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MSI Prestige 14 Evo (A11M) Review: Hot Damn!

Nikhil Shrestha

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April 26, 2021

MSI Prestige 14 Evo (A11M) Review: Hot Damn!

MSI is almost a household name in the world of gaming PC. Yet, the company has found little success in the non-gaming domain despite its best attempt. I don’t mean to spoil the forthcoming review but the MSI Prestige 14 Evo that I have with me right here is a pretty decent thin-and-light machine with a few imperfections.

MSI Prestige 14 Evo (A11M) Specifications:

Design & Build: Aluminum build, 12.55W x 8.46D x 0.63H-inches, 1.29 kg, MIL-STD-810G certification, 5-degree hinge
Color Options: Pure White, Carbon Gray, Rose Pink
Display: 14-inches IPS LCD panel, Non-touch, 300 nits brightness, 72% NTSC color gamut (close to 100% sRGB), Anti-glare, Wide View Angle
Resolution: FHD (1920×1080) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
Keyboard: Backlit Chiclet (single color – white), 1.5mm key travel
Trackpad: Glass-covered multi-touch trackpad, Silky smooth, Fingerprint reader
Processor: Intel Tiger Lake CPU (Core i5-1135G7), 4C/8T, 4.2GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 8MB Intel Smart Cache, 10nm SuperFin
RAM: 16GB LPDDR4X RAM @3200MHz (soldered)
Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe (integrated)
Audio: 2x2W bottom-firing speakers, Built-in array microphone
Battery: 52 Watt-hours Li-Po battery
Power Supply: 65W AC adapter
Webcam: 720p HD IR camera, No Privacy Shutter, Windows Hello certified
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 ax (2×2), Bluetooth 5.1
I/O Ports: 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x Micro SD reader, 2x USB Type-C (USB 4 / DP / Thunderbolt 4) with PD charging, 1x mic/headphone combo jack
Price in Nepal: Rs. 173,000
What’s inside the box: Laptop, power adapter, quick start guide

MSI Prestige 14 Evo (A11M) Review:

Design

Sleek, portable design with 5-degree hinge
MIL-STD-810G military-grade durability

I’m particularly fond of how portable it is. Weighing just 1.29 kg with a thickness of 0.62-inches, I could simply pop it into my backpack and almost forget that it’s there in the first place. Considering how this is one of the biggest selling points of this machine, I’d say MSI has nailed the portability aspect. The Prestige 14 Evo comes in an all-metal build just like its predecessor. Plus, it’s available in two subtle color options that seamlessly adapt to a professional setting.

Check out all the prices and specs of MSI Prestige laptops here

But unlike the Prestige 14 Evo of last year (A10M), the company has treated this year’s iteration with the new logo on the lid. Contrary to the classic “MSI Dragon” branding, this one’s more subtle and suitable for the target demographics.

With the sandblasted finish, it doesn’t attract nearly as many smudges either. Yet, the keyboard chassis, more specifically the palm rest area is a different story which I’ll get into in just a bit. Anyway, this laptop is available in either Pure White or Carbon Gray color options. While the former is more tempting and would’ve been my first choice, I’ve grown to like the Carbon Gray variant over time.

Thanks to its subdued blue accent throughout the edges, the MSI Prestige 14 Evo adds a bit of flair to an otherwise boring slab. There’s also a Rose Pink option but its availability is limited to select markets only. Now, it’s not a convertible laptop but you can push the hinge to a flat 180-degree. While you’d think there would be little to zero practical reasons to do so (and you’d be right for the most part), MSI has spiced things a bit with its “Flip-n-Share” feature. Just hit the F12 button to share your screen’s content with the person sitting next to you.

Thermals

You’re also getting a “special hinge” (as MSI calls it) with the Prestige 14 Evo. It raises the device by 5 degrees for a more comfortable typing experience and a more efficient cooling solution—something that this laptop desperately needs. Talking about cooling, it expectedly has a single fan solution with patterned intake vents on the bottom, with the exhaust hidden in the hinge itself.

Thermal

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Unlike the couple of 2-in-1s that we’d recently reviewed, MSI hasn’t added a faux exhaust on the opposite side for a more symmetrical look. But honestly, I don’t care for it. However, what I am thankful for in this machine is its military-grade durability. Passing the MIL-STD-810G certification, the MSI Prestige 14 Evo is designed to survive accidental bumps and such. This has already proven its worth during my time with the device. My niece accidentally dropped that laptop from about half a meter’s height and luckily, it suffered no harm.

Port selection

The port selection on this thing is pretty decent as well. You get two USB Type-C connections on the left, both of which support DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 4, and PD charging. You’ll find a solitary USB 2.0 Type-A port on the right alongside a micro SD card reader and a 3.5mm mic/headphone jack combo.

