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Micromax IN Note 1 Review: Decent Attempt With Room For Improvements

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Micromax IN Note 1 Review: Decent Attempt With Room For Improvements

Once a prominent player in the South Asian market, Micromax lost its market share to then-emerging Chinese companies like Redmi and Realme. However, the company is in the smartphone business once again, this time with its IN branded phones. These phones that were initially presented as an Indian alternative to the Chinese offerings in India are now expanding neighboring markets. Today, we have come with a detailed review of the Micromax IN Note 1 smartphone that recently launched in Nepal. So without further ado, let’s get into the matter.

Micromax In Note 1 Specifications:

  • Body: 6.50 x 3.03 x 0.35 inches, 195 gm
  • Display: 6.67-inches IPS LCD panel, 395 PPI, 78% NTSC color space
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset: MediaTek Helio G85 (12nm Mobile Platform)
  • CPU: Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
  • GPU: Arm Mali-G52 MC2
  • Memory: 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
  • Software & UI: Android 10
  • Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
    – 48MP f/1.79 primary lens, PDAF
    – 5MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens, 115° FOV
    – 2MP f/2.4 portrait sensor
    – 2MP f/2.4 macro sensor
  • Front Camera: 16MP f/2.0 lens (punch-hole)
  • Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, Loudspeaker
  • Security: Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / A-GPS / Beidou / Glonass / Galileo, USB Type-C, 4G
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyro, Light, Proximity, E-compass
  • Battery: 5000mAh with 18W fast charging
  • Color options: Green, White
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 18,990 (4/64GB) | Rs. 19,990 (4/128GB)

Micromax In Note 1 Review:

Design

  • Glass front, Polycarbonate back, plastic frame

As with all the phones in this price segment, the Micromax IN Note 1 comes with an all-plastic body. The phone is available in two color options – Green and White. The Green variant that we have here flaunts a geometric “X” design on the back when light falls on it. The back is glossy and reflective and thus prone to fingerprints marks and smudges.

So, it will be wiser to use the clear case included in the box. There is a left-aligned rectangular camera module that protrudes slightly from the rear panel.

The back is also home to a physical fingerprint scanner which has now started to get outdated as smartphone manufacturers have started using side-mounted ones even in this price range. Personally, the side-mounted implementation feels more accessible and it also gives the rear panel a cleaner look.

If you followed the phone’s initial launch in India, you would know that the first shipment of the phone had some serious quality issue. However, that seemed to have been addressed in the further shipments as the company promised. The unit that we have does creak a bit when it is pressed on the top left portion but it is not much of a deal-breaker.

Display

  • 6.67-inch FHD+ display
  • No Gorilla Glass Protection

The phone features a 6.67-inch display with a center-placed punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The bezels are quite thin and the 4.6mm punch-hole did not bother me much. It is among the few phone that offers FHD+ resolution in the sub-20K price category.

In Note 1 - Display 1

The pictures are quite sharp and the viewing angles are fairly good. The brightness level is also decent for the price point. Still, the display has some downsides. You won’t be able to stream HD+ content from Netflix and similar platforms as the phone only has the Widevine L3 certification.

There were also few instances where I noticed the display flicker while watching YouTube videos at the lowest brightness level. The display doesn’t come with any Gorilla Glass protection but a protection glass is included in the box.

Performance

  • Octa-core MediaTek Helio G85 SoC (12nm)
  • 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)

The phone is powered by MediaTek Helio G85 which is a very capable chipset in this price range. And the same is reflected by the benchmark results.

Test Micromax In Note 1
Androbench Seq. Read 309.71 MB/s
Seq. Write 197.9 MB/s
Geekbench 5 CPU (Single Core) 359
CPU (Multi-Core) 1321
Compute (OpenCL) 1161
PCMark (Work 2.0 Performance) 7938
3DMark (Wild Life) 693

Our unit came with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There is also a dedicated microSD card slot to expand the latter.

In daily usage, the phone performs well. You can even light multi-task on this own. That being said, there will be times you will notice some stutters when switching between apps. However, these moments were few and far between during the review duration of the Micromax In Note 1.

Gaming Experience

I played COD Mobile and PUBG Mobile on the device and the experience was satisfactory. In the former, you can crank up the settings to Medium graphics and higher frame rates. The PUBG Mobile on the other hand supports ultra frame rates on Balancex graphics.

In Note 1 - Gaming

Both the games are is playable for the most part in the supported highest settings but you will experience some stutters here and there. Also, the heating doesn’t help either. You will notice the phone heat up near the camera module. So, it is recommended to lower the graphics for longer gameplay.

DuraSpeed

Also, the phone doesn’t come with a dedicated game mode. But you can restrict the background activity by enabling the DuraSpeed feature from the settings. Here, you can allow or restrict individual apps from running in the background.

Camera

  • Quad-camera setup at the back
  • (48MP main, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP portrait, 2MP macro)
  • 16MP selfie camera inside the punch-hole cutout

Micromax IN Note 1 features a quad-camera setup on the back. The 48MP sensor on the back clicks 48MP shots by default which is odd given that most manufacturers opt for lower-res pixel-binned images by default.

Normal Images

Talking about the performance, the photos come out good under good lighting conditions.

However, when trying to capture diverse subject such as scenery, the camera shows muted colors and struggle with maintaining highlights.

Wideangle Images

The 5MP ultrawide camera is nothing to write home about.

