Xiaomi has introduced its latest notebook, the Mi Notebook Pro X 15, in China. The laptop, which features an 11th-generation Intel Tiger Lake-H CPU and an Nvidia Ampere graphics card, is an improvement over the existing Mi Notebook lineup of laptops. So, let’s walk through the specifications of the Mi Notebook Pro X 15, along with its expected price in Nepal.
Mi Notebook Pro X 15 Overview:
Design and Display
The Mi Notebook Pro X, as the name suggests, has a 15.6-inch OLED display with a resolution of 3,456 x 2,160 pixels (3.5K). The panel has a peak brightness of 600 nits, response time of 1ms, and it covers 100% of the DCI-P3 and sRGB colors. Xiaomi has also included a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass for further protection.
Moreover, there are narrow bezels surrounding the display, and as it has a large body, there’s a sizeable multi-touch trackpad as well. It weighs around 1.9 kg and is as thin as 17.5 mm. The Mi Notebook Pro X 15 is available in a sole color option of Space Gray.
In terms of performance, the Mi Notebook Pro X 15 features 11th Gen Intel H35 gaming processors. Buyers can choose between Core i5-11300H and Core i7-11370H processors. The former offers 16GB DDR4 RAM and a 512GB NVMe SSD, whilst the latter has 32GB DDR4 RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD. Rounding out the setup is NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics with 4GB of GDDR6 memory.
The laptop is powered by an 80Whr battery that Xiaomi claims can deliver 11.5 hours of video playback. It charges using a 130W USB-C adaptor and can charge up to 50% in just 25 minutes.
Rest of the specs
Moving on, it has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity. The power button doubles a fingerprint sensor. Likewise, the port options include one Thunderbolt 4.0, one USB Type-C (w/PD), two USB Type-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an HDMI 2.1 interface. On the audio front, it is equipped with dual Harman Kardon speakers with DTS audio.
Mi Notebook Pro X 15 Specifications
Body: 348.9 x 240.2 x 18.47mm, 1.9 kg
Display: 15.6-inches OLED panel with 3456 × 2160 pixels, 100% DCI-P3 / sRGB color gamut, 600 nits, 1ms response
Processor: Intel Core i5-11300H / Core i7-11370H
Memory:
i5 – 16GB + 512GB NVMe SSD
i7 – 32GB + 1TB NVMe SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
Keyboard: 1.3mm key travel, Backlit
Audio: Stereo Harman Kardon speakers with DTS
Touchpad: 125 x 81.6mm
Security: Fingerprint reader
Battery: 80Whr, 130W power adapter
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, 1 x Thunderbolt 4.0, 1 x USB Type-C (w/PD), 2 x USB Type-A ports, 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 x HDMI 2.1
Mi Notebook Pro X 15 Price in Nepal and Availability
The Mi Notebook Pro X is priced at CNY 7,999 for the Core i5 model and CNY 9,999 for the Core i7 variant. It will be available in China starting July 19. We expect the price of Mi Notebook Pro X 15 to start at NPR 153,000, if and when it launches in Nepal.
Mi Notebook Pro X 15
Price in China
Price in Nepal
Core i5-11300H, 16+512GB
CNY 7,999
NPR 153,000
Core i7-11370H, 32GB+1TB
CNY 9,999
NPR 190,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 (2021).
With the global smartphone shipment volume hitting new levels every quarter, the longevity of smartphones is put into question. When you’ve had a smartphone for a while, it can feel a little sluggish. The phone’s slowness may be due to different reasons including RAM limitation. From failing to keep apps in memory to inferior multitasking performance, this results in an overall underwhelming smartphone experience. In order to resolve such issues in smartphones, a technique called virtual or extended RAM is getting popular in recent times.
What is virtual RAM?
Virtual RAM isn’t entirely a new technique. It is a feature we’ve been using for a while. But in terms of smartphones, this is a fairly new concept. If you’re a tech enthusiast like us, then you may have heard of SWAP (in Linux), and Virtual Memory (in Windows) which temporarily increases RAM in desktops or laptops. Extended RAM in smartphones works in a similar way.
What is virtual or extended RAM in smartphones?
With this, the phone uses internal memory or creates a partition in the storage which functions as RAM. This means that your smartphone can separate some portion of the storage and consider it as RAM, assisting in better memory management or multitasking.
This technology was recently seen in certain Vivo phones including the company’s flagship X60 series. Called “Memory Fusion”, Vivo’s OriginOS separates 3GB of internal storage and claims that the RAM, taking the phone’s RAM from 8GB to 11GB. Nubia does something similar called “RAM Boost” where the phone’s 12GB RAM can act as 18GB.
How do RAM and virtual RAM work?
You might already be familiar with what RAM (Random Access Memory) is. It’s a form of volatile storage which is way faster than typical storage forms. Your primary storage is only used to store images, pictures, or data in other formats.
When you perform an action on your phone, RAM is where every single process and thread gets loaded. Think of it as a playground. The larger its area, the more children can play in it and vice versa. That analogy should make it pretty clear that having more RAM means you will technically be able to load more applications at once without any significant lag(s).
Now in the context of virtual RAM, the phone can call upon a certain portion of internal storage (in Vivo’s case: 3GB) and “fuse” it into RAM for a smoother experience.
Here, when you switch from one app to another, it will save your process/thread of the previous app in memory more efficiently. As a result, when you choose to re-launch that app, it will pick up right where you left off, as though you never left it in the first place.
The “short-term” of it all
This is due to the fact that the app data is contained in RAM. And its efficacy is (mostly) proportional to the volume of RAM available. The programs you use are essentially left running in the background when you select other apps. However, keep in mind that RAM is short-term memory.
This implies that it cannot allocate space to each program you try to load. When an app is left idle for an extended period of time, the data is lost. Then, the memory is assigned to another program. This is referred to as RAM management. And this is why big games or similar heavy apps reload frequently when you re-launch it after a while.
Therefore, virtual RAM builds on the principle of actual RAM where relatively un/underused app(s) are moved to the extended memory so that the actual RAM can be used for some other task instead. And when you return to the app, the data from virtual RAM is accessed by the actual RAM. As a result, data acquisition takes less time and multitasking gets more effective. Ultimately, it provides you with a lag-free or undelayed experience.
Extended RAM in Xiaomi smartphones
And recently, Xiaomi started rolling out the RAM expansion feature in Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G via a software update in China a couple of days ago. With this, the system will be able to allocate 2GB of internal storage as virtual RAM when required. This will take the phone’s effective RAM capacity as 8GB and 10GB for 6GB and 8GB RAM variants, respectively.