Ports

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I will say MSI could’ve gone with the newer USB 3.2 standard on the Type-A port though. To sum it all up, the Prestige 14 Evo wins the top mark in terms of its design.

Display

14″ anti-glare non-touch IPS LCD panel
72% NTSC color space, 300 nits brightness

Jumping to the display side of things, it’s a standard 14” FHD IPS panel that doesn’t support touch input. MSI says it covers around 100% of sRGB or 72% of NTSC color space and from what I can tell, its color reproduction is pretty decent. Contents look sharp and vibrant enough to not distract you from the task at hand.

Yet, professional graphics designers would want something more. The company also mentions that the Prestige 14 Evo equips a “low power” panel but fails to give any specifics. Traditional laptops use a 2.5W display while the industry standard for a power-efficient panel would be a 1W screen.

While I’d like to believe that this machine features the latter, without any official info to back that claim, I can’t talk about it with absolute certainty. Regardless, this 300 nits panel doesn’t get very bright either. In a daylight setting with plenty of ambient light, you will struggle to see the screen content even at max brightness.

No display customization

Plus, MSI only sells one variant of this laptop in terms of its display so for those whose use case mostly revolves in an outdoor environment, I don’t even get to recommend a higher brightness option of the Prestige 14 Evo. Having said that, if you don’t belong to the aforementioned user group, this screen’s illumination is more than sufficient.

Apart from this, I have no complaints regarding the viewing angles here. I couldn’t notice any screen bleeding either. Moreover, it also inherits an anti-glare coating so using it in rooms with multiple light sources has been no problem. Still and all, seeing this as a business and productivity-grade machine, I wish MSI had opted for a wider 16:10 aspect ratio instead of sticking to the plain old 16:9 standard.

After all, there’s more than enough room to make that possible. Simply cut down the bottom bezel and trim down the one on the top. Boom! The side bezels are fairly slim for a 2021 laptop though. With this, the company claims that the Prestige 14 Evo achieves a nearly 90% screen-to-body ratio. Additionally, the screen does flex a bit but I wouldn’t worry about it.

Keyboard

Backlit chiclet-style keyboard (white)
1.5 mm key travel distance

Moving on, I’ve enjoyed typing on this laptop so far. Its chiclet-style keys are well spaced out and are almost impervious to any degree of rattles. 1.5mm key travel still remains my personal favorite and the Prestige 14 Evo’s keyboard embodies the same travel distance. As a result, I’ve had very few mistypes throughout the review period on the MSI Prestige 14 Evo.

On top of this, its 5-degree hinge has also amplified the typing experience. But if you’re someone who favors a flat layout instead, you’d want to skip this. Still, the angle of elevation isn’t that high to result in any fatigue or discomfort to the wrists. Besides, the keys are quiet too—some of the quietest ones I’ve used lately.

It does feel a little soft although I don’t have a problem with that. Yet, I did notice slight flex in the keyboard chassis but only with significant pressure, so nothing to worry about.

As expected, these are backlit as well and you can choose from 3 levels of illumination. I like how turning it on accentuates the silver-gray underlining in the keys. Looks pretty unique. You can also lock the function key and there are helpful LED indicators on volume and microphone usage. I would’ve liked one on the webcam as well, but it is what it is. All in all, I’m quite happy with Prestige 14 Evo’s keyboards. If I really had to nitpick, the one thing I would’ve done differently is separate the Function and the right control key.

Trackpad

Glass trackpad, silky smooth to touch
Windows Hello-certified fingerprint reader

Another one of Prestige 14’s fortes is this ultra-wide trackpad. On top of its sheer size, this track is silky smooth to touch. Makes me want to scroll away and do nothing else. Anyway, this glass trackpad has integrated left/right keys.

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While they click well enough, I just wished the key distance was a little shorter. It also gets pretty loud and the key travel distance makes it feel almost plasticky. Other than this, this trackpad handles multi-finger gestures including pinch-to-zoom perfectly. Despite its wide layout, I rarely encountered an instance of accidental touches and MSI deserves a pat on the back for this.

But what I don’t appreciate is the fingerprint reader integrated into the trackpad itself. On top of creating an effective dead zone, its placement is pretty awkward too. We’d complained about this on our review of the Summit E15 as well. Also, this Windows Hello-certified biometrics option sometimes fails to recognize your finger if it’s even slightly sweaty/wet.