The shots from the sensor come off pale and less detailed. Also, the ultrawide sensor has some hard time maintaining exposure.

Portrait Images

The portrait shots also did not impress me either. The edge-detection is way off here.

Selfie Images

In this regard, the selfie camera does a better job.

While it is not perfect itself, portrait selfies somewhat better edge detection. The selfie camera smoothens the facial part which makes the shots less detailed.

Nighttime Images

I still like the dedicated night mode that the phone comes with. Not only does it add illumination to the pictures, but also manages exposure much better than in the normal shots.

The only caveat being the processing time. The phone takes almost 3 seconds to process nighttime shots.

Weird enough, the phone doesn’t save all of the photos that you capture. There were multiple instances where I would shoot a picture only for it to be non-existent in the gallery.

Software

  • Neat-stock Andriod experience
  • 2 years of guaranteed software updates

While the company says that the phone offers a “Pure Android OS Experience” it is not exactly the case. The company has added some of its touches. For instance, the icons are different and the phone comes with additional features such as Intelligent Assistance and Dura Speed.

Still, the company delivers on its promise of no ads and there is hardly any bloatware. The only app that is not stock android is the Gallery app. The company has also promised two years of software updates. However, Micromax has been slow in providing timely updates. The phone debuted in November 2020 but it was not until February 2021 that the company provided the December security patch that the phone is still stuck at.

Similarly, the Android 11 update is said to roll out in April but as of now, the company hasn’t even announced an early-access program. Although, we are hopeful that the company will live p to that promise.

On the other hand, if you want to explore new features and are not afraid of taking risks, you can unlock the bootloader and try custom ROMS. You can find the official tutorial with the kernel code from the official forum.

Battery and Calls

  • 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging

The device packs in a 5,000mAh battery that can easily last you a day with light to moderate usage. Micromax has included support for 18W charging and a compatible charger is included in the box. With the charger, you can juice up the device from 0 to 100% in around 2 hours and 15 minutes.

In Note 1 - Display 2

The phone comes with a triple card slot so you won’t have to choose between dual-sim functionality and expandable memory. In terms of network reception, I had no problem making and receiving calls on NTC and Smart Cell inside the Kathmandu Valley. The calls are also clear.

Rest of the Features

  • Down firing speaker
  • Dedicated Google Assistant button

The phone comes with a down-firing single speaker which is adequately loud. You can even connect the phone to a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection which major ISPs are promoting these days.

In Note 1 - Design 2

Micromax has also included a dedicated Google Assistant button on the left side of the phone. It’s mushy compared to other buttons but gets the job done most of the time. I also didn’t have any problem with the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Conclusion

The IN Note 1 is among the first device from Micromax in quite some years and the rustiness does show here. The phone packs some competitive specs for the price and is almost on par with what companies like Xiaomi and Samsung are providing.

The phone does have its own merits, such as it provides a clean, ad-free experience without having to worry about unnecessary apps or bloatware. Plus it provides a Full HD display that many brands don’t provide in this price range. It’s only the cameras of the phone that have average performance, but other than that, it’s a good value in its price segment.

  • Watch our video review of the Micromax IN Note 1.

Micromax In Note 1 Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • FHD display
  • Eye-Catching “X” pattern on the back
  • Budget gaming with Helio G85
  • Ad-free near-stock Android experience
  • 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging

Cons:

  • The build is not the sturdiest
  • The display lacks any protection
  • UI needs fine-tuning
  • Camera performance leaves much to be desired
  • Updates need to be faster

Vianet’s “Speedy Offer” introduces up to 100 Mbps speed on home internet plan

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Vianet’s “Speedy Offer” introduces up to 100 Mbps speed on home internet plan

Vianet has recently announced the “Speedy Offer” under which the ISP has upgraded the internet speeds in almost all of the existing home plans. In this post, we will be discussing the new internet plans under the Vianet Speedy Offer along with their speed and pricing information.

Vianet “Speedy Offer” Overview

As part of the Speedy Offer, Vianet has increased the speed of its existing Guna Sampanna Home Plans. As a result, users with the 30 Mbps internet plan will now get to enjoy speeds of up to 50 Mbps. Similarly, speeds of 40 Mbps and 60 Mbps have been bumped to 75 Mbps and 100 Mbps, respectively.

Additionally, users can also enjoy ViaTV with each subscription. This includes all of the available ViaTV channels, YouTube, and Movie on Demand. Similarly, you also get to enjoy services like viaSecure and Ultraboost.

No price hike

The prices have remained the same in spite of the increased speed. You have to pay Rs. 15,000, Rs. 17,400, and Rs. 21,600 yearly for 50 Mbps, 75 Mbps, and 100 Mbps plans, respectively for yearly subscriptions. However, there is no option for monthly and quarterly subscriptions.

Plan Speed Maximum ViaTV Connection Yearly Price (Without 13% VAT)
Guna Sampanna 50 TV+ 50 Mbps 1 Rs. 15,000
Guna Sampanna 75 TV+ 75 Mbps 2 Rs. 17,400
Guna Sampanna 100 TV+ 100 Mbps 3 Rs. 21,600

New subscribers also need to pay Fiber Wi-Fi Device deposit which is not necessary for renewing users. Users can also opt for a 5Ghz Wi-Fi add-on. Installation charges and Primary Set Top Box activations are free on a yearly subscription. However, users need to pay a certain amount as a deposit.