Image: Gizpie
According to Gizpie, the translated text reads “After the memory expansion is turned on, the system will provide an additional 2.00GB of running memory.” While this feature is exclusive to the Chinese MIUI ROM on Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G for now, we expect Xiaomi to integrate it into the global version of MIUI shortly.
Imperfect extended RAM in iQOO’s Funtouch OS?
The entire objective of virtual RAM is to aid in efficient multitasking—by allowing the system to hold as many apps/processes in the background as possible. If your phone has to frequently re-load app states, then that’s either because the device is running low on available memory.
Or, the system is not well optimized and is therefore killing app processes in the background unnecessarily. And the latter’s what happened to iQOO’s latest mid-range phone, the iQOO Z3. Or at least we think it is. Throughout our usage, we found Vivo’s Funtouch OS running the show on the phone to be quite strict on relatively small background processes.
For instance, apps that consistently need to run in the background for sticky notifications got their processes killed after a while. What’s even bizarre is the fact that this happened even when we had the phone on. Meaning, Funtouch OS deemed it necessary to terminate the aforementioned app processes when we were actively using the phone.
It’s not uncommon for Android systems to kill background processes when the phone’s been turned off for a while or overnight, so this was quite alarming—with a hint of irony. It feels like in a bid to allow efficient multitasking between comparatively resource-demanding apps, the memory management algorithm in Funtouch OS seems to be unwarrantedly strict on low-end processes.
In Vivo’s defense, this seems fixable with an OTA update though. So for now, we can only hope Vivo addresses this issue in the upcoming version of Funtouch OS—or with a quick hotfix.
“Dynamic RAM Expansion” in Realme phones
Joining this bandwagon, Realme has introduced Dynamic RAM Expansion (DRE) in a couple of its smartphones as well. Namely, the Realme 8, 8 5G, X7 Max, and Narzo 30 5G support DRE. Under this, the Realme 8, 8 5G, and Narzo 30 5G can add up to 2GB of virtual memory while the high-end X7 Max takes that number up to 7GB.
Virtual/extended RAM in smartphones: Conclusion
As I said earlier, we’ve seen virtual RAM in action; and are (maybe unknowingly) using it in our Linux and Windows system. Yet, we are yet to fully experience virtual or Extended RAM in terms of smartphones.
Actually, there was this app called “Roehsoft RAM Expander” that apparently swapped SD card storage to work as RAM. But I can’t comment about its legitimacy. I had tried it back in 2012 – 2013 in my Samsung Galaxy Y days but couldn’t get it to work—despite root access.
Regardless, while virtual RAM in smartphones sounds like a great feature especially for low to mid-range phones, Vivo is currently restricting it to its flagship phones running OriginOS. On the other hand, Nubia’s entire portfolio of smartphones includes high-end gaming devices only.
Like I discussed earlier, Xiaomi has integrated this feature in its Redmi phones as well. This feature will likely be implemented by other OEMs in their smartphones as well. And we can’t wait to experience it first-hand.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Mi 11X (POCO F3).
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), along with the Ariane 5 spacecraft, has passed the Arianespace launch clearance review. It is a joint mission between NASA, Europen Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). JWST is the next big space research observatory after Hubble, aiming to address lingering mysteries about the Universe.
James Webb Space Telescope launch review:
As aforementioned, Arianespace conducted the review, which confirmed that the Ariane 5 (spacecraft) and the flight plan are ready for launch. Arianespace’s technical analyses of the mission’s major components, including the launch trajectory and payload separation, have shown a positive result. Furthermore, the test is necessary as the telescope must fold up within the fuselage before unfolding once in orbit.
In total, the review gave final assurance that all components of the launch vehicle and spacecraft are entirely compatible.
The initial preparations for JWST began in 1996, with a $500 million budget and an estimated launch date of 2007. However, production and Ariane 5 issues resulted in a budget increase and a delayed launch. Now, the mission’s ultimate development cost is close to $15 billion, and it is projected to have a lifespan of at least a decade.
Launch Window
The world’s most powerful and largest telescope will be sent into orbit by the Ariane 5 spacecraft. As part of the agreement, ESA will offer the launch service to NASA-engineered telescope, employing Ariane 5 as a launch vehicle. It will take the telescope to a precise transfer orbit, towards its target – the second Lagrange point (L2).
Moreover, the spacecraft will experience a variety of mechanical forces, vibrations, temperature fluctuations, and electromagnetic radiation during the launch.
Lagrange points are the locations in space where the gravitation pulls of two objects are in equilibrium. These pulls provide enough force to lock objects in their orbits. The L2 point being discussed here is home to numerous ESA projects like Hershel, Planck, and Gaia.
After separation, the JWST will begin its four-week trip to the L2 point before beginning the observation. To note, L2 is four times away from the Moon. The launch is meticulously timed to ensure that Webb gets in its intended orbit and the Ariane 5 upper stage safely escapes from Earth. The team behind the computation of the launch also comes from ESA.
Components
JWST will observe the Universe in the near-infrared and mid-infrared – at wavelengths longer than visible light. To do so, it carries a suite of state-of-the-art cameras, spectrographs, and coronagraphs. The telescope also features a five-layer sun shield that will keep the telescope cool by blocking Sun’s infrared light.
Likewise, ESA plays a big part in the mission. Aside from the Ariane 5 launcher and launch services, the agency is giving the NIRSpec instruments and a 50% stake in the MIRI (Mid-infrared Instrument), as well as manpower to assist mission operations.
Prospect
According to the scientist, the JWST will be able to look back in time to see the formation of the very first galaxies. It will allow them to study the origin of stars, exoplanets, and even our solar system.
Similarly, it could also be used to look for bio-signatures in the space. Previously, researchers from Ohio State University claimed that the telescope could detect alien life within 5 to 10 years of its launch.
Launch date
The three space agencies are working towards the launch readiness date of October 31, 2021. The precise launch date, however, is dependent on the launch schedule of the spaceport and will be determined closer to the launch readiness date.
Realme’s budget lineup of TWS earbuds has always had some sort of upper hand against the competition in one way or another—albeit featuring a few drawbacks of its own. However, the company has upped its game in 2021 as its portfolio of audio accessories now hosts the cheapest TWS earbuds with ANC, the Realme Buds Air 2 Neo (or Buds Q2 in India). Don’t mean to spoil the forthcoming review but with the jam-packed features onboard, the Realme Buds Air 2 Neo is well worth your money.