Webcam

IR HD camera (no privacy shutter)
Windows Hello login certified

For your video calling needs, MSI has installed a 720p IR webcam on the top. There is no dedicated privacy shutter here which is a little disappointing. Oh, and this one’s Windows Hello-certified too so you have a couple of secure authentication options here. Regardless, its quality is strictly average but passable for a laptop. The footage comes off grainy and the subject looks a little soft too. In addition, its audio pickup isn’t anything exceptional either.

Audio

2x 2W bottom-firing speaker setup

Likewise, Prestige 14 Evo’s audio quality won’t blow you away either. It has a bottom-firing stereo speaker setup whose left/right separation isn’t half bad, to be honest. Even though it doesn’t get quite as loud as you’d want, I feel it to be adequate for an average-sized room. Thanks to the elevated hinge, the audio output gets a healthy room to breathe.

Listening to it at full volume, the sound quality is pretty admirable. There is hardly any distortion to be heard and with a keen pair of ears, you’ll be able to enjoy some detail in the audio as well. Nonetheless, don’t expect an immersive listening experience on this laptop though. While it is more than sufficient for general content consumption, you will want to pair it with a decent Bluetooth speaker for an elevated level of audio output.

Performance

Intel Tiger Lake Core i5-1135G7 (28W TDP)
Iris Xe integrated graphics, No discrete GPU
16GB LPDDR4X RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD

Okay, let’s finally get into the performance side of things. Powering the MSI Prestige 14 Evo is the latest Intel Tiger Lake-U processor. Our review unit houses the Core i5-1135G7 CPU inside which has been paired with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB M.2 NVME PCIe Gen4 SSD. This variant goes for around $1,100 in the US but it’s a bit expensive here in Nepal, retailing at NPR 173,000.

Soldered RAM

In terms of upgrades, there’s not much you could do here since the RAM is soldered onto the motherboard. Thankfully, if you don’t find 16 gigs enough for your use case, there is a 32GB option as well. Additionally, for those who want more power, this laptop also comes with an Intel Core i7-1185G7 CPU. Unfortunately, MSI doesn’t ship either configuration with a dedicated GPU this iteration.

Considering how last year’s Prestige 14 was available with NVIDIA’s GTX 1650 as well, the company’s decision to skip it completely seems unsettling and rightfully questionable. By now, we know how impressive Intel’s Iris Xe integrated graphics is. Still, it’s no match for team green’s GTX series of GPUs.

With a spacious 16GB of RAM at play on the MSI Prestige 14 Evo, I didn’t encounter a single instance of memory management issue during this review. The device can keep things intact even after switching back to an app after leaving it idle for a while. Weirdly enough, I did notice a couple of instances when the laptop refused to wake up after automatically going to sleep. Therefore, I’ve had to force restart the device to get into it. Not sure if it’s device-specific or whether Microsoft is to blame here.

PCIe Gen 4 SSD

Moving on, I’m pretty impressed with its PCIe Gen4 SSD too. Apps install and open up quickly here. Just look at the CrystalDiskMark score. Nice! I clocked my routine applications like Adobe Photoshop CC 2021 and LibreOffice Writer to open at an average of 8.4 and 1.7 seconds, respectively. Let’s look at a few more benchmark scores:

CrystalDiskMark

	Read (MB/s)	Write (MB/s)
SEQ1M Q8T1	4979.26	2509.57
SEQ1M Q1T1	2493.42	2506.68
RND4K Q32T1	666.08	390.01
RNK4K Q1T1	52.26	255.95

Cinebench R23

CPU: Multi-Core	5769
CPU: Single Core	1027
MP Ratio	5.61x

Geekbench 5

CPU: Single Core	1395
CPU: Multi-Core	5402
Compute (OpenCL)	15465

Unigine Heaven

(FPS: 25.3, Score: 637, Min FPS: 6.7, Max FPS: 59.8)

API: OpenGL	Multi-monitor: Disabled
Quality: High	Anti-aliasing: x2
Tessellation: Extreme	Fullscreen: Yes
Stereo 3D: Disabled	Resolution: System

GFXBench

1440p Aztec Ruins OpenGL (High Tier) Offscreen	45.3965 fps
1080p Car Chase Offscreen	105.743 fps
1080p Manhattan 3.1 Offscreen	138.703 fps
1080p ALU 2 Offscreen	431.987 fps
1080p Driver Overhead 2 Offscreen	134.021 fps
1080p Texturing Offscreen	97.3221 fps

You might already know by now that my main usage doesn’t consist of any demanding tasks. Simply browsing the web, using word processing apps, and light photo editing should be a piece of cake for this machine, right? RIGHT? Alas, the MSI Prestige 14 Evo struggles at meeting such a basic computing requirement.