One Time Charges Price (Without VAT)
Internet Installation Charge Free
Fiber Wi-Fi Device Deposit Rs. 500
5Ghz Wi-Fi Add-on (Optional) Rs. 3,100
ViaTV STB Activation Free
STB Deposit Rs. 500

With the 75 Mbps and 100 Mbps plans, users can even connect multiple ViaTV – 2 in case of the former and 3 in the case of the latter. However, you will have to pay activation and STB deposit separately for each additional connection. You can subscribe to Vianet’s Speedy Offer here.

Multi-ViaTV Connection Price (Without VAT)
Secondary STB Activation Rs. 2,000
Secondary STB Deposit Rs. 500
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the Redmi Note 10.

Worldlink is offering massive discounts for new users under its New Year offer

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Worldlink is offering massive discounts for new users under its New Year offer

On the occasion of Nepali New Year 2078, Worldlink has announced the “Harsha ko Naya Barsha” campaign under which it is offering massive discounts on its internet + TV plans along with additional services for free. Here, we will be breaking down the offers and see what’s there for existing as well as new Worldlink customers.

Worldlink “Harsha ko Naya Barsha” Offer

Under this offer, Worldlink is claiming to offer discounts of up to 62% on yearly subscriptions. Users now have to pay Rs. 14,400 for 40Mbps internet. The price is the same if you opt for 30Mbps one. Similarly, 60/80Mbps plans are priced at Rs. 22,000 while the 20Mbps plan has Rs. 13,200 price tag.

Plan 20Mbps 30Mbps 40Mbps 60Mbps 80Mbps
Yearly Price (Without VAT) Rs. 13,200 Rs. 14,400 Rs. 22,000
Maximum NetTV Connection 1 2 3
Additional Features SafeNet, TimeBaack, Wi-Fi Mobility

Worldlink has also waived off the cost of routers in yearly subscriptions for new customers. This is true for both single and dual-band routers. You still have to pay Rs. 500 as a refundable deposit though. Wordlink is not taking any charge for installation and drop wire either. Sadly, the free dual-band router offer is not available for existing Worldlink users.

One Time Charge Price in Nepal
Router (Singe/Double Band) Free
Installation Charge
Drop Wire
Refundable Deposit Rs. 500

Similarly, users will also get 12 months of free NetTV with 3 months of NetTV Prime subscription for no additional cost. There is no activation charge for the primary Set-Top Box (STB) but you will still have to place Rs. 500 as a security deposit. Plus, you will need to pay extra for each additional NetTV connection.

Here, 60Mbps and 80Mbps users can have up to three NetTV connections. On the other hand, 40Mbps users are maxed out at 2 NetTV connections only. The remaining plans do not support multi-NetTV connections. You can subscribe to Worldlink “Harsha Ko Naya Barsha” here.

One Time Charge for NetTV Price
Primary STB Activation Free
Refundable Deposit (Primary STB) Rs. 500
Secondary STB Activation Rs. 2000
Refundable Deposit (Secondary STB) Rs. 500
  • Watch: Worldlink Wi-Fi Mobility explained

Sony Xperia 10 III is a 5G-ready mid-range phone with Snapdragon 690

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Sony Xperia 10 III is a 5G-ready mid-range phone with Snapdragon 690

Sony announced three new devices in the latest Xperia event – Xperia 1 III, Xperia 5 III, and Xperia 10 III. While the first two are flagship-grade phones packing some serious specs, the latter is a modest offering for the mid-range segment. In this post, we will take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Sony Xperia 10 III in Nepal.

Sony Xperia 10 III Overview:

Design and Display

Like its predecessor, the Xperia 10 III features a 6-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution. As you would expect from an Xperia device these days, the phone comes with traditional bezels instead of cutouts or notches, and a tall aspect ratio of 21:9. The display has a touch sampling rate of 120Hz and is HDR-ready as well.

Still, Sony has managed to reduce the length and width of the phone by 3mm and 1mm respectively. The difference is quite significant given that Sony has included a beefier battery this time around.

Sony Xperia 10 III Design and Display

At the back, there is a pill-shaped camera module. Sony has used Gorilla Glass 6 for both the front and the back. In addition, the phone comes with IP65/68 ratings against dust and water.

Performance and Memory

Xperia 10 III is powered by Snapdragon 690 SoC. This chipset was announced last year and is the only one in Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 series to support 5G. With Sony’s Smart Connectivity feature, the phone can switch between 5G and Wi-Fi depending upon their respective signal strength.

In terms of memory, you get 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The latter can be expanded up to 1TB using a hybrid card slot.

Camera

There are three cameras at the back of the phone. The 12MP primary camera uses a 1/2.8” image sensor with an equivalent focal length of 27mm. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide sensor with a 120º Field of View (FOV).

Sony Xperia 10 III - Cameras

The third camera is an 8MP telephoto lens with 54mm equivalent focal length. You can record 4K videos using the rear cameras. On the front, there is an 8MP camera for selfies.

Rest of the specs

Fueling the device is a decent 4500mAh battery which is a significant jump from 3600mAh in the predecessor. The phone supports USD PD fast charging. With its Adaptive Charging technology, Sony says the battery will remain healthy even after 3 years of use. The phone ships with Android 11 out-of-the-box and is also part of the Android Enterprise program. Thus, users will be getting updates in the future.