Realme Buds Air 2 Neo Specifications:
Body:
Earbud: 20.95 x 22.35 x 23.77 mm, 4.5 grams (each)
Charging case: 44.57 x 60.34 x 32.96 mm, 45 grams
Color options: Active Black, Calm Grey
Sound driver: 10mm Bass Boost Driver
Speaker impedance: 32Ω (Ohm)
Microphone: Dual mic (with ENC for phone calls)
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Water resistance: IPX5 (Water splash from any direction)
Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
Noise cancellation: Yes, ANC (Up to 25dB reduction)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, Google Fast Pair Service
Other features: Super Low 88ms Latency, Bass Boost+, Transparency Mode
Price in Nepal: Rs. 5,499
Realme Buds Air 2 Neo Review:
Design, Comfort
20.95 x 22.35 x 23.77 mm, 4.5 grams
Lightweight build, IPX5 water-resistant
Pebble-shaped charging case
To begin with, Realme has introduced a drastic design overhaul to the successor of last year’s Buds Air Neo. The AirPods-inspired stemmy form-factor has been replaced with a much sleeker design, reminiscent of Realme’s own Buds Q from 2020. As a result, its charging case arrives in a svelte oval-shaped case which is handy, to say the least.
Regardless, the Buds Air 2 Neo features an arched design that fits quite firmly inside the ears. With no ear hook, stem, or other protruding construction, I’m absolutely loving this pair of elegantly build earbuds. Plus, its in-ear fit combined with soft silicone tips results in a comfortable wearing experience. Having said that, the statement above is followed by a big asterisk for a couple of reasons.
Tight fit for effective noise cancellation
First off, because these are ANC-capable earbuds, a tight fit is essential for effective noise cancellation. So if you’re not used to having earphones on for hours on a run, you’ll definitely notice some discomfort or even mild pain around your outer ear.
To minimize this to the best possible extent, Realme has made sure that Buds Air 2 Neo is as lightweight as possible. Weighing just 4.5 grams per earbud, personally, I had no issues regarding its comfort since I’m already used to putting on in-ear TWS earbuds on a daily basis. Additionally, you can juggle between different sizes of eartips for the optimal fit as well.
Extra silicone tips inside the box
By default, Realme ships it with medium size silicone tips pre-installed while you also get small and large options inside the box. After a while of switching between the three options, I found the smallest of the bunch to best suit my ears—with a firm fit that wouldn’t come off easily. The level of fit you manage to obtain is directly proportional to the efficacy of noise cancellation so be sure to thoroughly test through the eartips for the best result.
Anyway, another reason these earbuds might be upsetting is their ANC capability itself—or rather one’s unfamiliarity with it. What I mean by this is that some people are prone to the feeling of uneasy pressure build-up in the ears when putting on noise-canceling earbuds/headphones. Plus, because of Buds Air 2 Neo’s budget stature, it’s fair to assume that this could be many’s gateway to the world of ANC experience.
Therefore, one might have trouble adjusting to its noise-canceling properties. Still and all, none of the aforementioned issues are exclusive to Realme Buds Air 2 Neo so don’t get the wrong idea that it has a terrible degree of comfort—absolutely not. Like I mentioned earlier, I’m already used to ANC-ready in-ear earbuds.
So, my subjective verdict here remains that these are exceptionally comfortable pair of earbuds. Also, even in rare instances that your untrained ears might run into slight discomfort, a week or so of putting them on should bring things to normal.
Charging case
Moving on, I’m equally fond of Buds Air 2 Neo’s charging case as well. From its pocketable form factor to the soft matte-like finish, it complements the earbuds’ design perfectly. There’s a minimalistic “Realme” branding on top and an LED indicator upfront. It glows red to indicate low battery and green to denote battery percentage above 20%.
Another notable upgrade coming from last year’s Buds Air Neo is the inclusion of a USB Type-C charging port. Underneath, there’s a multi-function button to pair the buds with your Bluetooth-ready device for the first time—or reset it. However, I wish the magnetic hinge was a bit stronger since it tends to snap shut with the gentlest of nudges.
Depending on the color option you opt for, the charging case matches the buds’ hue as well. We went for the “Active Black” variant which sneaks in subtle blue reflections on the touch-sensitive area of the earbuds. On the other hand, the “Calm Grey” version opts for a flashy design instead. But no matter which one you end up getting, Buds Air 2 Neo’s IPX5 certification qualifies it for your gym sessions since it can even survive splashes of water from any direction.
Pairing
Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity
Google Fast Pair Service
These earbuds pair to your devices via Bluetooth 5.2. I tested it out with a couple of phones and my laptop and faced no connectivity issues like audio hiccups or dropped connection. As I discussed earlier, you’ll need to use the multi-function button on the charging case for first-time pairing.
Google Fast Pair
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In addition, like most other Realme TWS earbuds, this one supports Google Fast Pair Service (GFPS) for Android smartphones too. As a result, even if you haven’t turned on Bluetooth on your phone, simply taking off the earbuds from their nest triggers a pop-up for easy connection. This is similar to how Apple’s AirPods pair with iOS devices.
But as things stand, GFPS itself is a little finicky since it fails to pair the earbuds sometimes. Therefore, I usually left my phone’s Bluetooth on since Buds Air 2 Neo automatically connects to the last-paired device simply when taking it off the case.
Controls
Touch-sensitive area on each earbud
Customizable via the companion app
Over on the controls, like Buds Q, these earbuds come with a touch-sensitive area on each side. The touch response is fairly responsive although I did notice a couple of instances when it failed to recognize my input. This is because Realme explicitly mentions that for a higher success rate of touch recognition, you’re required to apply a fair amount of pressure—with a large surface area of your finger.
Controls
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So, the above-illustrated example of its inefficiency is entirely excusable since I encountered no problem operating it as per Realme’s guidelines. More importantly, Buds Air 2 Neo’s controls are customizable via the Realme Link app as well. The app does require you to sign up using your phone number though.
Anyway, besides volume control, you can set its long-press, double-tap, or triple-tap gestures to trigger all sorts of control you could expect from a pair of TWS earbuds. From skipping a track, going back to the previous track, to switching between noise control modes, it’s all here. But unlike the standard Buds Air 2, it doesn’t support wear detection so you’ll have to manually play/pause music when taking off the earbuds or putting it back in.
Noise Cancellation
ANC with up to 25dB noise reduction
Okay, now let’s talk about its noise cancellation properties. Powered by the new R2 chip, Realme is promising up to 25dB of ambient noise reduction on the Buds Air 2 Neo. Now, considering its budget origin, it’s critical to limit your expectation in this regard which is exactly what I did. Right off the bat what I can tell you is that this is nowhere near what flagship earbuds manage to do.
Then again, such premium TWS earbuds cost around 10 times what Realme is asking for this pair of affordable earphones so… make of that what you will.
Manage your expectations
As expected, Buds Air 2 Neo works best at dampening low-frequency ambient white noise. For instance, it managed to block out the quiet hum of my laptop’s fan noise while the TV playing in the background at medium volume was audible way too clearly. Similarly, I could hear the vibration of my electric beard trimmer placed about 1 meter away from me at a faint but noticeable volume as well.