That’s not to say that it frequently stutters or anything. Instead, this Ultrabook has a terrible thermal solution. It heats up quite easily and quite fast. For something that should stay covert in an office setting, the Prestige 14 Evo’s compromised cooling system forces you to turn on the loud fan every now and then.

Multiple user profiles

There are multiple user modes to choose from under the “MSI Center for Business & Productivity” and I opted for the Balanced option. Additionally, you can also choose between the High Performance, Silent, and Super Battery modes which are pretty self-explanatory. Surprisingly, even the Silent mode doesn’t get adequately quiet.

Because of the aforementioned heating issue, keeping my hands on the keyboard chassis would be a challenging experience. Even with the fan working its best, the laptop doesn’t cool down as quickly or as much. Remember when I said how the concern regarding smudges on the palm rest area is a different story? Yeah, the moisture from my palm would ultimately stick to the keyboard chassis, thereby resulting in visible smudges.

The MSI Center also has an application optimizer option that supposedly tunes system resources accordingly. But I couldn’t notice any difference in actual performance level when turning it on/off.

Can you game on this thing?

If you don’t mind the heat (which I don’t think anyone could), you can even enjoy a couple of games or two on the MSI Prestige 14 Evo. Playing Valorant with Low graphics quality and V-Sync, anti-aliasing turned off, I managed to get an average of 78-80 fps.

There were a couple of instances of stutters but that’s totally negligible. On the other hand, CS: GO gives a playable 79-83 fps at Low graphics with MSAA and FXAA turned off. But let me reiterate, this is by no means a gaming machine and I wouldn’t suggest you turn up the heat, literally.

Battery

52 Watt-hour Li-Po battery
65W AC adapter inside the box

When it comes to battery life, I’ve got bad news here as well. Now, this is really shocking considering its “Intel Evo” certification. If you didn’t know, this Intel standard (previously Project Athena) promises faster performance, simplified connectivity, etc. And one of such promises is 9+ hours of battery life on FHD displays. However, not once did the Prestige 14 Evo didn’t deliver this on my usage.

This laptop comes with a 52 Watt-hour battery which sounds fairly large for a 14” laptop. But the best I could squeeze out of this machine was around 6 hours of battery life, with the most disappointing number clocking at just 4 hours.

Like I mentioned earlier, my usage consisted of editing documents on LibreOffice Writer with light editing on Adobe Photoshop and 7-8 Chrome tabs open in the background. Moreover, I kept my brightness at 43-45%. So, seeing let down on the battery front has been a real disappointment.

Charging up the battery is pretty quick though. Using the 65W AC adapter, the laptop climbs to 75% in an hour while getting to 100% takes about 50 minutes more. To enhance battery health, there’s also an option to stop the charge at 50 or 70% under the MSI Center.

Conclusion

Wrapping up this review, the excellent portability of MSI Prestige 14 Evo is ultimately haunted by its lackluster thermal performance and the compromised battery life. For a laptop that costs over a thousand dollars, these shortcomings are just too big to label it as a viable machine for anyone. But hey, if you just want a lightweight machine and your use-case doesn’t include anything mildly demanding, and if MSI were to push an update fixing the heating issue, I could see the Prestige 14 Evo being a decent choice.

Watch our video review of the MSI Prestige 14 Evo.

MSI Prestige 14 Evo Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

Portable, lightweight build
Decent display quality
Nice typing experience
Wide, smooth trackpad
Good enough audio output
Pretty good performance

Cons:

Not the best value for money
Heats up quite easy & fast
Sub-par battery endurance
Display can’t get bright enough

Doohan iTank smart e-scooter with dual front wheels launching soon in Nepal

Electric Vehicle (EV)

GadgetByte

-

April 26, 2021

0

Doohan iTank smart e-scooter with dual front wheels launching soon in Nepal

People’s attraction towards electric vehicles is growing every day, as it naturally should. From their eco-friendly nature to other benefits, this is the future. And now, Doohan, an electric vehicle manufacturer from China is set to launch the Doohan iTank in Nepal. So, let’s look at the specs, availability, and expected price of the Doohan iTank in Nepal.

Doohan iTank Overview:

The iTank is a three-wheeler that will accelerate from 0 to 28 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds. Its 26Ah lithium removable batteries output 62 miles. It also has a 50:50 weight balance and a low center of gravity, as well as a reversible lithium-ion battery that can charge in 6 hours.

In terms of design, it features side-deflecting dual front wheels to help the scooter while tilting on tight turns without toppling over or letting the rider lose control.

