A while ago, ZTE announced that it will be launching a new series of smartphones this year. Yesterday, the company launched three new phones under the S-series. The most premium offering in the lineup is the ZTE S30 Pro. The devices have the S30 moniker so as to make it consistent with the moniker in the upcoming Axon 30 lineup. In this post, we will be taking a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the ZTE S30 Pro in Nepal.
ZTE Axon S30 Pro Overview:
Design and Display
The ZTE Axon S30 Pro features a 6.67-inch display with a center-aligned punch-hole cutout. It’s an AMOLED panel with support for a 144Hz refresh rate. Similarly, the touch sampling rate is 360Hz. The display covers 100% of the DCI P3 color gamut and has HDR10+ certification. The peak brightness here is 800 nits.
At the back, we get to see a rectangular camera module that houses the quad-camera setup. The phone is available in two color options. It is just 7.8mm thick and weighs around 178 grams. As the fingerprint scanner is embedded underneath the screen, the rear panel is clean except for the ZTE branding.
Under the hood, the phone packs Snapdragon 768G which is already a year old by now. It is based on the Snapdragon 765G but features an overclocked Prime core and faster GPU. Also, it was the first chipset in the Snapdragon 700 series to have an updatable graphics driver. The Snapdragon X52 chipset is integrated into the chip for 5G connectivity.
ZTE has also included a heat pipe to manage the temperature of the device.
ZTE S30 Pro comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It also borrows the Memory Fusion technology from the gaming-oriented Red Magic devices. With this technology, a certain portion of the storage can be utilized as RAM.
Camera
Talking about the cameras, there are four at the back and one on the front. A 64MP primary camera leads the rear camera setup. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide shooter, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP portrait sensor. ZTE has included a 44MP sensor for the selfie camera on the front.
The phone can record 4K/60fps videos with the rear camera. It also has dual-channel anti-shake technology for stabilized recording.
Rest of the specs
Fueling the device is a moderate 4,200mAh battery and ZTE has included support for 55W fast charging technology. The phone ships with Android 11 with MyOS on top. The MyOS 11 is a new custom UI that the company announced at the same event. It will be replacing ZTE’s existing Android skin called “MiFavor”.
Security: Fingerprint Scanner (in-display), Face Unlock
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 802.1 a/b/g/n/ac, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.1
Battery: 4,200mAh with 55W fast charging
ZTE S30 Pro Price in Nepal & Availability
ZTE S30 Pro will go on sale in China from April 3 for CNY 2,998. The company has not released any phones in Nepal for a while and this won’t officially launch here either. However, we can expect the price of the ZTE S30 Pro in Nepal to be around NPR 60,000 if and when it’s available via unofficial sources.
ZTE S30 Pro
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/256GB
2,998 Yuan
NPR 60,000
Meanwhile, check out our initial impressions of the Samsung Galaxy A52.
Last December, Xiaomi launched Mi 11 as the first phone with Snapdragon 888 chipset. And now, the company has launched the Mi 11 Lite 5G as the first phone with Snapdragon 780G. In this post, we will be talking about the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G in Nepal.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G Overview:
Design and Display
Here, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite comes with a 6.55-inch AMOLED panel with an FHD+ resolution. It is a flat display with a left-aligned punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The phone comes with a 90Hz refresh rate. The bezels around the screen are very slim. As per the company, the bezels on the top and the side are just 1.88mm thick. The chin is slightly thicker at 2.75mm.
At the back, the phone inherits the new camera module from the regular Mi 11. The module encloses a triple camera setup along with an LED flash. The 6.81mm thickness means it is among the slimmest Mi phone out there in the market. It also very light and weighs only 159g.
In terms of performance, Mi 11 Lite 5G is powered by the new Snapdragon 780G chipset. The chipset was announced just a few days before this launch. It features four Cortex A78 cores (2.4GHz + 3 x 2.2GHz) and four Cortex A55 cores (1.9GHz). Other than that, the new chipset comes with a triple ISP (Spectra 570), Snapdragon X53 5G modem and is based on Samsung’s 5nm process.
Mi 11 Lite 5G is available in a single RAM configuration – 8GB, but users can choose between 128GB and 256GB internal storage. It ships with Android 11 out-of-the-box with MIUI 12.0 on top.
There is also a 4G variant of the Mi 11 Lite that comes with the Snapdragon 732G. It is the same processor that is used in the Redmi Note 10 Pro and the Note 10 Pro Max. The device comes with 6GB of RAM paired with either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage.