Taking these earbuds outdoors, the sound of passing cars was almost inaudible while the noise of people talking, dogs barking, and the blaring horns easily snuck past in. And since it doesn’t have any windshield technology, turning on ANC when you’re riding a bike or are in a particularly windy environment is subject to rabid wind noise as well.
While its lone ANC capability is strictly sub-par—and almost a simple extension of passive noise isolation—complementing it with music helps a lot. Listening to songs at 50-60% volume is enough to drown out the ambient noise to a satisfactory level.
Normal and Transparency mode
For this review, I also tested the ANC properties of Realme Buds Air 2 Neo by swapping between different sizes of eartips but my conclusion remains the same. Besides this, Realme’s noise control mechanism here comes in two more stages: Normal and Transparency. As you might’ve already guessed, the Transparency mode lets in the ambient noise so that you can hear your surrounding without having to take off the earbuds.
And I gotta say this works quite well. What you hear is clear, natural audio which is exactly how things sound without the earbuds. In fact, this is much better than the Ambient Sound mode in Samsung Galaxy Buds+ which sounds a tad too robotic. Regardless, the Normal mode simply functions as a means of experiencing passive noise isolation on the Buds Air 2 Neo.
Audio, Call Quality
10mm dynamic bass boost sound driver
Environmental Noise Cancellation for calls
Anyway, it’s time to get into the audio quality side of things. Realme has fitted a 10mm LCP bass boost driver alongside the Bass Boost+ algorithm for rich bass. Well, if you noticed the word “bass” way too many times in the preceding sentence, then that should already give a pretty good idea of the sound profile of these earbuds.
Looking at its official sound signature itself, we can notice that Realme has prioritized lower frequencies with relatively dipped mids and highs. If you’re a basshead, this should be exactly what you’re looking for. Still, if your ears are privy to high-bitrate audio codecs like aptX and LDAC, then this affordable Buds Air 2 Neo is obviously not for you since it only supports the standard AAC and SBC codec.
Decent bass reproduction
For the most part, its bass reproduction works as advertised. There’s a definite bit of oomph when listening to bass-heavy songs. Kiiara’s “Gold” hits hard whereas deep bass in “Panda” by Desiigner is almost non-existent. At full volume, I found that bass gets a little muddy as well.
Similarly, in songs like Joji’s “Slow Dancing In The Dark”, there’s a noticeable bass bleed in the track’s chorus where it clips the highs. All this result is with the “Bass Boost+” profile turned on, by the way.
Switching to the “Dynamic” sound effect, the audio output is adjusted into a balanced sound signature instead. And yep, the drop in low frequencies definitely makes things unenjoyable for bass-heavy songs. However, this neutral/flat sound signature is quite congenial to my music taste. The bass isn’t overpowering while the highs don’t sound shrilling either.
Realme Link
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Dashboard
Profile
Device Settings - 1
Device Settings - 1
In “Visions of Johanna” by Bob Dylan, the instrument and vocal separation are distinct although the treble from the harmonica sounds a little unpleasant. Likewise, something like The Lumineers’ “Sleep On The Floor” is also a better listen under Dynamic mode while I will say that the guitar and even high-pitch vocals come off a little too bright at times.
“Bright” mode for clearer highs
But if your taste of music favors treble-heavy songs, then you can switch on the “Bright” sound effect inside the Realme Link app. Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” was particularly enjoyable under this setting with clear mids, highs, and decent instrument separation. Yet, a bit of bass would’ve been icing on the cake.
For this, I switched to both Dynamic and Bass Boost+ mode but the resulting sacrifice in the treble for a faint bass turned out to be an unideal tradeoff.
Moving on, the Buds Air 2 Neo can get sufficiently loud enough as well. And if you’d like, turning on “Volume Enhancer” further ups the loudness. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t suggest anyone do so since the boosted loudness sounds piercing and could result in partial hearing loss in the long run.
How effective is its 88ms latency for gaming?
Apart from audio streaming, Realme is flaunting these earbuds’ gaming performance—to the point of calling its 88ms latency “lag-free gaming”. We already know 88ms is not ideal for competitive gaming to dismiss the company’s lag-free claim right away.
Still, I humored this assertion and tried a couple of games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Call of Duty: Mobile. As anticipated, the claimed 88ms of delay turned out eerie, unsettling, and flat-out distracting during my gaming sessions. The relatively marginal sounding audio latency still evokes this sense of disconnection mid-game.
Gaming Mode
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On
Off
For instance, the impediment of in-game SFX like bullet firing, enemies closing in, etc. gets instantly uncanny. Using the “Earbuds Delay Test” app, I graphed the average latency under Game Mode to be 91 to 96ms whereas when turning it off, that number climbed to 173ms. Except for gaming, I noticed no audio sync-up delay when streaming videos on YouTube or Facebook.
Pretty good call quality
Additionally, Buds Air 2 Neo’s call quality is pretty decent as well. It features dual-mic environmental noise cancellation (ENC) which promises disturbance-free voice calls. People in the receiving end often described my voice to be loud and clear—although a couple of times abnormally sharp.
I also made a few calls sitting right by a table fan operating at its max speed. Surprisingly, people reported clear-enough call quality with extremely mild wind noise. Suffice it to say, you can rely on it for your video calling needs as well.
Battery Life
40mAh (earbud), 400mAh (case)
5 or 7 hours playback (ANC on/off)
USB Type-C port with quick charging
Finally, let’s talk about the battery life of this thing. With a 40mAh cell on each earbud, Realme is promising up to 5 hours of playback time at 50% volume with ANC on, and additional 2 hours with ANC off.
Even when listening at 60-70% volume on average alongside noise cancellation turned on, I managed to get around 5.5 – 6 hours of endurance on the Buds Air 2 Neo. Nice! Plus, thanks to the quick charging feature, you can bank 3 hours’ worth of music playback with just 10 minutes of charge. In the same way, the charging case features a 400mAh battery that’s rated to offer 20 and 28 hours of playback with ANC on and off, respectively.
On the charging front, it took me around 2 hours and 3 minutes to fully juice it up via the USB-C port. While its lack of wireless charging is more than okay for the price, the short cable length unnecessarily complicates the charging practice.
Realme Buds Air 2 Neo Review: Conclusion
To conclude this review, the Realme Buds Air 2 Neo is an unbeatable value and a clear winner in its price bracket. While its ANC isn’t top-notch and the soundstage could’ve seen a better tuning, these earbuds are a godsend for casual listeners who want something reliable on a budget. Plus, the elegant design, decent battery life, acceptable call quality, and assorted customization features inside the Realme Link app further accentuates its appeal.
