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Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro Review: An Affordable Flagship

Yural Maskey
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Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro Review: An Affordable Flagship

In this review, I will be talking about the Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro, which is also known as the Mi 11i or the Redmi K40 Pro+ in some regions. Now, Xiaomi has launched a lot of phones under the Mi 11 lineup so far and it’s understandable if their names are confusing. The one our team has been testing for around a month is the Mi 11X Pro, which is a slightly downgraded version of the flagship Mi 11.

Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro Specifications:

  • Body: 76.4 x 163.7 x 7.8mm, 196 gm, Gorilla Glass 5
  • Display: 6.67-inches E4 AMOLED “DotDisplay”, 120Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate, Gorilla Glass 5, 1300 nits (peak) brightness, MEMC, HDR10+, SGS Eye Care
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio, 395 PPI
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm Mobile Platform)
  • CPU: Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680)
  • GPU: Adreno 660
  • Memory: 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
  • Software & UI: Android 11 with Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 on top
  • Rear Camera: Triple-camera (with LED flash);
    – 108MP f/1.75 primary lens, AF
    – 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, 119º FOV
    – 5MP f/2.4 telemacro sensor, 3cm – 7cm (AF)
  • Front Camera: 20MP f/2.45 sensor (punch-hole cutout)
  • Audio: Stereo speakers with Hi-Res Audio, Dolby Atmos
  • Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro, Proximity, 360º Ambient Light, Electronic compass, Color Temperature, IR Blaster, X-axis Linear Motor
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Beidou / NavIC / Bluesky, USB Type-C, 4G LTE, 5G (sub-6GHz)
  • Battery: 4520mAh with 33W fast charging (33W adapter provided)
  • Color options: Celestial Silver, Lunar White, Cosmic Black
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 64,999 (8/128GB) | Rs. 67,999 (8/256GB)

Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro Review:

Its base variant starts at INR 39,999 or NPR 64,999 in Nepal, making it one of the cheapest flagship phones to come with Snapdragon 888. So in this review, we will discuss if the Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro is worth going for or if you should get the Mi 11 or the vanilla OnePlus 9 instead. Let’s get into it!

Performance

  • Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G SoC (5nm)
  • 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
  • Android 11 with Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 on top (upgradeable)

Okay, when I said that it’s a slightly downgraded version of the Mi 11, well, performance does not count under that. Its Snapdragon 888 chipset has been coupled with 8GB of DDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. As a result, Mi 11X Pro’s performance is undoubtedly flagship level.

Mi 11X Pro - Gaming

To compare, I would say it is slightly faster than the Snapdragon 870-powered phones like the Mi 11X and the iQOO 7. And this is noticeable when you open heavy apps or try multitasking between them.

Still, I think Snapdragon 870 is the best value-for-money flagship chipset in 2021. Plus, with every Snapdragon 888-powered phone, you will encounter some sort of heating issues and sadly that’s present on the Mi 11X Pro too. So, this does heat up when playing GPU intensive games, recording 4k or 8k videos, and the likes.

Gaming experience

Talking of gaming, playing Genshin Impact in the high graphics setting and 60fps mode, the gameplay runs smoothly at 58fps and over 90% stability. Likewise, PUBG Mobile can hit 60fps in HDR graphics and extreme frame rates with 96% stability. Call of Duty, which is a slightly optimized game than the other two, yields 60fps with 100% stability in Very High graphics and max frame rates.

However, in these higher settings, the Mi 11X Pro heats up quite rapidly, especially near the camera module. With this, the phone becomes quite uncomfortable to hold. So, you might want to dial down the settings for better thermal performance.

How is MIUI on a flagship phone?

On the software front, many of you might know that I am not a huge fan of MIUI. Before the recent update, there were even these underlying touch issues in the display, where a certain portion of the screen would fail to register any input, and subsequently, I couldn’t scroll through the UI. But thanks to the MIUI 12.5 update that I received on July 1st, these problems have been fixed.

Design & Build

  • 76.4 x 163.7 x 7.8 mm, 196 grams
  • Gorilla Glass 5 (front, back), plastic frame
  • No IP certification for dust/water protection
  • No SD card slot and 3.5mm audio jack

Moving on, while the performance of this phone is top class, design-wise, I have to say that Mi 11X Pro looks quite basic. In fact, if not for the mirrored finish, it basically looks like the much cheaper POCO F3. And just like the OnePlus 9, its hands-on feel is nothing better than an upper mid-range phone.

In comparison, Mi 11’s matte back, metal frames, and slight curves on the sides feel so much premium and ergonomic even though both these phones share the same weight.

Plus, to keep the price lower, Xiaomi has cut corners on multiple aspects of the Mi 11X Pro. For instance, there’s no IP68 certification, no wireless charging, and the front, as well as the back, only has Gorilla Glass 5 protection. To be fair, these omissions are something that you can absolutely live without.

