2 action camera

    GO 2 has a protective lens that can be swapped with an ND filter set from Insta360. Yet, you will have to purchase the set separately. It has a built-in magnet that pairs with the included magnetic pendant. This makes it easier to attach the camera to your shirt or other apparel. In addition, an included clip allows you to connect it to headgear or other similar stuff.

    Moreover, a plastic case with a matte texture holds the Insta360 GO 2. The case can act as a tripod, remote, external battery, and charger all at the same time. There is a 1/4-inch thread for mounting and a USB-C port for charging.

    Features

    Unlike its predecessor, Insta360 GO 2 has a bigger sensor that is capable of recording up to 2K footage (1440p resolution) at 50fps. It can also record HDR footage at the same resolution at 24fps. Similarly, in the Pro Video mode, it provides basic stabilization as well as Insta360’s FlowState stabilization.

    Insta360 Go 2 with case

    Furthermore, there are four selectable fields of view, including the 120° Ultra Wide option and the 110° ActionView FOV. You can also enable the AquaVision feature in its companion app which helps you reduce haze and improve the contrast and color of your underwater recordings.

    Rest of the specs

    For wireless connectivity, the GO 2 supports Bluetooth 5. It has 32GB of onboard storage, of which 28GB is available to users. You can pair the device with an iPhone or Android smartphone, which can then be used as a viewfinder as well. The independent camera can operate for 30 minutes on battery (under Video mode) or for 150 minutes when kept in the case.

    Insta360 GO 2 Specifications:

    • Dimensions: 52.9 x 23.6 x 20.7mm (GO 2) / 68.1 x 48.5 x 26.5mm (case when closed)
    • Weight: 26.5g (GO 2) / 63.5g (charging case)
    • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
    • Port: USB Tpe-C
    • Storage: 32GB (28GB usable)
    • Run time:
      • Standalone: 30 mins (Video mode) / 20 mins (Pro Video mode)
      • In Case: 150 mins (Video mode) / 110 mins (Pro Video mode)
    • Video: Up to 2K videos @50fps
    • In the box: Pivot stand, a brim clip, a magnetic pendant

    Insta360 GO 2 Price in Nepal and Availability

    The price of Insta360 GO 2 in Nepal is NPR 39,000. You can buy Insta360 GO 2 action camera in Nepal from Hukut Store’s website or via its retail stores across the country.

    Action Camera Price in Nepal Availability
    Insta360 GO 2 NPR 39,000 Hukut Store
    • Meanwhile, check out our review of Insta360 One R.

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