Also Read:
- Yatri Motorcycles’ Project Zero (P0) electric bike finally up for pre-order
- Detel’s “most economical electric vehicles” coming soon to Nepal

The dual front wheel is the most intriguing aspect of this vehicle. Doohan’s front dual-wheel system stands out with an aviation-level wrought aluminum front suspension and a sturdy steel chassis. Furthermore, the dedicated smartphone app gives riders an additional level of access.

Moving on, the Doohan iTank features a customized BOSCH motor with 1852W power, 120 Nm maximum torque, 15º elevation angle, and a 90% energy conversion rate. This e-scooter has 130mm of minimum ground clearance and a saddle height of 750mm.

Moreover, the iTank gets its “smartness” since it connects to your smartphone. With this, you can trail your routes or learn about other details like battery efficiency, charge level, device location, etc. You can also un/lock the scooter via the app. Unfortunately, it’s only available in App Store for now.

Specifications:

Dimension: 1780 x 730 x 1030mm (L x W x H)
Wheel Base: 1250mm
Track Front: 460mm
Standard Power Consumption: 1.7 kW/h
Range: Up to 62 miles
Top Speed: First Gear – 25 km/h, Second Gear – 45 km/h
Front Brake Model: 160mm Dual-piston Hydraumatic Disc Brake
Rear Brake Model: 190mm Dual-piston Hydraumatic Disc Brake
Minimum Ground Clearance: 130mm
Seat Height: 750mm
Maximum leaning/steering angle: ≤30º / ≤32.5º
Battery: 26Ah 18650 Ternary Lithium battery, 60V, 9kg
- * Doohan iTank is available in single/dual-battery version
Standard Charging Time: 6A ~ 7A
Charge & Discharge Times: 600 times

Doohan iTank Price in Nepal and Availability

In 2016, Doohan launched iTank as a $3,999 Kickstarter initiative. And the e-scooter is set to launch soon in Nepal. We expect the price of Doohan iTank in Nepal to be around NPR 450,000 when it launches shortly.

Smart Electric Scooter	Price in Nepal (Expected)
Doohan iTank	NPR 450,000

Meanwhile, check out the first look at Yatri’s Project One (P1) electric bike.

Infinix Hot 10 Play Review: Good Performance, Better Battery

GadgetByte

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April 26, 2021

0

Infinix Hot 10 Play Review: Good Performance, Better Battery

Infinix Hot 10 Play is the company’s latest offering in the Nepalese market. The phone is a toned-down variant of the Hot 10 which is yet to launch in Nepal. In this review, we will be talking about how the Infinix Hot 10 Play performs in day-to-day life and everything else you’d want to know about it. Before going forward, let’s see what the phone has to offer specs-wise.

Infinix Hot 10 Play Specifications:

Display: 6.82-inches TFT IPS LCD panel, 90% screen-to-body ratio
Resolution: HD+ (1640 x 720 pixels), 20.5:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: MediaTek Helio G35 (12nm)
Memory: 2/4GB RAM, 32/64GB storage (expandable)
Software& UI: XOS 7.0 on top of Android 10
Rear Camera: 13MP primary lens, AI sensor, Quad-LED flash
Front Camera: 8MP with dual flash
Security: Physical fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted)
Audio: Single speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
Connectivity: Dual SIM (Nano-SIM), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth, Micro USB, OTG
Battery: 6000mAh with 10W charging
Colors: Obsidian Black, Morandi Green
Price in Nepal: Rs. 15,990 (4/64GB)

Infinix Hot 10 Play Review:

Design and Build

Glass front, plastic body
Gem-cut design on the back

As you would expect with a device at this price range, the body of Infinix Hot 10 Play is completely made out of plastic. Still, you feel or hear any creaking and bending when applying pressure to the phone. Thus, the build is a sturdy one. The Obsidian Black color variant of the Infinix Hot 10 Play that I had for review has a rear panel that reflects and glitters.

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Though it attracted quite a lot of smudges and fingerprint marks, the panel does a good job of concealing them. The rectangular camera bump doesn’t protrude much from the rest of the panel. As a result, the phone doesn’t wobble when placed on a flat surface.

The fingerprint scanner has been placed towards the top of an otherwise tall device. I have no complaints regarding the speed and accuracy of the sensor. The power button and the volume rocker are placed on the right side of the device. On the opposite side, you get the triple card slot. The phone doesn’t have a dedicated speaker grill thus the earpiece on the top does all the work.

There is a microphone, a micro USB port, and a 3.5 headphone jack on the bottom of the phone. Coming to the hands-on feel, the device does feel heavy. The weight is also not uniformly distributed as the bottom of the phone feels heavier than the top. It’s a tall phone with a curved back that should help when holding it on hand.