Songs referenced in the Realme Buds Air 2 Neo review:
After releasing the Realme 8, Realme has officially slashed the price of its predecessor, the Realme 7 in Nepal. It is now available for a discounted price of Rs. 32,990 (previously: Rs. 35,990), which means you can enjoy Rs. 3000 discount with the purchase of Realme 7.
Realme 7 Overview
Design and Display
The vanilla Realme 7 also sports the AG Split Design, which is said to represent the mirror space (or symmetry) found in society and nature. The rear panel features a straight line that runs across the camera bump. It divides the panel into different color schemes.
On the front, Realme has included a 6.5-inch display with a circular cut-out on the top left corner. It packs in a total of 2400 x 1080 pixels resulting in a 405PPI density. The display is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass. Unlike the Pro variant, the Realme 7 does not feature an AMOLED panel. But it comes with a 90Hz refresh rate which the Pro variant lacks.
Performance and Memory
Realme 7 is the first phone to launch with MediaTek’s Helio G95. It is the latest chipset in the company’s gaming-centric Helio G-series. It features two Cortex A76 cores (@ 2.05GHz) and six Cortex A55 cores. MediaTek claims that it offers a 5% better performance (based on the Antutu score). Similarly, the Mali G76 MC4 is said to offer up to an 8% performance boost (based on Manhattan 3.0) compared to Helio G90T. The Helio G90T is a proven performer that has been tested in mid-range devices like Redmi Note 8 Pro and Realme 6.
It is available in two memory configurations – 6/64GB and 8/128GB, but only the higher-end variant is available in Nepal as of now. RAM and internal storage on the Realme 7 is based on LPDDR4X and UFS 2.1 technology, respectively.
Camera
Realme 7 features a similar rear camera setup as the Pro model. The setup is led by the 64MP Sony IMX682 sensor. It has a sensor size of 1/1.73-inch and an f/1.8 aperture. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor that offers up to 119-degree of Field of View. The setup is accompanied by a B&W sensor and a macro lens. The four cameras are arranged vertically inside the rectangular camera bump.
Upfront, there is the 16MP Sony IMX 471 sensor with f/2.1 aperture. It supports 1080P recording at 30fps. Similarly, users can also record 120fps slow-mo videos with it.
Rest of the specs
Realme 7 features a massive battery of 5,000mAh with support for 30W Dart charging. The company will be including the 30W charger inside the box. Connectivity-wise, the phone supports dual-band Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.0. Realme 7 ships with Realme UI on top of Android.
Realme 7 Specifications:
Display: 6.5-inch panel; 90.5% screen to body ratio; 90Hz refresh rate; Corning Gorilla Glass
Apple is allegedly making its employees wear a police-grade body cameras to prevent sensitive company info from leaking on the internet. As dramatic as it sounds, Apple is taking such a serious step to maintain its privacy with this.
Apple employees wear police-grade cameras:
Front Page Tech, a tech portal backed by the popular Apple leakster Jon Prosser, has made allegations on the company. The blog reports that Apple has “taken this new dramatic step to ensure that its hardware trade secrets stay out of the hands of leakers”.
The camera – Axon Body 2
Some Apple employees now have to wear a camera that is comparable to Axon Body 2. That’s the same camera used by the US police. This is a serious decision made by the company, most definitely to prevent early product leaks.
According to the reports, Apple has been implementing this decision to its teams for at least the last few weeks. However, it is not mandatory for all Apple employees.
Apple hates leaks (if you didn’t already know) to the extent that it sued one of its own employees back in March 2021. According to the firm, he shared trade secrets with a media source in exchange for publicity of a startup that he’d invested in.
In recent years, Tim Cook (CEO, Apple) has been seen warning his employees of harsh punishment if they are caught leaking company information. Apple also wrote to leakers and rendering artists, requesting that they stop publishing leaks. Jermaine (@CConceptCreator), a renowned concept creator, also posted a video about it on Twitter.
— Jermaine | Concept Creator (@CConceptCreator) June 24, 2021
What’s the take?
All of this appears to be entirely legitimate since no company will ever want its idea, product, or innovation to go public before an official announcement. However, the latest security measures from Apple of making its employees wear police-grade body cameras, appear to be overkill.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Vivo appears to be working on a smartphone with a flying camera module. That sounds quite futuristic with a hint of strange. In this case, the camera will separate from the smartphone and hover in the air, allowing users to capture photos at different angles.
Vivo smartphone with a flying camera:
The patent, uncovered by LetsGoDigital and listed on WIPO, is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. However, it is not uncommon for Vivo to be exploring and experimenting with new concepts. Case in point, it attempted to create a port-free phone dubbed Apex in 2019.
The concept
At first glance, the smartphone doesn’t really look any different from what we’re used to. However, it includes an additional compartment at the top frame which holds a secret camera system that can slide in and out.
The container has three infrared sensors, four propellers, an extra battery, and dual-camera sensors. Here, one sensor gets the front aerial view, while the other captures the top view. Further, you can detach the top mounting bracket from the phone. Thanks to the integrated propellers, the camera module can fly freely in the air.
It will allow users to capture pictures from a greater distance. The infrared sensors work to calculate the distance between other objects and avoid a collision. While the sketch only shows two camera configurations, the patent notes that you can also add third and fourth camera sensors.
Here, the AirSelfie camera appears to be the inspiration for Vivo’s flying camera system. Such cameras are not novel, but none have ever been tied to a smartphone.
This means you can use the camera like a mini-drone when you need it, and keep it back in the phone when the job is done. That sounds really cool!
When’s it coming?
We’re not really sure when Vivo’s patent will turn into an actual product. After all, this is only a patent. This implies that there is no guarantee that such a device will be released in the future. There are several roadblocks that Vivo must overcome, such as making it adequately lightweight and less prone to wind turbulence. However, acquiring the patent before someone else takes it away from you is always a smart idea.
Meanwhile, check out our initial impressions of the Samsung Galaxy A22.
Nepal Government is preparing to mandate the use of embossed number plates on government and private vehicles from Shrawan. After this, embossed number plates will be mandatory for new vehicles and those that are in the process of renewal.
Embossed number plates from Shrawan
The government had brought the notion of embossed number plates on vehicles a few years back as well. In practice, the implementation has been limited to a small number of vehicles only.
Nonetheless, it will now be obligatory to install an embossed number plate from the first month of the upcoming fiscal year 2078/79. This implies that all two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and large vehicles must go through the installation of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) based plates from Shrawan.
Director-General of the Department of Transportation Management, Namaraj Ghimire, says that “embossed number plates are made mandatory for new vehicles and vehicles to be renewed from next Shrawan with the objective of their scientific management”.
All kinds of technical works like the refinement of the form filling system are already complete. Additionally, the department has aimed to install new number plates on all types of vehicles within the next three years.