The one aspect where Xiaomi maybe shouldn’t have cut corners is in the fingerprint sensor as this one comes with a capacitive side-mounted scanner instead of an in-display fingerprint reader. In Xiaomi’s defense, it is a reliable one. But then again, an in-display fingerprint sensor on such an expensive phone feels almost mandatory.

And one more thing. Like the OnePlus 9, the Mi 11X Pro is limited to two 5G bands only. One might argue that supporting the most common 5G bands is good enough but seeing how alternatives like the Realme X7 Max support much more 5G bands, this feels like a direct upper hand for the competition.

Display

  • 6.67-inches FHD+ E4 AMOLED display
  • 120/360Hz refresh/touch sampling rate
  • 1300 nits peak brightness, SGS Eye Care

Nevertheless, the Mi 11X Pro boasts a really good display. It’s not QHD like the Mi 11 but that doesn’t really matter much. It’s sufficiently bright, has good viewing angles, and more importantly, it produces excellent colors and contrast.

Mi 11X Pro - Display

Moreover, it is equipped with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. Couple that with a 360Hz touch sampling rate, scrolling, and typing experience on this phone is pretty great. Likewise, it is also HDR10+ compliant with 100% DCI-P3 color coverage. Sadly, Mi 11X Pro lacks DC dimming although Xiaomi has integrated SGS certification for low blue light emission.

Decent set of speakers

Anyway, because of its big screen, watching movies and web series on this phone is going to be a riveting experience. Xiaomi has paired it with a good set of stereo speakers too. Although not true stereo, meaning, the other speaker also doubles as an earpiece, I’m quite impressed with their quality.

You can notice good details and dynamic range from Mi 11X Pro’s speakers while they can get loud enough as well. Also, they are very similar to the standard Mi 11’s audio setup.

Cameras

  • Triple-camera setup at the back
  • (108MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP telemacro)
  • 20MP selfie camera inside the punch-hole cutout

Okay, let’s get into the cameras. Here, Mi 11X Pro features a triple cameras setup at the back consisting of a 108MP primary Samsung ISOCELL HM2 sensor, followed by an 8MP ultra-wide and a 5MP telemacro camera.

Normal Images

On paper, the 108MP sensor seems quite impressive. But in real life, the overall camera quality is just above average. And all this has got a lot to do with the most difficult aspect of photography – color optimization.

You see, when we compared it against the more expensive Mi 11, we found that Mi 11X Pro’s cameras produce wildly saturated output. The pictures are sharp though, but you will notice a lot of unnatural detail processing going on.

Bringing the OnePlus 9 into the mix, it too saturates the images in certain scenarios, but the Mi 11X Pro just goes an extra mile. Being a proper flagship phone with the top-of-the-line HMX sensor, it’s evident how the Mi 11 is the most superior of the bunch.

Wideangle Images

Ultra-wide-angle images from all three look good and are well-detailed. Thankfully, Mi 11X Pro’s cameras do not boost the colors so much here.

I was surprised with how the OnePlus 9 didn’t have a superior output given its higher-res 50MP lens produced similar results compared to the Mi 11X. The Mi 11 reigns superior here as well with a slightly better dynamic range.

Portrait Images

As for portraits, once again the Mi 11 takes the cake with better skin color while the OnePlus 9 brightens the subject a bit more.

On the other hand, the Mi 11X Pro darkens and sharpens the images unnecessarily. Hence, the portraits are not that great on the latter.

Selfie Images

Even selfies share the same properties as portraits.

Skin tone is brighter on the OnePlus 9, darker on the Mi 11X Pro while Mi 11 has the most pleasing and natural color reproduction.

Selfie portraits carry the same traits whereas edge detection is not perfect in either of them.

Nighttime Images

But when it comes to nighttime images, all three phones perform well enough. It’s just that the OnePlus 9 has a warmer tone with slightly boosted colors and somewhat lesser details than the rest.

On the other hand, Mi 11X Pro and Mi 11 manage to take in a little bit more light and maintain slightly better details. That being said, Mi 11’s images are usually the brightest with a better level of detail than the other two. Turning on night mode, all three cameras do a very good job!

It’s with the ultra-wide nighttime images that the OnePlus 9 struggles as evident with the muddiness and lack of detail in its photos.

On the contrary, this is one area where Mi 11X Pro does things so much better, followed by the Mi 11.

Macro Images

Next up, macro images from the Mi 11X Pro and Mi 11 look almost similar in terms of details, but Mi 11 has a more natural color tone.

I would rate OnePlus’ macro images to be of slightly lesser quality.

Videography

Now, onto the videography side of things, all three phones offer you an 8k 30 fps recording option. But among them, the OnePlus 9 has the most stable output while Mi 11 crops the footage largely to maintain better stabilization.

In other resolutions, like 4k 60 or 4k 30 fps, footages are stable and detailed from all three devices. Moving to ultra-wide videos, the OnePlus 9 offers up to 4k 60 fps mode while that’s missing on the Mi 11 and Mi 11X Pro.