Display

6.82-inch HD+ IPS panel
Waterdrop notch for the selfie camera

The Infinix Hot 10 Play comes with a 6.82-inch IPS panel that is marginally bigger than the regular Hot 10. However, the resolution is still at HD+. The aspect ratio here is 20.5:9 which makes it taller than any other device in the price range.

Coming to the quality, I found the display to have more contrast. As a result, colors look darker than they should. Similarly, pictures are not sharp as you would expect with an HD+ panel. One small note – the display is not protected with Corning Gorilla Glass so don’t forget to apply the protection glass included in the box as soon as you unbox the device.

Performance

Octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 SoC (12nm)
2/4GB RAM with up to 64GB storage (expandable)

Under the hood, powering the whole setup is the Helio G35 chipset from MediaTek. Only the 4/64GB variant of the Infinix Hot 10 Play is available in Nepal and it is what we have for review here. I found the configuration sufficient for my day-to-day usage.

Gaming experience

Infinix Hot 10 Play does come with a gyroscope that you can use in games like PUBG Mobile. Talking about PUBG Mobile, you can push the graphics to balanced and frame rate to medium. Similarly, COD Mobile can be played at low graphics and a high refresh rate.

Here too, you get the Game mode that allows you to re-map the volume rocker button for an in-game function. Similarly, the Game mode comes with extra optimization for games like PUBG Mobile and Freefire.

In Freefire you can play with graphics set to high and frame rate set to ultra. Similarly, there is a dedicated PUBG mode where you can choose between graphics quality and the smoothness of the gameplay.

The haptics that kicks-in while typing or using navigation don’t work while gaming. Moreover, the phone heats up a little during a long gaming session. You can feel the heat near the camera and the lower portion of the phone. However, it is not that big of a concern.

UI/UX

The phone ships with Android 10 with XOS 7.0 on top. The company’s custom UI comes with pre-installed bloatware, the majority of which can be uninstalled or disabled. You are not getting an ad-free experience either. You will have them on the top of the app drawer and as notifications from the pre-installed apps.

Under the settings, you can find a setting called privacy feature which when enabled will let you know whenever an app uses your camera or microphone.

Camera

Dual camera setup at the back
(13MP primary, AI lens, Quad-LED flash)
8MP selfie camera with dual-flash

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Talking about the camera, the phone has three of them. Don’t let the additional circular layouts fool you – the rear camera module encloses a dual-camera setup. The setup consists of a 13MP primary camera and an AI lens.

Normal Images

For a budget phone, daylight shots from the primary camera are okay-ish. The AI scene optimization is enabled all the time and because of it, you will get boosted colors on certain occasions.

Normal

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For instance, greens are unnaturally saturated whenever there is greenery in the frame. The photos are also lacking in dynamic range.

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Similarly, you will notice a reddish tone whenever there’s a human subject in the frame.

Portrait Images

Though there is an option to shoot portrait shots it doesn’t work most of the time. Instead, it refuses to blur the background and all you get is blown up highlight.

Portrait

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Similarly, the edge detection is not perfect whenever the portrait mode actually works.

Selfie Images

Selfie, Portrait Selfie

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This is true for both the rear and front cameras.

Low-light Images

Nighttime

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Despite the AI lens, low-light photos are rich in noise and as a result, cannot retain any detail.

Videography

Coming to the videos, you can record 1080p and 720p videos without any type of stabilization using this phone. You also get an option to record slow-motion videos but don’t expect to be blown away from the end product.

Battery

6000mAh battery with 10W charging

The battery is among the strengths of the device. The massive 6,000mAh battery lasted me a day even during heavy usage. On normal usage, it can last over a day and a half easily.

Once it’s drained, it takes around 3 hours for the phone to go from 0 to 100% using the 10W charger included in the box. When you connect the charger to the micro USB port, the front flash lights up which is visible when the screen is turned off.

Conclusion

To sum it up, Hot 10 Play is an effort from Infinix to offer a Hot 10-like package at a more affordable price. If you are looking for a budget display with a tall display and long-lasting battery life, you should definitely consider this. The performance is also on par with other budget devices.

However, I strongly believe that the company needs to work on its camera and software if it were to challenge brands like Xiaomi and Samsung in the budget segment.

Infinix Hot 10 Play Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

Tall 6.8-inch display
Decent gaming experience
Great Battery life

Cons:

XOS skin needs polishing
Unreliable cameras
Slow charging, micro USB port

Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro with Qi wireless charging launched in Nepal

Nikhil Shrestha

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April 26, 2021

0

Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro with Qi wireless charging launched in Nepal

After a long wait, Huawei has finally launched Huawei GT 2 Pro smartwatch in Nepal. It is the successor to last year’s Watch GT 2. And right off the bat, there are very few upgrades between the two iterations. Let’s take a look at the new Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro including its specs, features, official price in Nepal, and availability.

Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro Overview:

Design & Display

Left: Sport | Right: Classic

Watch GT 2 Pro is available in two variants – Sports and Classic. Both of these have the same 1.39-inches AMOLED display with 454 x 454 pixels. Here, both versions also have the same build material consisting of a titanium frame, ceramic back, and a sapphire watch dial. There are altogether two buttons on the side for control (power, function).

However, they do differ in terms of strap options. While the Sports option has silicon straps, the Classic variant boasts a more premium leather-made strap. In terms of watch faces, Huawei says there are over 200 options to choose from. Watch GT 2 Pro is also 5ATM water-resistant (up to 50 meters deep for 10 minutes max).

Health, Fitness, Sleep Tracking

In terms of fitness tracking, there are a total of 100+ workout modes. You can track skiing, snowboarding, and even your golfing data on the Watch GT 2 Pro. Its “Golf Mode” analyzes the pattern of your swing posture to help you improve your stroke. There are 17 professional and 85 custom workout modes in total. Huawei also ships its smartwatches with a voice guidance feature that takes you through your entire workout from start to finish and that is present on the Watch GT 2 Pro as well.

Furthermore, it is also capable of automatically detecting 6 different types of workouts including indoor/outdoor running, indoor/outdoor walking, elliptical, and rowing. Watch GT 2 Pro also features TruSeen 4.0+ 24-hour heart rate tracking, TruSleep 2.0 sleep monitoring, TruRelax stress monitoring, oxygen-level (SpO2), and VO2Max oxygen consumption measurement. Interestingly, the power consumed by LEDs underneath the watch will also consume less power when measuring SpO2 or heart rate.

Built-in GPS

Watch GT 2 Pro also has a built-in GPS. And the new “Route Back” feature makes its excellent use. It records your travel route throughout the session. So, if you’re in some unknown territory and the GPS signal starts getting weak, the watch alerts you and gives shows you the recorded route using which you can safely make your way back to square one. Now, Watch GT 2 Pro can also warn you of any sudden shift in atmospheric pressure.

Using the built-in barometer, the watch alerts you to get to a safe location if the outdoors is unsafe because of the change in air pressure. Moving on, running the whole show is Huawei’s LiteOS powered by the Kirin A1 chipset with 32MB of RAM. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have third-party app support, and neither does it feature actionable notifications.

Battery life

Anyway, because of its lite nature, the Watch can last up to 14 days which is incredibly impressive for a smartwatch. With GPS continuously turned on, the endurance drops to 30 hours, and 24 hours with music playback. However, Huawei says you can get up to 10 hours of usage with just 5 minutes of charge. But the highlight of the Watch GT 2 Pro is definitely its support for Qi wireless charging. Smartphones with reverse wireless charging can also juice up this smartwatch.

Other features

And about that music playback, the Watch GT 2 Pro can natively store up to 500 songs in its 4GB of internal storage. With an active Bluetooth connection, one can make calls directly from the watch itself too.

Huawei/Honor smartphones with NFC and running EMUI 11 or later can also enjoy the new “Huawei Share OneHop” feature using which you can easily share photos to the watch with a simple tap. Finally, there’s also the “Remote Shutter” feature for smartphones running EMUI 8.1 or later for remotely taking photos on your watch from the watch.

Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro Specifications:

Body: 1.84W x 1.84H x 0.45D-inches; 52gm (without strap); 5ATM
Display: 1.39-inches AMOLED; 454 x 454 pixels
Strap: Black Fluoroelastomer, Gray Brown Leather
Chipset: Huawei Kirin A1 + STL4R9
Storage: 32MB RAM, 4GB internal storage
Battery: 455mAh; Qi wireless charging (5V/1A)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1, BLE/BR/EDR, Built-in GPS (with GLONASS, Galileo), NFC (China-only)
Software: Huawei LiteOS
Companion App: Huawei Health (Android | iOS)
Compatibility: Android 4.4 or later, iOS 9.0 or later
Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Geomagnetic, Optical heart rate, Ambient light, Air pressure, Capacitive
Colors: Nebula Grey, Night Black

Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability

The official price of the Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in Nepal is NPR 34,990. It is available in two color configurations of grey and black with brown and black leather straps. You can buy Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro from select retail stores across Nepal.

Smartwatch	Price in Nepal
Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro	NPR 34,990

Watch our review of the Honor MagicWatch 2!