Once embossed number plates are implemented, the government will obtain integrated details of vehicles throughout Nepal. It will also help in the investigation of suspicious activities if criminals use vehicles with such plates.
In addition, since the number plate must be cut off to remove it completely, it is less likely that vehicles are stolen or illegally driven.
Besides, as embossed plates are equipped with RFID, the location of the vehicle can be easily tracked in case it’s stolen. Now, the police don’t need to look at the Blue Book, as the tagged-on RFID device will show if the owner has paid off the tax or not. The number plate also features a built-in chip that can show the owner and the vehicle details.
Charges
According to the department, two-wheelers and four-wheelers (small & medium) will need to pay a charge of Rs. 2,500 & Rs. 3,200, respectively for an embossed license plate. Likewise, you’ll need to pay Rs. 3,600 to acquire one if you own large vehicles. To date, 18,000 vehicles in Nepal equip embossed number plates.
Meanwhile, check out our first impressions of the Samsung Galaxy A22.
With full confidence, the Nepal government declared that MDMS (Mobile Device Management System) will be implemented from Shrawan 2078. Ever since then, many have speculated that its execution will be confined to the declaration only. And it appears like their prediction may come true. Talking to Merolagani, an official from NTA has confirmed that necessary preparations for implementing MDMS are nowhere near complete.
MDMS from Shrawan:
Finance Minister Mr. Bishnu Prasad Paudel announced the official inauguration of MDMS from Shrawan 1 when presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2078/79. After the system goes live, illegal, grey, or unregistered mobile phones won’t be privy to the network of Nepal’s telecom operators.
Ad-lib
However, it turns out that the system’s implementation was announced without any proper planning. MDMS is slated to go live in less than two weeks now. But, the concerned authority has not deployed the entire system infrastructure yet.
Nepal Telecommunications Authority has been overseeing this Rs. 1 billion project for the past two years. According to a source from NTA, merolagani.com reports that the intended implementation is just for show—since the required resources ranging from manpower to hardware equipment aren’t available yet. To note, MDMS was supposed to be completely operational from last year.
The source says, “The main issue now is the infrastructure for the system, but due to the nationwide lockdown, not enough products have arrived yet. Nepal’s flights are still banned in the countries where the necessary equipment needs to be imported”. He added, “Because it was announced in the budget, the implementation of the system is just partial”.
The prime objective of MDMS is to prevent illicit mobile imports. However, there has been no conversation or interaction with any of the concerned authorities to prevent the import of such mobile phones either. NTA is solely concentrating on making a decision following consultations with customs and other similar bodies.
Besides that, the construction of a building on Chabahil, Kathmandu to accommodate MDMS infrastructure has not been completed yet. Plus, as people are flocking in to register their handsets at NTA, its website is seeing frequent crashes as well. The government hasn’t issued a clear policy regarding how the system will work and what types of devices it will target either.
MDMS in Nepal from Shrawan: Final words
The government must focus on several aspects in order to appropriately implement MDMS in Nepal. And, if the system goes live just for show, it certainly cannot fulfill the objective of preventing illegal imports on mobile devices.
Additionally, implementing the system without proper plans and policies can affect the entire smartphone industry in Nepal. Thus, we expect the administration to do adequate homework in this regard before taking a step forward.
Vivo’s sub-brand iQOO has come up with a couple of really cool smartphones this year—namely the iQOO 7 and 7 Legend. And while the company’s portfolio extends beyond premium and sub-flagship phones in its home country of China, the iQOO Z3 is its first proper mid-range smartphone in India. Retailing under INR 20K, is it the best phone in its price bracket? Let’s find out in this review of the iQOO Z3.
iQOO Z3 Specifications:
Body: 75.73 x 164 x 8.5mm, 185.5 gm, IP52 dust-and-splash resistant
Battery: 4400mAh with 55W FlashCharge (55W adapter inside the box)
Color options: Cyber Blue, Ace Black
Price in Nepal: N/A (Not launched yet)
iQOO Z3 Review:
Design & Build
75.73 x 164 x 8.5mm, 185.5 grams
Glass front, polycarbonate back/frame
IP52 dust-and-splash resistant
Starting the review with design, the iQOO Z3 is offered in two color options. The “Cyber Blue” variant that I have with me reflects a rainbow-like gradient hue at the back depending on how the light hits the phone’s surface. Looks pretty cool but if something relatively more subtle is up to your wheelhouse, iQOO has got you covered with the “Ace Black” version.
Anyway, what’s common with both color options is the polycarbonate back and frame. As a result, the iQOO Z3 doesn’t feel as premium as other phones in its class like the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max which boasts a glass back.
Design
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Buttons
Back
Ports
But if it’s any consolation, this color variant of Z3 does get a matte finish which prevents fingerprints or smudges to a great extent—all the while resulting in a slightly better hands-on feel as well compared to your typical plastic-back phones. I’m quite fond of iQOO Z3’s even weight distribution so holding it in my hand for a while hasn’t been a problem.
Fairly lightweight
Talking about weight, the phone only weighs about 186 grams, further adding to the comfort. The camera module at the back is somewhat inspired by the one on Vivo’s flagship X60 series and it looks pretty good. All the buttons are located on the right frame whereas the left frame stays clean.
Here, the power button also doubles as a fingerprint sensor and its performance leaves no room for complaint. Likewise, you’ll find the SIM tray and a microphone on the top. The SIM slot houses a rubber gasket to prevent water droplets or moisture from getting in, while the phone is also IP52 dust and water-resistant.
Similarly, the bottom frame hosts a 3.5mm audio jack, a Type-C port, another microphone, and a mono speaker setup. All in all, for a plastic-made phone, I’m quite fond of iQOO Z3’s design. It’s nowhere near the “compact” category but it’s not uncomfortably bulky either.
Display
6.58-inches FHD+ IPS LCD panel
120/180Hz refresh/touch sampling rate
460 nits, HDR10, Widevine L1 certified
Compared to other phones in its price range, Z3’s compromise continues on the display side of things too. Instead of an AMOLED panel, iQOO has opted for an LCD screen here. Adding further insult to the injury is the fact that there’s a teardrop notch for the selfie camera instead of a minimalistic punch-hole cutout that we’re used to from sub-20K phones by now.
Not sure how or why the company settled to this design choice since it looks quite dated for a phone that is specially targeted at Gen Z. I would’ve been a little less critical if it housed a notification LED but that’s nowhere to be found either.
Here, the Z3 has a sizable 6.58” IPS LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. In its default color settings, the display produces a-bit oversaturated colors, especially the red and blue hues. Adjusting the color temperature towards the cool range does help things by a lot though. Still, if you like your phone’s screen to pop in terms of colors, it shouldn’t be that big a deal.