Even for selfies, we are disappointed a little to see the lack of 4K recording options on the Mi 11X Pro. Both 1080p 60fps and 30 fps modes are of good quality. They’re on par in terms of the subject’s skin tone, video stabilization, whereas the audio pickup from the microphone is neck-and-neck as well.

Why the sub-par camera optimization?

With all this, it is clear that Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro’s cameras are in fact inferior to that of the Mi 11 and OnePlus 9. And it’s a little annoying to see the company not offering the same level of camera optimization as the Mi 11. That’s because the Mi 11X Pro comes with the same Image Signal Processor (ISP) as its costlier sibling and its 108MP sensor is flagship level too. So, I really don’t understand this discrimination.

Battery

  • 4520mAh battery with 33W fast charging

Finally, getting to the battery life, with its 4520mAh cell, I managed to get around 6 – 6.5 hours of screen-on time with my usage pattern consisting of a lot of video streaming, playing some games, web browsing, and social media consumption. Plus, Mi 11X Pro has a good standby time unlike the OnePlus 9!

Mi 11X Pro - Charging

And despite featuring a lower-rated 33-watt charger compared to the OnePlus 9’s 65-watt or the 55-watt charger on the Mi 11, the Mi 11X Pro takes only 51 minutes to get fully juiced up, which isn’t that slow.

Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro Review: Conclusion

To wrap up this review of the Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro, after having used the phone for such a long time, for the most part, we were not satisfied with it. That’s because the aforementioned underlying touch issues made the experience truly bitter. But, just before publishing this video, our unit received an update that solved the issue which has made us change our verdict altogether.

Hence, for the price of INR 39,999 or some NPR 64,999 in Nepal, the Mi 11X Pro is indeed a great offering. Its excellent price-to-performance ratio paired with good battery life and the top-notch display is a great combo. Plus, unlike Xiaomi’s mid-range phones, there is no problem with the software optimization either.

Still, the camera is the one area where our expectation has fallen short. So, if you are someone who is looking for a premium camera experience, the Mi 11X Pro is definitely not the best option for you. For that, you’re better off adding a bit more money to get the Mi 11 or the Galaxy S21 instead. And for what it’s worth, even the OnePlus 9 provides you a slightly better camera experience than the Mi 11X Pro.

Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Excellent value for money
  • Top-notch performance
  • 120Hz AMOLED display
  • Decent battery endurance
  • Good set of stereo speakers
  • Competent haptic feedback

Cons:

  • Sub-par camera optimization
  • Heats up under high load
  • Pretty mediocre design
  • Lacks an IP certification
  • No 3.5mm headphone jack

You can now pay vehicle tax straight from the Nagarik app

GadgetByte
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You can now pay vehicle tax straight from the Nagarik app

Nagarik App is an initiation from the Nepal Government to simplify the life of Nepalese by providing Governmental service to their fingertips. The app already has a list of services like PAN registration, Malpot, and others in it. Similarly, the government has now added a vehicle renewal service to the Nagarik App. 

Vehicle renewal service from Nagarik App:

With vehicle renewing service coming to the app, the public will be able to update their vehicle’s bluebook online without having to stand in long queues. 

From Bagmati

The Nagarik app now has a ‘Vehicle Tax’ option in it. In its first phase, you will be able to pay the tax of vehicles that are registered in Bagmati province only. That means individuals from the remaining six provinces should wait until a similar service goes official for them. 

Meanwhile, if your vehicle is registered at the Transport Management office of Bagmati, then you can use the service with ease. 

How to pay?

To pay the tax, you must first update the app, if you have one, or download it from the Google Play Store or Apple store. Then navigate to the Vehicle Tax option on the landing dashboard. However, before continuing with the process, ensure that you have completed all of the prerequisites of enrolling yourself in the app.

Nagarik App Interface with Vehicle Tax feature

 

Then you will be asked to enter details like the province, vehicle types, lot number, and so on. Following that, you will see a screen with the payable tax amount. You may then use the app to pay the tax.

Final Words

As new features make their way into the Nagarik app, the government should now work on making it widely acceptable at government offices and other institutions. This should’ve gone without saying but there have been multiple reports of government offices or banks demanding physical documents even after the Nagarik app has gone live. Only after resolving this, would the dream of paperless governance come true.

  • Meanwhile, check out our review of Realme Buds Q2.

Huawei MatePad 11 launched with Harmony OS 2, Snapdragon 865, 120Hz display, and more

GadgetByte
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Huawei MatePad 11 launched with Harmony OS 2, Snapdragon 865, 120Hz display, and more

Huawei has unveiled a new tablet in China – the MatePad 11. It runs HarmonyOS 2 at its core and has a pressure-sensitive stylus for a smooth typing and scrolling experience. So, let’s walk through the specs of Huawei MatePad 11 along with its expected price in Nepal.

Hauwei MatePad 11 Overview:

Design and Display

To begin with, the MatePad 11 brings a 10.95-inch LCD panel with 2560 x 1600 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display has moderate size bezels on all sides. Further, the top bezel holds an 8MP front-facing camera while you get a 13MP camera on the back. The latter has autofocus, which the former lacks.