Sony Xperia 10 III Specifications: 

  • Body: 154 x 68 x 8.3mm; 151gm; Gorilla Glass 6 front/back
  • Display: 6.0-inches OLED panel; 60Hz refresh rate; 120Hz touch sampling rate; HDR
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2520 x 1080 pixels); 21:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 690; 11nm Mobile Platform
  • Memory: 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable up to 1TB)
  • Software & UI: Android 11
  • Rear Camera: Triple-camera;
    – 12MP, f/1.8 primary shooter
    – 8MP, f/2.4 telephoto lens
    – 8MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle lens with 120º FOV
  • Front Camera: 8MP f/2.0 lens
  • Biometrics: Fingerprint scanner
  • Water Resistance: IP65/68 dust/water resistant
  • Audio: 3.5mm jack, Hi-Res audio, LDAC, Qualcomm aptX HD audio
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (hybrid), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS / A-GPS / Glonass / Beidou / Galileo / QZSS, USB Type-C, NFC, 5G
  • Battery: 4500mAh with USB-PD fast charging

Sony Xperia 10 III Price in Nepal and Availability

According to Sony, Xperia 10 III will be available from early summer (June-September). The company has not revealed the price of the Sony Xperia 10 III yet.

  • Watch: Galaxy A52 vs Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

TCL adds 3 mid-range and budget phones in the existing 20 series

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TCL adds 3 mid-range and budget phones in the existing 20 series

After years of smartphone production for other OEMs, TCL has managed to make a name for itself in the industry for its own brand of smartphones with the 10 series from last year. And now, the company has added a trio of new devices to the existing TCL 20 series—the 20 Pro, 20L Plus (20S), and 20L. So, let’s break down all there is to know about these phones.

TCL 20 series Overview:

TCL 20 Pro 5G

Here, the TCL 20 Pro 5G the most feature-packed among the new releases. It has a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400×1080 and HDR10 playback support. TCL’s “NXTVISION” display features such as improved color quality, more realistic color, and AI tools that analyze the display’s surroundings are found here too. The phone is powered by Snapdragon 750G chipset combined with 6GB RAM and 256GB storage.

TCL 20 Pro 5G - Design Display

In terms of cameras, the TCL 20 Pro 5G features a 48MP Sony IMX582 main camera, a 16MP ultrawide lens, a 5MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, a 32MP selfie shooter is housed in a punch-hole cutout. Moving on, the handset gets its juice from a 4,500mAh battery that will keep it going all day.

TCL 20 Pro 5G Specifications:

  • Body: 164.2 x 77.3 x 8.8 mm, 190 gm
  • Display: 6.67 inches NXTVISION 2.0, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm)
  • Memory: 6GB RAM, 256GB internal storage (expandable)
  • Software & UI: Android 11 with TCL UI
  • Rear Camera: Quad–camera;
    – 48MP f/1.79 Sony IMX582 sensor
    – 16MP f/2.4 ultrawide lens, 123° FOV
    – 5MP f/2.2 macro camera, Fixed Focus
    – 2MP f/2.4 depth camera
  • Front Camera: 32MP f/2.45 (punch-hole cutout)
  • Audio: Loudspeaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Security: Optical in-display fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
  • Battery: 4500mAh with 18W fast charging
  • Color options: Moondust Gray, Marine Blue

TCL 20L Plus (20S)

Contrary to the 20 Pro 5G, the TCL 20 Plus (also known as TCL 20S) is a relatively cheaper phone and isn’t 5G-ready either. Aside from that, the TCL 20L Plus has a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a ” TÜV Circular Polarization Certification” and Low Blue Light certification. TCL says that the colors on this circularly polarized screen can appear natural even while wearing glasses.

TCL 20L Plus - Design Display

The device is powered by a Snapdragon 662 chipset found in phones like the POCO M3. It is available in only one memory configuration: 6GB RAM and 256GB storage. TCL 20 Plus has a big 5000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging. A 64MP led quad-camera setup is located at the back of the device. In addition, you get a 16MP selfie camera for taking selfies.

There is a possibility that a modified version of this phone will be released in the United States later this year. The phone is called TCL 20S and will have a different chipset than the Snapdragon 662. However, the company hasn’t specified which SoC will be used on the 20S.

TCL 20L

Finally, the TCL 20L is a budget addition to the TCL 20 series of smartphones. It bears a lot of similarities with the 20L Plus but the company has introduced minor storage adjustments and changes in camera configurations. It has the same screen with polarized technology, the same battery, and the same Snapdragon 662 chipset.

TCL 20L - Design Display

The main distinction lies in the memory configurations. It comes with two memory options: either 4/6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS storage. Moreover, it brings a 48MP primary camera contrary to a 64MP sensor on the TCL 20L Plus.

TCL 20L Plus, 20L Specifications:

  • Body: 166.2 x 76.9 x 9.1 mm, 199 gm
  • Display: 6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (11 nm)
  • Memory: 6/256GB (20L Plus), 4/128GB & 6/128GB (20L)
  • Software & UI: Android 11 with TCL UI
  • Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
    • TCL 20L Plus – 64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth
    • TCL 20L – 48MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth
  • Front Camera: 16MP f/2.2 (punch-hole cutout)
  • Audio: Loud Speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Security: Fingerprint scanner (side-mounted)
  • Color options:
    • TCL 20L Plus – Milky Way Gray, North Star Blue
    • TCL 20L – Eclipse Black, Luna Blue
  • Battery: 5000mAh with 18W fast charging (Type-C)

TCL 20 Pro 5G, 20L Plus, 20L Price & Availability

All three of these new phones are now in the UK, Italy, and Portugal starting today, with a global launch in the coming weeks. The price of TCL 20 Pro, 20L Plus, and 20L start at EUR 549, EUR 269, and EUR 229, respectively.