Besides this, iQOO Z3’s viewing angles are fine for the most part although I did notice a fall in contrast and saturation levels when looking at it from extreme angles. Additionally, with 460 nits of brightness, this phone gets plenty bright for indoor usage. And while it doesn’t feature DC dimming, it can get dim enough for a comfortable viewing experience under low-light conditions.
Not the brightest tool in the shed
However, things quickly evolve into a struggle when looking at it under direct sunlight. Disregarding the notched screen, even the big bezel on the bottom goes against the phone’s mid-range stature. Still, there’s no visible discoloration or backlight bleeding around the edges of the display which is a good thing.
Moving on, the one saving grace of iQOO Z3’s screen is its well-optimized 120Hz refresh rate. Unlike the POCO X3 Pro that I recently reviewed, there are no micro-stutters or lags when powering through the phone in its optimum capability. On top of being able to manually switch between 60, 90, and 120Hz, turning on “Smart Switch” automatically does it for you.
I tested out its efficacy by using Android 11’s built-in refresh rate overlay and found that the panel is quick enough to toggle between 60 and 120Hz depending on the content. Yet, it seems like Smart Switch can’t lock into the 90Hz mode since, throughout my usage, I graphed the shift between 60 and 120Hz refresh rate only.
Also, the phone defaults to 60Hz mode under dynamic content like YouTube, where scrolling through the comment section while watching a video doesn’t get the high refresh rate treatment. Anyway, with support for a 180Hz sampling rate, I’ve had no complaint in terms of touch response during my gaming sessions either.
Apart from this, iQOO Z3’s FHD display is Widevine L1 certified for HD content streaming as well. Plus, like the company’s more premium offerings, it is HDR10 certified too. While HDR videos played perfectly fine on YouTube, iQOO seems to have left it unoptimized on other streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Performance
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G 5G SoC (7nm)
6/8GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128/256GB storage (expandable)
Android 11 with Vivo’s Funtouch OS 11.1 on top
Okay, let’s now get into the performance aspect of the iQOO Z3—which is the most coveted feature of this phone. With Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 768G 5G chip onboard complemented by a five-layer liquid cooling system, the company is especially proud of the phone’s gaming performance and effective thermal solution.
While 768G on iQOO Z3 still trails behind POCO X3 Pro’s Snapdragon 860 in terms of sheer power, the aforementioned cooling mechanism somehow makes up for the difference—when it comes to prolonged sessions of resource-demanding gaming.
Gaming experience
Under Genshin Impact, keeping the graphics settings to High, motion blur to Low, and 60 fps gameplay turned on, the phone jumped from 35ºC CPU and 32ºC battery temperature to 44ºC and 40ºC respectively after 10 minutes of gaming. Similarly, after about 21 minutes, the CPU and battery temperature levels read 46ºC and 42ºC, respectively.
Here, iQOO Z3 was able to maintain a stable 60 fps throughout the session with minor stutters on a few occasions—especially when the game had to load a bunch of NPCs or creeps. This thermal performance is fairly impressive although two-thirds of the phone got quite hot here, especially near the camera module. So, for better Genshin Impact gaming, I dialed down the graphics settings to Medium and FPS to 30.
And yeah, Z3’s graphite-powered cooling layer was able to keep up under these settings, with CPU and battery temperature settling at 44ºC and 40ºC after 25 minutes of gaming. Despite the dialed-down visual fidelity, I still noticed a few instances of stutters here.
Likewise, PUBG Mobile maxes out at Smooth graphics and Extreme frame rate on the iQOO Z3 and I found this to be the optimal setting for this game. Even after a little over half hours of continuous gameplay, the CPU and battery temperature settled to just 41ºC and 37ºC, respectively. And of course, the gameplay is exceptionally smooth here with a stable 60 fps maintained all through the session.
But if you opt for a better visual glow-up, the iQOO Z3 can hit HDR graphics and Ultra frame rate too. Here, the gaming experience is perfectly fine although the phone does get slightly hotter here.
Gaming features in Funtouch OS
Also, out of all the games I tested, only PUBG Mobile supports “4D Game Vibration” where you can assign the trigger locations for an immersive experience. Other gaming features on this phone that I like include Esports mode for disturbance-free gameplay and Eagle Eye Enhancement for better enemy visibility.
Moving on, comparatively less demanding titles like COD Mobile don’t break a sweat to Snapdragon 768G either. Even in its highest settings (Very High graphics, Very High frame rate), the phone doesn’t heat up at all. Now, because there’s a 120Hz screen on board, I tried playing Critical Ops which has 120 fps mode but the Z3 is capped at 60 fps only.
Finally, I also played a couple of emulator games like PSP’s God of War: Ghost of Sparta and got an average of 48-52 fps under 4x render resolution and 3x upscaling. Besides impressive gaming, iQOO Z3 handles everyday tasks with ease as well. Its Snapdragon 768G onboard has been coupled with 6/8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128/256GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage—spread into three memory variants.
The phone also enjoys the “Extended RAM” feature which temporarily configures 3GB of internal storage into virtual RAM instead for better multitasking. Additionally, the phone doesn’t throttle performance under heavy load either.
CPU Throttling Test
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30 minutes
60 minutes
For this review, I ran a CPU throttle test for 30 and 60 minutes and as you can see from these graphs, iQOO Z3 retains an exceptional level of performance. While I’ve had little issues with multitasking between relatively heavyweight apps, I found Vivo’s Funtouch OS 11.1 to be unnecessarily strict on smaller background processes.
Benchmarks:
iQOO Z3
Androbench
Sequential Read
998.96 MB/s
Sequential Write
463.49 MB/s
AnTuTu v8.5
Total
375542
CPU
120274
GPU
106404
Memory
71474
UX
77390
AnTuTu v9.0
Total
443160
CPU
126602
GPU
115879
Memory
81110
UX
119569
Geekbench 5
CPU (Single Core)
708
CPU (Multi-Core)
2014
Compute (OpenCL)
1504
PCMark (Work 3.0 Performance)
8361
3DMark (Wild Life)
1949
For instance, I used the “CPU Monitor” app to test the CPU and battery temperature during my gaming sessions for the preparation of the iQOO Z3 review. On multiple occasions, the system killed its process in the background. I tested with sticky notification of other apps like Nepali Patro, NetMonster, AnTuTu, and Game Booster to see if it’s app-specific, but no. Eventually, Funtouch OS killed the background process of all these apps—most of the time even when I had the screen on.
Don’t kill background processes, please
I further played around with background process limit settings under Developer Options but that didn’t solve the issue either. How is this happening on a system that boasts “Extended RAM”, I’ll never know. It’s almost like iQOO is making fun of itself here. Throughout the review period, I haven’t received any update addressing this issue on the iQOO Z3 either.