Huawei MatePad 11 Design and Display

The tablet comes with a second-gen M-pencil stylus with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and low latency. You can also pair it with an optical magnetic keyboard which allows you to use it as a notebook. 

Performance

Under the hood, Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 powers the MatePad 11. The SoC is paired with 6GB of RAM and is available with three storage configurations – 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. There’s also a MicroSD card slot, which you can use to expand the storage up to 1TB. On the software front, it boots on Huawei’s in-house Harmony OS 2.0.

Rest of the specs

Besides, the tablet features four microphones as well as four Harmon Kardon-tuned speakers. In terms of connectivity, the tablet supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. Fueling the tablet is a 7,250mAh battery with support for 22.5W fast charging. You can even use your phones and accessories by utilizing the OTG reverse charging feature.

Huawei MatePad 11 Specifications

  • Dimensions: 253.8 x 165.3 x 7.25mm, 485 grams
  • Display: 10.95-inch IPS LCD, 16.7 million colors
  • Resolution: WQXGA (2560 x 1600 pixels)
  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (7nm)
  • Software: HarmonyOS 2.0
  • Memory: 6GB
  • Storage: 64/128/256GB (upgradable up to 1TB)
  • Rear Camera: 13MP f/1.8
  • Front Camera: 8MP f/2.0
  • Battery: 7250mAh with 22.5W fast charging
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6 802.11 (a/b/g/n/ac/ax), Bluetooth 5.1, USB Type-C
  • Speakers: Harmon Kardon tuned quad speakers
  • Colors: Island Blue, Dark Lime, Frosty Silver 

Huawei MatePad 11 Price in Nepal and Availability

The MatePad 11 costs CNY 2469 for the 64GB version, CNY 2799 for the 128GB version, and CNY 3299 for the 256GB version. We expect the price of Huawei MatePad 11 to start around NPR 50,000, if and when it launches in Nepal.

Huawei MateaPad 11 Price in China Price in Nepal (Expected)
6+64GB CNY 2469 NPR 50,000
6+128GB CNY 2799 NPR 55,000
6+256GB CNY 3299 NPR 65,000
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of Huawei Band 6.

Symphony Z40 Review: A Decent Budget Phone?

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Symphony Z40 Review: A Decent Budget Phone?

In this review, I will be sharing my experience with the Symphony Z40. But before that, let me familiarize you with the brand (if you aren’t already). You may not have heard about Symphony, but it is one of the largest smartphone brands in our neighboring country of Bangladesh.

Symphony started its journey as a bar phone manufacturer and then jumped to entry-level budget smartphones. Last year, the company expanded to Nepal as well with three budget devices. Among them all, I have been testing the Z40 for quite some time now. To note, it is the most powerful phone in Symphony Nepal’s portfolio.

Symphony Z40 Specifications:

  • Body: 76.6 x 165 x 8.9mm, 193.5 gm
  • Display: 6.55-inches IPS LCD panel, 16.7m colors
  • Resolution: HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels), 268 PPI
  • Chipset: MediaTek Helio G35 4G (12nm Mobile Platform)
  • Memory: 3/4GB RAM, 32/64GB storage (expandable up to 128GB)
  • Software & UI: Android 10
  • Rear Cameras: Triple (13MP primary, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP portrait)
  • Front Camera: 13MP sensor (punch-hole)
  • Audio: Loudspeaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Security: Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Light, Proximity
  • Battery: 5000mAh Li-Po, 10W charging via USB-C port
  • Color Options: Dazzling Blue, Delightful Green, Jolly Blue
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 17,999 (4/64GB)
Buy Symphony Z40 here

Symphony Z40 Review:

Design and Build

  • 76.6 x 165 x 8.9mm, 193.5 gm
  • Plastic back/frame, glass front
  • Corrugated finish at the back

Starting with the design, the phone is available in three colors: Dazzling Blue, Delightful Green, and Jolly Blue. For this review, we got ourselves the Dazzling Blue variant of Symphony Z40. Its body and frame are both made out of plastic. The latter has been curved for a better grip.

Also, the rear panel is corrugated with a sun ray-like pattern. It is divided into two unequal parts by a line running behind the camera bump. The back also houses the physical fingerprint scanner, whose speed is in line with what we get on devices of this price point.

Similarly, the power and volume buttons are on the right side, while a dedicated Google Assistant button resides on the opposite frame. The top frame is clean, and most of the ports are at the bottom. All in all, the Symphony Z40 is like most other budget phones out there in terms of its design. Its radiating design and relatively bulky form factor are reminiscent of Xiaomi’s Redmi lineup of entry-level phones.

Display

  • 6.55-inches HD+ IPS LCD panel
  • 60Hz, 268 PPI, Widevine L3

Moving on, Symphony Z40 features a 6.55-inch HD+ display with 1600 x 720 pixels. The screen is surrounded by thick bezels. In addition, there is a left-aligned punch-hole cutout that could get distracting at times. Also, its diameter is quite large compared to what we’re used to on other budget or mid-range phones.