TCL smartphones Price in Europe (Starting)
TCL 20 Pro 5G EUR 549
TCL 20L Plus EUR 269
TCL 20L EUR 229
  • Watch: Galaxy A52 vs Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

Sony Xperia 5 III goes official with Snapdragon 888 and a variable telephoto lens

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Sony Xperia 5 III goes official with Snapdragon 888 and a variable telephoto lens

Sony Xperia 5 III (Mark 3) has an almost similar set of specifications to the Xperia 5 II, which was launched last year. But this time, the design is a little different with a rounded frame and a little more weight. The change has allowed Sony to pack a comparatively larger battery. So, without further ado, let us look at the specifications, features, availability, and expected price of the Sony Xperia 5 III in Nepal.

Sony Xperia 5 III Overview:

Design and Display

Like I said earlier, the design here is quite similar, with only minor variations in dimensions. Its predecessor is 8.0 mm thick, while the Xperia 5 III is slightly thicker at 8.2mm. It is also slightly heavier, weighing 169 grams to Xperia 5 II’s 163 grams.

Sony Xperia 5 III - Design

The phone features a 6.1-inch FHD+ HDR OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz. Like the Xperia 1 III, it has a 240Hz motion blur reduction and a 240Hz touch scanning rate. The screen also covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. And not to forget, this display features Sony’s trademark 21:9 “CinemaWide” aspect ratio. Furthermore, the phone is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 6 at the front and back.

Performance

Here, the Xperia 5 III is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset coupled with 8GB of RAM, and 128/256GB of internal storage. In terms of durability, the device is water and dust resistant complying with the IP65/68 standards. Furthermore, it runs on Android 11.

Sony Xperia 5 III - Display

There is a dedicated microSD card slot for expanding storage. Furthermore, it equips a 3.5mm headphone jack as well, which is an essential and rare feature in 2021.

Camera

The camera department has undergone several reforms from its predecessor. Xperia 5 III brings the same 12MP triple camera setups as the Xperia 1 III. The biggest difference between this year’s model and its predecessor is the variable telephoto module and Dual PDAF sensors. It enables the telephoto lens to adjust its focal length between 70mm and 105mm, allowing it to catch details at a greater distance. This allows you to zoom from 2.9x to 4.3x.

Sony Xperia 5 III - Cameras

To snap selfies, the front camera has an 8MP f/2.0 lens. Similarly, all these sensors are ZEISS optics calibrated and also feature ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating. Sony’s native camera app, Photography Pro, also has a “Basic Mode” to appeal to a broader audience.

Rest of the specs

Moving on, the device packs a big 4500mAh battery with support USB PD fast charging via the Type-C port. Furthermore, the device has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and stereo speakers. The stereo speakers are louder and support 360 Reality Audio.

Sony Xperia 5 III Specifications:

  • Body: 157 x 68 x 8.2mm, 169 gm
  • Display: 6.1″ 21:9 CinemaWide FHD+ HDR OLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch scanning rate, 240Hz Motion blur reduction, 100% DCI-P3 gamut
  • Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 6
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm)
  • Memory: 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage (expandable)
  • Software & UI: Android 11
  • Rear Camera: Triple-camera;
    – Primary: 12MP f/1.7, 24mm equivalent, 1/1.7″ sensor
    – Telephoto: 12MP 1/2.9″ sensor, f/2.3 (70 mm), f/2.8 (105 mm)
    – Ultrawide: 12MP f/2.2, 124° FOV, 1/2.5″ sensor
  • Front Camera: 8MP f/2.0 sensor (top bezel)
  • Audio: 3.5mm audio jack, 360 Reality Audio, LDAC, Hi-Res Audio, DSEE Ultimate, Dolby Atmos, Full-stage stereo speakers
  • Security: Fingerprint sensor
  • Battery: 4500mAh with 30W fast charging, Qi wireless charging
  • Connectivity: A-GPS, A-GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, USB Type-C, 4G LTE, 5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave)
  • Color options: Green, Black

Sony Xperia 5 III Price in Nepal and Availability

Just like the Xperia 1 III, Sony says the Xperia 5 III should be available in summer 2021 (June-September). Likewise, the company hasn’t revealed details regarding the price of the phone either.

  • Meanwhile, check out our comparison of Galaxy A72 VS Realme X7 Pro.

Oppo A54 launched in Nepal with Helio P35, HD display, & unrealistic price tag

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Oppo A54 launched in Nepal with Helio P35, HD display, & unrealistic price tag

Oppo has unveiled its new mid-range smartphone in Nepal, the Oppo A54. Like with other A-series phone from the Chinese mobile maker, this one too is underwhelming given the features and its price tag. Let’s dive deeper into the details about the new Oppo A54 including its official price in Nepal.