Anyway, Funtouch OS is subject to further criticisms as well. While I admire its close-to stock Android design, practically every iQOO-enabled features come with their own privacy-related terms and conditions. This includes everything from the app drawer, lockscreen poster, global search, to the iManager app. It also comes with a bunch of bloatware apps pre-installed.
Thankfully, you can uninstall most of them and the annoying notifications from the unremovable system apps can be disabled as well. You can also switch Vivo’s Jovi Home with Google Feed instead. One thing that still doesn’t work here is Android 11’s navigation gesture for quickly switching between recent apps.
Cameras
Triple-camera setup at the back
(64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro)
16MP selfie camera (teardrop notch)
Cameras
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Back
Front
On to the cameras, the iQOO Z3 brings a triple camera arrangement at the back led by a 64MP Samsung ISOCELL GW3 sensor. Completing the setup is an 8MP ultrawide sensor with a 120º FOV and a 2MP macro lens. For the purposes of this review, I compared the camera performance of the iQOO Z3 against the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.
Normal Images
Starting with the normal daytime images, you can see that images from iQOO Z3 look oversaturated with high contrast.
Normal
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
On the other hand, Note 10 Pro Max produces relatively low contrast while its photos do look a little hazy at times. Both phones perform similarly in terms of dynamic range although the ones from Note 10 Pro Max look comparatively sharper.
Wideangle Images
Ultrawide images share a similar story as well.
Wideangle
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
The excess vibrance in images from iQOO Z3 looks unnatural most of the time although it works in its favor on certain occasions.
Color fringing in iQOO Z3
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
I also noticed “chromatic aberration” or “color fringing” in its photos where the camera’s image processing results in colored edges like in this part of the image.
Portrait Images
Edge detection is similar in portrait shots from both phones.
Portrait
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
However, the subject’s skin tone looks slightly flat on Note 10 Pro Max whereas iQOO Z3 overexposes them by a bit. There’s also a slight yellowish tint in the latter’s portrait photos.
Macro Images
As expected, macro shots are far superior on the Note 10 Pro Max thanks to its variable focus distance.
Macro
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
Albeit oversaturated, its close-up shots retain far better details, while taking macro photos from iQOO Z3’s fixed focus macro camera is a struggle.
Nighttime Images
Getting to low-light photography, regular nighttime images from Note 10 Pro Max have better exposure and HDR. On the other hand, there’s a noticeable reddish tint in iQOO Z3’s nighttime shots.
Nighttime
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
Turning on night mode, iQOO Z3 manages to let in far more light detail under extremely low-light situations while the Note 10 Pro Max surprisingly fails in this regard.
Night Mode
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
But besides this, most night mode shots from iQOO Z3 look oversharpened whereas Note 10 Pro Max maintains superior exposure.
iQOO Z3 - Ultrawide Low Light
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Nighttime
Night Mode
Nighttime
Night Mode
Nighttime
Night Mode
Still, iQOO Z3 lets you shoot ultrawide night mode photos too although it doesn’t improve upon regular ultrawide nighttime images by a lot. The photos do look muddy and with little detail. Coming to the front, selfies from Note 10 Pro Max have excess sharpness, are lacking in contrast, and look unnaturally dark.
Selfie Images
In contrast, iQOO Z3’s 16MP shooter captures selfies with better dynamic range while clinging to oversaturation like in the daytime and wideangle images.
Selfie
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
There’s also a slight warm-yellowish tone in its selfie shots.
Portrait Selfie
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iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
iQOO Z3
Note 10 Pro Max
Likewise, portrait selfies from Note 10 Pro Max are complemented by a pinkish tint, low contrast, and an overall darker hue. Nevertheless, it does have a better edge detection in some cases.
Videography
Moving on, the iQOO Z3 maxes out at 4K/60fps recording although it’s void of any sort of stabilization. However, it does bring EIS when toning it down to 4K/30fps. Compared to Note 10 Pro Max, its 4K/30fps videos are better stabilized alongside the trademark pop in terms of colors.
Similarly, Z3’s 1080p/60fps footages are steadier and have better exposure management compared to the Note 10 Pro Max. The latter’s videos look quite dark, oversharpened, and have a noticeable greenish tint. It’s the same with 1080p/30fps shots but they’re neck-and-neck in terms of stabilization.
Finally, selfie videos cap out at 1080p/30fps mode on both phones, and they’re not complemented by EIS either. The ones from iQOO Z3 have a yellowish tint to them whereas footage from Note 10 Pro Max looks a little flat. Audio pickup from their respective microphones is quite similar.
Overall, I found the two cameras to differ mostly in terms of their color optimizations. So, I guess it is up to the individual user to decide which one they prefer. However, iQOO Z3 definitely provides better videography prowess compared to the Note 10 Pro Max.
Battery
4400mAh battery with 55W FlashCharge
Now, because iQOO values a slim form factor on its phones—which applies to this phone as well—the company has settled for a relatively small battery. Having said that, all through the review, I managed to get at least 6-7 hours of screen-on time from the 4400mAh battery on iQOO Z3 almost every day.
I’d set the refresh rate to Smart Switch and brightness level to 50-60%, while my usage pattern consisted of a couple of hours of gaming, web browsing, streaming music, and watching videos on YouTube.
This may partly be due to the aforementioned aggressive RAM management on lightweight background processes as well. I can’t complain about iQOO Z3’s overnight battery drain either since the max drop I recorded in a day was only 3%.
Juicing it up is equally impressive too. With the 55W adapter provided inside the box, the phone goes from 0 to 50% in 21 minutes, 80% in 36 minutes, and 100% in 54 minutes. When charging the phone, the front panel does get a little warm sometimes although it’s nothing alarming.
Audio
Mono speaker, 3.5mm audio jack
What’s left in this review of the iQOO Z3? Yes, audio. Like I mentioned earlier, iQOO has skimped on a stereo speaker setup here for a rather underwhelming mono speaker. It gets fairly loud enough but the audio sounds muddy while the mids come off a bit overpowering as well.
Of course, bass reproduction is almost non-existent here. Additionally, the haptic feedback here is pretty average only. Apart from this, the call quality on the iQOO Z3 is solid and the max volume doesn’t get too loud so that nearby people hear it as well.
Conclusion
Wrapping up this review, the iQOO Z3 an interesting phone, to say the least. With its powerful performance, effective thermal solution, 5G support, and decent cameras, the phone manages to stand out against the likes of POCO X3 Pro and Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.
Yet, iQOO’s unnerving decision to settle for an LCD panel, teardrop notch, and a mono speaker might be a deal-breaker to many. Having said that, if you’re looking for a dependable overall smartphone under INR 20K, the iQOO Z3 is an excellent contender.