Symphony Z40 - Display 1

Anyway, despite the lower resolution, the contents look quite sharp here. And you will only notice jaggedness if you pixel peep. In addition, Z40’s color reproduction and viewing angle are fine. On the other hand, it thoroughly struggles with outdoor visibility. But that is to be expected with such budget phones.

Regardless, I would have liked Symphony Z40’s screen more had it supported HD streaming on Netflix and other streaming platforms. Right now, that’s not possible here as it only has Widevine L3 certification for sub-540p streaming. This could technically be fixed with a software update but I highly doubt Symphony, of all companies, will roll an update bringing support for Widevine L1.

Performance

  • Octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 4G SoC (12nm)
  • 3/4GB RAM, 32/64GB storage (expandable up to 128GB)
  • Android 10 (almost stock) with few customizations

Under the hood, the Symphony Z40 packs a MediaTek Helio G35 chipset. It’s an entry-level SoC with two clusters of 4x Cortex-A53 CPU cores clocked at 1.8GHz and 2.3GHz. Handling the graphics is PowerVR GE8320.

This silicon has been paired with either 3/4GB of RAM and 32/64GB of eMMC 5.1 storage. The latter is expandable up to 128GB using an external MicroSD card as well. Here, our review unit of Symphony Z40 is of the 4/64GB configuration.

Symphony Z40 - Design 2

As expected, this combination can’t handle heavy multitasking. However, you can use social media apps, enjoy music and videos, and even play games under controlled settings without any major hiccup. That being said, be prepared to tolerate delays between opening apps, and even a few crashes here and there.

Gaming experience

Getting to gaming, PUBG Mobile maxes out at Balanced graphics and Medium frame rate. After just 15 minutes of Team Deathmatch, the CPU temperature rose to 40ºC from 33º (monitored using CPU Monitor app). Also, the gameplay starts as playable but becomes more sluggish over time—suggesting performance throttling.

Thus, it is clear that Symphony Z40 is not made for heavy gaming. Then again, which budget phone is? On the other hand, you can play light games fairly smoothly here. I tried Piano Tiles 3 and faced no issues even with the touch response.

Software

Getting to UI, Symphony Z40 ships with Android 10 out-of-the-box. You will find some games and bloatware pre-installed on the phone. The good thing is that you can uninstall most of them. However, you can’t get rid of Google’s suite of apps, Facebook, and My Symphony app. The UI is also ad-free, in case you were wondering.

Symphony Z40 - Display 2

The company has added a couple of neat customization features too. First, you can add a circular battery indicator around the aforementioned camera cutout. Second, you can change the color accent of the UI elements from display settings.

You can even re-configure the Goggle Assistant button to launch a shortcut of your choice. At the time of writing this review, our unit of Symphony Z40 was still on January’s security patch while there’s no word on the Android 11 update either. So, it is safe to assume that the phone will receive little-to-no future software support.

Camera

  • Triple camera setup at the back
  • (13MP primary, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP portrait)
  • 13MP selfie camera (punch-hole cutout)

Okay, let’s talk about the cameras now. The rectangular camera bump at the back of the phone has enough room for three camera sensors, the first of which is a 13MP primary camera. Accompanying it is a 5MP ultra-wide and a 2MP depth sensor.

Normal Images

As you can see from these photos, the primary sensor struggles with maintaining exposure. The skies are blown out.

Similarly, they also come out a bit dark.

Turning on the HDR mode helps a bit. HDR images are a bit brighter and, in some cases, better exposed, too.

Wideangle Images

Likewise, photos from the 5MP ultrawide camera aren’t any good either.

The pictures have blown-out backgrounds and little detail.

Portraits

Regardless, the portrait photos have decent edge detection, though it is not perfect around hairs.

Selfie Images

Additionally, the selfie camera whitens the subject’s face.

It has a hard time dealing with exposure, and turning on the portrait mode makes the situation worse.

Battery and Audio

  • 5000mAh battery with 10W charging
  • Single speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack

Moving on, Symphony Z40 features a massive 5,000mAh battery which charges over a Type-C port. A 10W charger is included in the box too. On average, the phone provided around 5 hours of screen-on time during my usage. The onboard charger takes an excess of 3 hours to juice it up from 0 to 100%.

Symphony Z40 - Fingerprint Sensor

For audio, the phone has a bottom-firing single speaker. It can get loud enough but does not stand out much. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired connection.

Conclusion

To sum it up, the Symphony Z40 has all the recipes for a decent entry-level phone. This includes a good screen, a fairly powerful processor, a clean UI, and all-day battery life. Still, I would love to see Symphony optimize the camera and thermals. As it stands, it is an average performing budget phone with a sturdy design, clean ad-free UI, and adequate storage.