Oppo A54 Overview:

The new Oppo A54 comes with a 6.51-inch IPS LCD screen with HD+ resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. The selfie camera here is a 16MP sensor that is housed inside the punch-hole cutout. Around the back, the camera module gives an illusion of sporting four lenses. However, in reality, it only has a triple camera array. The primary lens is 13MP followed by two 2MP lenses for depth sensor and macro.

oppo a54 charging

The device is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P35 SoC. 4GB RAM and 128GB storage complement the chipset. However, there is a MicroSD slot for memory expansion. As for the battery, it has a huge 5000mAh unit that supports 18W fast charging.

On the software side, the Oppo A54 still runs on ColorOS 7.2 on top of Android 10. Other features include IPX4 water resistance, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Oppo A54Specifications:

  • Display: 6.51-inches LCD, HD+ (720 x 1600 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset: MediaTek Helio P35 (12nm mobile platform)
  • GPU: PowerVR GE8320
  • OS: Android 10 with ColorOS 7.2 on top
  • Memory: 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB storage (expandable)
  • Rear camera: Triple camera
    – 13MP primary lens
    – 2MP macro lens
    – 2MP depth sensor
  • Front Camera: 16MP (punch-hole cutout)
  • Battery: 5,000mAh battery with 18W charging (Type C port)
  • Sensors: Fingerprint (side-mounted), Accelerometer, Proximity
  • Color Options: Crystal Black, Starry Blue

Oppo A54 Price in Nepal and Availability

Oppo A54 has hit the shelves in Nepal starting April 15 for the price of Rs.25,990. This price is for the 4GB RAM, 128GB storage variant.

Oppo A54 Price in Nepal  
4/128GB NPR 25,990
  • Check out our unboxing & impressions of the Oppo F19 Pro.

Mi TV Stick with Android TV 9, built-in Chromecast launched in Nepal

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Mi TV Stick with Android TV 9, built-in Chromecast launched in Nepal

Xiaomi has just announced the launch of Mi TV Stick in Nepal. It is a portable streaming device with Android TV OS, which was launched in August of last year in India. In this post, we will be discussing the key features of the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick along with its official price and availability in Nepal.

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick Overview:

Here, Xiaomi Mi TV Stick weighs around 28.5 grams. And with a length of just 92.4 mm, it should fit in most of the pocket. Thus, you can always carry it wherever you go. When connecting it to a TV, the device doesn’t occupy much space either. The color options are limited as it is only available in the black variant.

Talking about the internals, Mi TV Stick is powered by a quad-core CPU with four Cortex A53 cores. Graphics are rendered by ARM Mali-450 GPU. Similarly, it comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. As for the software, it runs on Android TV 9.0.

That’s pretty dated seeing how Google’s already launched Android TV 11. And then there’s the new Google TV standard itself. Also, it’s unclear if the Mi TV Stick will get updated to any newer iteration of Android TV.

Built-in Chromecast

Anyway, since it comes with Android TV, users can make use of Google Assistant, Play Store, and Chromecast. With the latter, you can easily output contents from iOS, Android, and Windows devices to your TV in 1080p.

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick with Remote

For the initial setup, simply connect the stick to the HDMI port of your TV. Then, connect it to the internet and you’re good to go. For this, Xiaomi has included dual-band Wi-Fi support. Similarly, you also get Bluetooth 4.2.

You also get the same Bluetooth remote as Mi TVs that are available in Nepal. The remote itself is simplistic and features few buttons including dedicated ones for Netflix, Prime Video, and Google Assistant. As for audio, it supports Dolby Audio and DTS Digital format.

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick Specifications:

  • Dimension: 92.4 x 30.2 x 15.2mm, 28.5g
  • Processor: Quad-Core (Cortex A53)
  • GPU: ARM Mali-450
  • Memory: 1GB RAM, 8GB storage
  • Output: 1080p @ 60Hz
  • Video Formats: MO, VOB, AVI, MKS, TS, MP4
  • Sound: Dolby Atmos, DTS
  • Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2
  • Ports: HDMI output, micro-USB port
  • Remote Control: Mi Bluetooth Remote

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick Price in Nepal & Availability

The official price of the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick in Nepal is NPR 5,999. It will soon be available via Xiaomi authorized stores across Nepal.

That being said, we believe the pricing could have been better as Mi TV Stick is available for just INR 2,799 (~NPR 4,500) in India.

Streaming device Price in Nepal Availability
Xiaomi Mi TV Stick NPR 5,999 Soon (via Xiaomi authorized stores)
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.

Sony Xperia 1 III brings a 4K 120Hz OLED screen and a variable telephoto lens

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Sony Xperia 1 III brings a 4K 120Hz OLED screen and a variable telephoto lens

Sony’s Xperia Pro garnered a lot of attention for its “professional camera companion” stature. And now, the company has finally launched Xperia 1 III. The design is quite the same as the Xperia 1 II (Mark 2) from last year, but there is a whole lot of improvements in the device with a knockout display and a very intriguing camera set. So, let’s find out more about Sony Xperia 1 III including its specs, features, expected price in Nepal, and more.

Sony Xperia 1 III Overview:

Design and Display

As always, Sony Xperia 1 III has a display with a CinemaWide aspect ratio of 21:9. It features a 6.5-inch HDR OLED panel with a QHD resolution (3840 x 1644). Furthermore, the display is protected with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus on the front, while the back has a frosted matte finish. 