MSI GE76 Raider with RTX 3070, up to 300Hz display launched in Nepal

GadgetByte

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April 25, 2021

0

MSI GE76 Raider with RTX 3070, up to 300Hz display launched in Nepal

MSI’s RTX 30-series powered GE76 Raider gaming laptops have made their way to Nepal. The GE76 Raider is the company’s flagship for 2021, and it is available in two variants. So, let’s take a look at the MSI GE76 Raider including its specifications, features, price, and availability in Nepal.

MSI GE76 Raider Overview:

Design and Display

The MSI GE76 Raider features an all-aluminum build, an angular design, and a titanium blue colorway. It weighs 2.9 kg and has dimensions of 397 x 284 x 25.9 mm. Each GE76 variant has the MSI SteelSeries RGB chassis lighting on the bottom frame, as well as the same spec sheet. This includes Intel’s 10th gen Core i7 CPU paired with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3070 GPU.

Both the MSI GE76 Raider 10UG and 10UH Dragon Tiamat Edition have a 17.3-inch FHD screen. However, the latter features a 300Hz refresh rate while the GE76 is limited to 240Hz.

Also Read:
- MSI GF65 10UE with RTX 3060, 10th-gen Intel CPU launched in Nepal

Performance and Memory

As previously stated, the MSI GE76 Raider is available in two variants. The top-tier model has an octa-core Intel Core i7-10870H processor, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, a 2TB solid-state drive, and a 300Hz screen complemented by RTX 3070 (140W).

Likewise, the base model features the same CPU, GPU, and SSD but has 16GB of DDR4 RAM instead. Both laptops come with MSI Cooler Boost 5 technology that has two dedicated fans and six copper heat pipes strategically placed to dissipate as much heat as possible. Furthermore, the laptop has two SO-DIMM slots that can be loaded with up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 RAM.

Rest of the specs

The MSI GE76 Raider comes with a 99.9Whr battery and a 230W AC adapter. Two USB-A ports and a full-sized SD card reader are located on the laptop’s right side. And to the left, there’s a combo 3.5mm audio jack, another USB-A port, and a USB-C port. But that’s not all; there are some interesting ports on the back of the laptop.

That’s where you’ll find a dedicated power connection, LAN, a mini DisplayPort, HDMI, and yet another USB-C port. In addition, it uses Bluetooth v5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E as a connectivity option. It has a quad-audio setup with 4x 2W speakers and a 3W woofer. This has been tuned by Dynaudio and it supports Hi-Res Audio as well.

MSI GE76 Raider Specifications:

Design & Build: Aluminum build, 397 x 284 x 25.9 mm, 2.9 kg
Display: 17.3 Full-HD (1920×1080) IPS, Up to 300Hz refresh rate
Resolution: FHD (1920×1080) / UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution
Keyboard: Per-Key RGB Backlit
Processor: Intel Core i7-10870H CPU
RAM: Up to 64GB DDR4 RAM @3200MHz (2x SO-DIMM)
Storage: 2TB SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (140W)
Audio: Quad-speaker, a Woofer
Battery: 99.9 Watt-hours battery
Power Supply: 230W adapter
Webcam: FHD (30fps @ 1080p)
Connectivity: Killer Gb LAN 802.11 ax Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth v5.2
I/O ports: 1x Type-C (USB3.2 Gen2 / DP), 2x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 2x Type-C USB3.2 Gen2, 1x RJ45, 1x SD (XC/HC), 1x (4K @ 60Hz) HDMI, 1x Mini-DisplayPort

MSI GE76 Raider Price in Nepal & Availability

MSI GE76 Raider is now available in Nepal where its price is NPR 370,000 for the 10UH variant with 16GB RAM, RTX 3070, 2TB SSD. Likewise, the MSI GE76 Raider Dragon Tiamat 10UH is currently out of stock. You can buy both laptops in Nepal at ITTI and Neostore.

Gaming Laptop Model	Price in Nepal
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH (i7-10870H, RTX 3070, 2TB SSD, 32GB RAM)	NPR 350,000
MSI GE76 Raider 10UG (i7-10870H, RTX 3070, 2TB SSD, 16GB RAM)	NPR 370,000

Meanwhile, check out our review of the MSI GE66 Raider.

MSI GF65 10UE with RTX 3060, 10th-gen Intel CPU launched in Nepal

MSI

GadgetByte

-

April 25, 2021

0

MSI GF65 10UE with RTX 3060, 10th-gen Intel CPU launched in Nepal

The cheapest RTX 3000-series powered laptops are now available in Nepal. Here, the MSI GF65 is a 15.6-inch gaming laptop with RTX 3060 and up to Intel Core i7 10th-gen CPU. Let’s learn more about the specs, features, price, and availability of the MSI GF65 10UE in Nepal.