Symphony Z40 Review: Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Sturdy design
  • Good display
  • Clean, ad-free UI
  • Decent battery life

Cons

  • No Widevine L1 certification
  • Heats up quickly under gaming
  • Unoptimized camera app

Realme to partner with Kodak on the cameras of Realme GT Master Edition

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Realme to partner with Kodak on the cameras of Realme GT Master Edition

Days after the launch of Realme GT 5G, rumors of a Mater Edition surfaced on the internet. Now, more details about the device have emerged, with a source claiming that Realme is collaborating with Kodak in the camera department. As it stands, Realme GT Master Edition would have 

Realme GT 5G Master Edition Rumors:

Realme’s VP recently teased a new smartphone launch by posting a picture on Weibo with Japanese designer Mr. Naoto Fukasawa. He didn’t give any details regarding the phone, but Digital Chat Station, a reliable leakster, stated that Realme’s upcoming smartphone will be the GT 5G Master Edition.

The photo with the Japanese designer makes sense because he also designed the company’s previous Master Edition (Realme X2 Pro Master Edition).

 Also Read:

Cameras from Kodak

Moving on, Realme VP Xu Qi Chase shared a camera sample on his Weibo profile, along with a obscured name. It clearly hints that it’s a shot from an unreleased device.

Rumored Realme GT Master Edition Camera Samples

Likewise, Digital Chat Station chimed in that Realme is collaborating with a veteran camera manufacturer. The Realme GT Master Edition will be the first phone to be out with this partnership.

Realme Kodak RumorsAnother leaker revealed that the partner company is Kodak. The photographic firm filed bankruptcy in 2012 and has since shifted its attention to software and hardware for commercial printing solutions. You can still see Kodak-branded cameras in the market which are the result of Kodak’s licensing program. The Realme GT 5G Master Edition could be just another product to come out of this program.

It’s not the first time a smartphone brand has joined hands with a camera manufacturer. Realme won’t even be the first brand the BBK electronics to do so. Last year, Vivo announced a partnership with Zeiss for the X60 series. Then came the OnePlus 9 series with Hasselblad cameras. Looking at how the two partnerships have fared so far, it’s best advised not to get any excited for the Realme-Kodak partnership.

Leaked Specifications

The leaked renders of the  Master Edition reveal a design similar to Realme GT 5G. The phone is designed by Naoto Fukusawa. Fukusawas has brought three new color shades including one with faux leather stripes at the back. The others will have a matte finish.

According to 91mobiles, the phone will sport a 6.43-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, Snapdragon 778G will replace the Snapdragon 888 chipset. The triple camera setup will remain the same. It will have a 64MP primary camera accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide sensor and a 2MP macro camera. Fueling the phone will be a 4,300mAh battery. Realme will also include support for 65W fast charging.

Realme GT 5G Master Edition Launch

There is no specific date for the release of GT Master Edition. However, as the company’s officials are teasing it, we can expect the launch within July. The price is said to start at €399 for 8/128GB.

Smartphone Expected Price 
8/128GB €399
12/256GB €449
    • Meanwhile, check out our impressions of Realme X7 Max.

    Samsung Galaxy A22 (4G) with 48MP OIS camera launched in Nepal

    GadgetByte
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    Samsung Galaxy A22 (4G) with 48MP OIS camera launched in Nepal

    Samsung announced the 4G variant of Galaxy A22, alongside its 5G model back in June. Among the two, the former has finally hit the Nepalese market. Here, we will talk about the key specifications and features of the Samsung Galaxy A22 (4G) along with its official price in Nepal.

    Samsung Galaxy A22 4G Overview:

    Design and Display

    Galaxy A22 is both slimmer and lighter than its 5G sibling. It is 8.4mm thick and weighs around 186 grams. The device features a 6.4-inch display with a waterdrop notch. It is a Super AMOLED panel contrary to the TFT screen on A22 5G. Yet, its resolution is restricted to HD+. Still, this screen supports a 90Hz refresh rate.

    Samsung Galaxy A22 4G Design and Display

    The phone has rounded edges and a left-aligned camera bump. The LED flash is now outside of the bump. Galaxy A22 4G is available in four colors – Black, Mint, White, and Violet.

    Performance and Memory

    Powering the device is MediaTek Helio G80. It is a 12nm chip which can be seen in Samsung’s Galaxy A32 (4G) as well. The chipset comes with MediaTek Hyper Engine, which improves gaming performance through better management of CPU, GPU, and network resources.

    Galaxy A22 arrives in two RAM variants – 4GB and 6GB. Users can between 64GB and 128GB of internal storage.

    Rest of the specs

    The device flaunts a quad-camera setup at the back. The highlight here is the 48MP primary camera, which comes with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). There is an 8MP camera with a wider Field of View. Accompanying them are two additional sensors for portrait and macro shots. There is a 13MP selfie shooter up front.

    Samsung Galaxy A22 4G Camera

    Fueling the device is a 5,000mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging. The phone supports Dolby Atmos audio, and it features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for biometrics.