Sony Xperia 1 III-Design, Display

The device also features a 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz motion blur reduction, and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. The boxy design is unchanged, and you get to see quite noticeable bezels as well. In terms of audio, it houses the world’s first front-facing stereo speaker with 360 Reality Audio. Plus, the onboard stereo speaker is 40% louder than its predecessor. However, this feature is available on Tidal only.

Performance

The device is powered by the industry flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset which is coupled with 12GB of RAM and 256/512GB storage. Moreover, there’s microSD card support to expand the storage.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chip

Furthermore, the device is IP65/68 water and dust resistant and sports a 3.5mm headphone jack too. It packs a 4500mAh battery with 30W fast charging, wireless charging, and a battery share function. The phone runs on Android 11.

Camera

Without a doubt, the cameras are one of the major highlights of the Xperia 1 III. The device features a variable telephoto lens in its triple rear-camera setup. All three lenses feature the same 12MP resolution, as well as a ToF sensor and Zeiss T* anti-reflective coating. In addition, the handset also includes a world-first Dual PD variable optics sensor. But this time, Sony has done some more tweaks in the camera department.

Sony Xperia 1 III-Camera

The optical telephoto lens allows choosing the focal lengths between 70mm and 105mm using a folded periscope lens design. The variable focal length allows capturing moving objects with fast autofocus at a distance. Sony has added a new AI super-resolution zoom, which adds details to telephoto images without comprising the quality of the photo. For selfies, there is an 8MP f/2.0 lens which is the same one used last year.

Rest of the specs

Furthermore, the Xperia 1 III hosts Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 (ax) as a connectivity option. The Photography Pro app now includes a “Basic Mode” to simplify its usability, which includes easy modes for portrait orientation, artistic bokeh effect, and panorama. Talking about the device’s dimension, it weighs 187 grams and is built around a thickness of 8.2mm.

Sony Xperia 1 III Specifications:

  • Body: 165 x 71 x 8.2mm, 187 gm
  • Display: 6.5″ 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch scanning rate, 240Hz Motion blur reduction, 100% DCI-P3 gamut
  • Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus (Front), Gorilla Glass 6 (Rear)
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm)
  • Memory: 12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage (expandable up to 1TB)
  • Software & UI: Android 11
  • Rear Camera: Triple-camera;
    – Primary: 12MP f/1.7, 24mm equivalent, 1/1.7″ sensor
    – Telephoto: 12MP 1/2.9″ sensor, f/2.3 (70 mm), f/2.8 (105 mm)
    – Ultrawide: 12MP f/2.2, 124° FOV, 1/2.5″ sensor
    – Dedicated camera shutter button
  • Front Camera: 8MP f/2.0 sensor (top bezel)
  • Audio: 3.5mm audio jack, 360 Reality Audio, LDAC, Hi-Res Audio, DSEE Ultimate, Dolby Atmos, Full-stage stereo speakers
  • Security: Fingerprint sensor
  • Battery: 4500mAh with 30W fast charging, Qi wireless charging
  • Connectivity: A-GPS, A-GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, USB Type-C, 4G LTE, 5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave)
  • Color options: Purple, Gray, Black

Sony Xperia 1 III Price in Nepal and Availability

Sony announced the Xperia 1 III at an event on April 14 and says it will be available from summer 2021 (June-September) although pricing details haven’t been revealed yet.

  • Meanwhile, check out our review of the Sony WH-1000XM4.

Infinix Note 8 Review: Decent Budget Phone?

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Infinix Note 8 Review: Decent Budget Phone?

Previously, we had reviewed the Infinix Note 7 and the Hot 10. Both of them were some good value-for-money budget phones. Today, I have the latest Infinix Note 8. This device brings some good upgrades like a 64MP camera and a big display. But is it better than the POCO M3 or Galaxy M12 which are some of the best budget phones right now? Well, let’s find out in this review of the Infinix Note 8.

Infinix Note 8 Specifications:

  • Body: 6.90 x 3.10 x 0.35 inches, 206 gm
  • Display: 6.95-inches IPS LCD panel, 258 PPI, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
  • Resolution: HD+ (1640 x 720 pixels)
  • Chipset: MediaTek Helio G80 (12nm Mobile Platform)
  • CPU: Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
  • GPU: Arm Mali-G52 MC2
  • Memory: 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable)
  • Software & UI: XOS 10.1 on top of Android 10
  • Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
    – 64MP primary lens, PDAF
    – 2MP portrait lens
    – 2MP macro lens
    – AI lens with Quad-LED flash
  • Front Camera: Dual-camera (16MP primary, 2MP portrait lens)
  • Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, Loudspeaker
  • Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / A-GPS, USB Type-C, 4G
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyro, E-compass, Light, Proximity
  • Battery: 5200mAh with 18W fast charging
  • Color options: Gray, Blue, Green
  • Price in Nepal: N/A (not launched yet)

Infinix Note 8 Review:

Design & Build

  • Glass front, plastic back/frame
  • Polycarbonate reflective back

Starting with the design, the Note 8 is a pretty huge and wide device. However, despite weighing over 206 grams, it doesn’t feel that bulky. But, if you are someone with a small hand, you’ll have a hard time using this smartphone.

Besides the size, the style aspect of the Infinix Note 8 is pretty good. The device has a polycarbonate reflective back. I have the grey color variant, and it looks quite good. And despite being a plastic back, the phone does look and feel premium. That being said, with the glossy back like this, there comes the usual issue of fingerprint smudges.

On the right, just below the volume buttons, there is the lock button that doubles down as a fingerprint sensor. The sensor is quite snappy and I am satisfied with it. Anyway, on the left-hand side, you get a dual nano-SIM tray with a dedicated microSDX slot.

Display

  • 6.95-inches HD IPS LCD panel
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection

Upfront, you get a massive 6.95-inch screen with a punch-hole cut out for the dual selfie cameras. And you’ll also find a speaker grill on the upper edge. The display is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3.

And despite featuring only an HD resolution, the display quality is quite good. Hence, you’ll have an enjoyable experience. I found that it has good viewing levels and the videos seem vibrant too.

Infinix Note 8 - Display

Furthermore, you can easily see what’s on the screen with full brightness while using the device out on a sunny day. However, because its competitors such as the POCO M3 offer FHD+ resolution and the Galaxy M12 that comes with a 90Hz refresh rate, Infinix should be providing a FullHD resolution at least.

So, this is something that I wish that Infinix improves upon. Furthermore, it is not Widevine L1 certified, so no HD streaming on Netflix either.

Performance

  • Octa-core MediaTek Helio G80 SoC (12nm)
  • 6GB RAM with 128GB internal storage (expandable)

Under the hood, the device comes with a MediaTek Helio G80 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of memory.

We know that Helio G80 is a decent chipset, that can handle anything that you throw at it with quite ease—as long as it’s lightweight. Here too, I had no trouble going through my daily tasks such as web surfing, texting, watching youtube videos, and so more. Light gaming and multitasking are a breeze too.

Gaming experience

I did notice a fair amount of loading time while playing PUBG and COD. However, once it loads, it’s smooth sailing from thereon. On PUBG, the default graphics are on HD settings with a high frame rate. It can’t go higher than that, but gaming feels ultra-smooth in the allowed maximum settings. No lags at all.

Infinix Note 8 - Gaming

Moreover, you’ll also notice how good the touch response is. It was something that I liked on the Note 7 and thankfully Infinix has carried it over to the Note 8 too. Similarly, for COD it can easily be played in Medium settings with a high frame rate.

Coming to the UI, the Infinix Note 8 comes with XOS v7.1 on top of Android 10. It still doesn’t have Android 11 and I am not quite sure what’s the company policy is when it comes to future updates. The XOS UI is also full of bloatware which if you don’t uninstall or keep them in silent mode will keep notifying you now and then, which is kinda irritating if you ask me.

Audio

  • Dual speaker system, 3.5mm audio jack

For audio, it has two speaker grills – one on the top and another on the bottom. The dual speakers are surprisingly good. You’ll have no trouble hearing the audio, though I did notice some minor distortion with full volume.

Camera

  • Gimmicky quad-camera setup at the back
  • (64MP primary, 2MP macro, 2MP depth, AI lens)
  • Dual selfie cameras (16MP primary, 2MP portrait)

As for the cameras, there’s a quad-camera setup arranged in a rectangular module on the back. However, I said with the Note 7, this setup is a marketing gimmick.

I mean there’s a 64MP primary lens and the remaining three are the 2MP lenses for macro, depth sensor, and AI lens. They could have at least given an ultra-wide lens, given how the competition has one.

Normal Images

Anyway, coming to the photos taken from the 64MP primary lens, you get good quality photographs in well-lit conditions.

The pictures are sharp, natural, and cover the dynamic range well for its price, but again nothing extra-ordinary.

Portrait Images

Talking about the portraits, here too, it’s nothing extraordinary.

Macro Images

Macro-lens too is sub-par, as expected.

Nighttime Images

For night-time images, there’s a dedicated super night mode in the Infinix Note 8, which does help in taking images that are recognizable.

However, there’s no sharpness or detail in the pictures.

Selfie Images

Coming to the selfies, the Infinix Note 8 has a dual-selfie camera setup. One is a 16MP lens and the other is a 2MP depth sensor.

Selfies are good as they capture enough details and feel more real.

Videography

Video-wise, you can capture up to 2K videos from both the front and the back camera. Surprisingly even at this resolution, it is quite stable, and better than what you get from its competition.

Battery

  • 5200mAh battery with 18W fast charging

Similar to Note 7, the battery life is a big selling point for this one too. The Note 8 has a 5200mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging. And this time over a USB C port.

Infinix Note 8 - Design 1

With a full battery, doing moderate work, I was easily able to get around a day and a half of battery backup. So, really impressed by the battery life on this one.

Conclusion

To sum up this review, the Infinix Note 8 is a decent budget device. It has a good performance and the battery life is superb. The camera setup is okayish and nothing that will blow your mind, but you’ll probably not complain much about it either.

The only thing to complain about is its UI, which Infinix needs to improve—by a lot, and fast. Other than that, it is in the same league as its competition like the Poco M3 and the Galaxy M12.

  • Watch our video review of the Infinix Note 8/8i (Nepali).

Infinix Note 8 Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Reflective back looks attractive
  • Big 6.95-inches LCD screen
  • Decent gaming performance
  • Surprisingly nice sound quality
  • Terrific battery endurance

Cons:

  • Wide and bulky form factor
  • No 1080p Full HD display
  • Infinix XOS is pretty terrible
  • Gimmicky quad-camera setup
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