    Samsung Galaxy A22 4G Specifications: 

    • Body: 73.6 x 159.3 x 8.4mm, 186 gm
    • Display: 6.4-inches “Infinity-U” Super AMOLED, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 600 nits peak brightness (HDR)
    • Resolution: HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio, 274 PPI
    • Chipset: MediaTek Helio G80 4G (12nm Mobile Platform)
    • CPU: Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
    • GPU: Arm Mali-G52 MC2
    • Memory: 4/6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64/128GB eMMC 5.1 storage (expandable)
    • Software & UI: Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI Core 3.1 on top
    • Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
      – 48MP, f/1.8 primary sensor, PDAF, OIS
      – 8MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, 123º FOV
      – 2MP, f/2.4 portrait lens
      – 2MP, f/2.4 macro lens
    • Front Camera: 13MP f/2.2 sensor (notch)
    • Audio: Loudspeaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
    • Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
    • Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Geomagnetic, Virtual Light, Virtual Proximity
    • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou, USB Type-C, 4G LTE
    • Battery: 5000mAh with 15W fast charge (15W adapter inside the box)
    • Color options: Awesome Black, Violet (Mint, White not available in Nepal)

    Samsung Galaxy A22 Price in Nepal & Availability

    The price of the Samsung Galaxy A22 (4G) in Nepal is NPR 27,999 for the 6/128GB variant. It is up for pre-order from Sastodeal until 6th July where two lucky buyers get a chance to win a Samsung AKG Earphone worth NPR 2,399.

    Samsung Galaxy A22 Price in Nepal (Official) Availability
    6/128GB NPR 27,999 Hukut Store
    • Meanwhile, check out our early impressions of the Galaxy A22.

    The Witcher: Monster Slayer AR game is hitting mobile devices soon

    GadgetByte
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    The Witcher: Monster Slayer AR game is hitting mobile devices soon

    The mobile gaming industry is a multibillion-dollar sector led by titles like Pokemon Go, Call of Duty Mobile, and PUBG Mobile. It’s no surprise that some of the most popular PC games, such as Valorant, are turning their attention to mobile gaming. Nonetheless, Spokko, a member of CD Projekt Red, is bringing its renowned RPG game, The Witcher, to mobile devices.

    The Witcher on mobile devices:

    The company formally revealed its work on Android platforms last year. Now, it has officially stated that the game will be coming to iOS as well.

    Gameplay

    Furthermore, the creators have released a 15-second trailer, allowing fans to have their first glimpse of the game. It depicts a wide variety of creatures against a constantly shifting background that changes from day to night.

    The Witcher Monster Slayer character

    The Witcher: Monster Player will be a first-person RPG-inspired combat game. In the game, players will embark on a dark fantasy journey in the Witcher’s realm, where they must explore the world and gradually become elite monster hunters. Players will use their ‘witcher senses,’ a feature of the Witcher series, to monitor their targets.

    Players will be able to train their characters by brewing potions and oils. Bombs and other equipment will also be there to help them in the battle.

    Additionally, the game will use augmented reality, which will give a new experience to users. Players must engage in perilous adventures that drive the realm of the Witcher series.

    Registration

    As aforementioned, the game will be accessible on both the iOS and Android platforms. If you have an Android device, you can pre-register for the game right now. This allows you to download the game right at launch and gain access to a special sword to take on your adventure as a bonus. However, iOS users are out of luck for the time being.

    The Witcher: Monster Slayer Launch

    According to Spokko, The Witcher: Monster Slayer will be available on mobile devices starting July 21st. To note, the game will be free on both platforms. 

    Game  Launch
    The Witcher: Monster Slayer July 21, 2021
    • Meanwhile, check out our review of IQOO Z3.

    Qualcomm looks to dethrone Apple M1 with upcoming Nuvia chipset

    GadgetByte
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    Qualcomm looks to dethrone Apple M1 with upcoming Nuvia chipset

    Last year, Apple surprised everyone with the in-house Arm-based M1 chip. The chip that debuted in the MacBook series notebook displayed significant performance boosts compared to traditional x64 solutions. Since Apple doesn’t license its design, the rest of the laptop makers have been looking for ways alternatives. Luckily for them, Qualcomm says its upcoming Nuvia-based laptop chipset will be exactly what they need.

    In an interview, the new Chief of Qualcomm, Cristiano Amon, stated that the Nuvia-based laptop chipset will be available beginning next year. He even added that Qualcomm could soon have the best chipset in the laptop market. 

    Nuvia-based Qualcomm chipset:

    Nuvia, a CPU and technology design startup, was acquired by Qualcomm earlier this year for $1.4 billion. Nuvia was founded by ex-Apple employees who left the company in 2019. In addition, Qualcomm has hired three silicon veterans who previously worked for Apple, AMD, Google, and Broadcom. These specialists specialize in the development of energy-efficient Arm-based processors.

    Prospects

    During an interview with Reuters, newly-appointed Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said that his firm is confident in its ability to develop processors for laptops. Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices, two long-dominant processor vendors, have no processors that are as energy-efficient as Apple’s. This supremacy will be challenged by the upcoming Qualcomm Nuvia chip, which will compete directly with Apple’s M series. 

    Unlike its smartphone chip business, where it licenses designs from ARM, Qualcomm will have to come up with a design of its own to compete against Apple’s M1. Custom chip design is the priority for Qualcomm for now. However, it can always return to Arm-based designs if things do not

    The CEO notes that “If Arm, which we’ve had a relationship with for years, eventually develops a CPU that’s better than what we can build ourselves, then we always have the option to license from Arm”. 

    Further, the company wants to push 5G connectivity into laptops, so it is pairing modems within the laptop processors. Amon also said that the company’s goal is to have “leading performance for a battery-powered device”. Earlier, the company announced the Snapdragon X65 5G modem, which can be used in a wide range of products including laptops, smartphones, PC and even IoT products.

    Phoenix CPUs

    Given that Qualcomm is working on a high-performance CPU, it might be a reference to Nuvia’s Phoenix core. This is just a wild guess, but Nuvia built the Orion SoC on a core architecture called Phoenix. When compared to AMD’s Ryzen 4700U, it can reach a 40 to 50 percent better IPC with just 33 percent of the power consumption.

    Nuvia Phoenix vs AMD Ryzen 4700U

    Qualcomm, on the other hand, has made it clear that they won’t be leveraging Nuvia’s design to create server or smartphone chips anytime soon. Instead, it will license Nuvia’s core designs to other firms who wish to create custom silicon for data centers.

    Nuvia-based Qualcomm chipset: Launch

    The new Nuvia-based Qualcomm chipset is likely to launch in the second half of 2022. Aside from that, we may also see the second generation of Apple’s in-house silicon. So, Qualcomm must really push boundaries to make its processors equivalent to Apple’s M series.

    • Meanwhile, check out our review of IQOO Z3.

    OnePlus 9T with ColorOS 11, 108MP Hasselblad camera to launch this quarter

    GadgetByte
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    OnePlus 9T with ColorOS 11, 108MP Hasselblad camera to launch this quarter

    OnePlus is said to be working on a new smartphone called the OnePlus 9T. What’s intriguing in this year’s T-variant is that it can ship with ColorOS 11 pre-installed. So, let’s get into the leaks and rumors surrounding the specs and launch of the OnePlus 9T.

    OnePlus 9T Rumors Roundups:

    Tipster claims

    Per the tipster on Twitter, OnePlus is working on 9T 5G, which will arrive in Q3, 2021. Further, he has added that the handset will boot on ColorOS 11 (Global) and will retain the Hasselblad partnership in the camera department. However, it will feature a 108MP quad-camera setup compared to the 48MP  setup on 9 Pro. 

    As we all know, OnePlus phones in China run ColorOS by default, so it’s no surprise that the forthcoming 9T will use continue to use Oppo’s proprietary OS there. However, the tipster’s assertion that the handset will debut with the global version of ColorOS 11 appears to be incorrect, since the company has already confirmed that the global devices will use OxygenOS.

    But, on the other hand, it’s quite unlikely for OnePlus and Oppo to use different OS after merging all of the other departments together. As such few have suggested that the two OS will gradually converge into one. If that’s the case, it’s likely that they will go with the OxygenOS moniker as it’s more popular than ColorOS in the global market.

    Specifications

    Moving on, a Weibo tipster stated that the 9T will feature an LTPO Samsung E4 flexible AMOLED panel with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Although Qualcomm recently launched the Snapdragon 888+, the OnePlus may go with the regular 888. While firms like Asus, Honor, Motorola, Vivo, and Xiaomi have been rumored to be working on a smartphone with the new chip, the name OnePlus has not been mentioned here. 

    OnePlus merger with Oppo

    OnePlus recently made waves in the global smartphone industry when the company’s CEO Pete Leu announced that they will be integrating their teams with Oppo. Again, this came as no surprise given that OnePlus smartphones in China had already begun to ship with ColorOS. Furthermore, they formally announced a few days ago that they are also merging the OxygenOS and ColorOS codebases.

    OnePlus merger with Oppo

    In exchange, OnePlus promised improved Android and security upgrades. The Nord and Nord CE will receive two major Android upgrades and three years of security updates, while the number series will receive three major Android updates and four years of security updates. Similarly, Nord N phones will receive one major Android upgrade as well as three years of security patches.

    OnePlus 9T Launch Date (Rumored)

    The company has yet to make an official announcement on the existence or debut of the OnePlus 9T. However, speculations suggest that it will be released in September.

    Device Launch (Expected)
    OnePlus 9T September
    • Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of the OnePlus 9 Pro.

    Mi Notebook Pro X 15 launched with a 3.5K OLED panel and RTX 3050 Ti graphics

    GadgetByte
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    Mi Notebook Pro X 15 launched with a 3.5K OLED panel and RTX 3050 Ti graphics

    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.

    Mi Notebook Pro X 15 Design and Display

    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. 

    Performance

    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

    Mi Notebook Pro X 15 Ports

    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).
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