Rest of the specs
The triple camera setup at the back is led by a 64MP primary camera. There is an 8MP sensor for ultrawide shots. Similarly, Xiaomi has dedicated a 5MP sensor for macro shots. Sadly, the phone doesn’t feature a telephoto lens. On the front, there is a 20MP selfie camera inside the punch-hole cutout.
Mi 11 Lite 5G is fueled by a 4,250mAh battery with support for 33W charging. The phone supports dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, and a Type-C port but it misses out on a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Security: Fingerprint Scanner (side-mounted), Face Unlock
Audio: Dual Stereo speakers by Harmon Kardon, Hi-Res Audio
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 802.1 a/b/g/n/ac, NFC, USB Type-C, NFC, Bluetooth 5.1/5.2
Battery: 4,250mAh with 33W fast charging
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G Price in Nepal & Availability
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G is now available for pre-order in China at a starting price of 2,299 Yuan. We can expect the price of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G in Nepal to start at NPR 45,000 if and when it launches here.
The Mi 11 Lite 4G starts at EUR 299 for the 6/64GB variant. However, there is no news about its availability.
Mi 11 Lite 5G
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB
2,299 Yuan
NPR 45,000
8/256GB
2,599 Yuan
NPR 50,000
Check out our long-term review of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite.
After all the hypes and teasers, Xiaomi has finally showcased the Mi 11 Pro and Ultra to the world. These are the most premium offering from Xiaomi to date and build on the Mi 11 that was launched last December. In this post, we will be taking a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro/Ultra in Nepal.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro, Ultra Overview:
Design and Display
Both phones feature a 6.81-inch AMOLED screen with QHD+ resolution. Like the regular Mi 11, the panel here is curved for the premium feel. The display supports an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The DotDisplay has a left-aligned circular cutout for the selfie camera.
The back panel on the Ultra is made using ceramic while the Pro model has a glass back. The ceramic back has made the Ultra thinner than the Pro (8.38 < 8.53). As expected, both phones are IP68 rated too.
The back of the Mi 11 Ultra looks completely new because of the secondary display. It is placed within the camera bump that now covers almost the 1/4th part of the rear panel.
Performance
Being the premium smartphones that they are, you’ll find the Snapdragon 888 chipset inside. It is a flagship offering from Qualcomm based on Samsung’s 5nm process. It features a total of eight cores including the 2.84GHz Cortex X1 Prime core. The Snapdragon X60 5G modem is integrated into the chip for the 5G connectivity.
Keeping the chip cool is a new cooling system that makes use of a solid-liquid phase-change thermal pad. According to the company, the thermal conductivity is 100% higher than that of traditional gels.
Camera
Here, Mi 11 Ultra flaunts a triple camera setup on the back. The primary camera here uses the 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN2 sensor. The sensor was announced last month and is a follow-up to last year’s GN1. This 1/1.12” sensor features 1.4µm individual pixels. The 4-in-1 pixel binning results in larger 2.8µm pixels. It is also the first in the ISOCELL lineup to feature a Dual Pixel Pro AF system. It is capable of recording 4K/120fps videos.
Accompanying it is a 48MP ultrawide sensor (128-degree FOV) and a 48MP telephoto lens. The latter is capable of 5X optical zoom and 120x digital zoom. The camera module even features a secondary screen that can be useful while capturing selfies from the rear camera. Similarly, it can also display notifications.
On the contrary, Mi 11 Pro features the same primary camera but has a 13MP ultrawide camera (123-degree FOV) and an 8MP telephoto lens (5x optical/50x hybrid zoom).
Rest of the specs
The 5000mAh battery on the Mi 11 Pro and Ultra is based on Silicon-Anode battery technology. Though it’s a first for a commercial smartphone, similar technology has been used in the electric automotive industries. This allows batteries to be smaller and support higher charging speeds.
According to Xiaomi, the “nano-scale silicon material” on the negative electrode of the battery increases the theoretical gram capacity by 10 times compared to the graphite anode. In terms of charging, the device supports 67W wired and wireless charging. The phone comes with dual speakers tuned by Harmon Kardon.
Security: In-display Fingerprint Scanner with heart monitoring, Face Unlock
Audio: Dual Stereo speakers by Harmon Kardon; Hi-Res Audio
Connectivity: Dual 5G standby, WiFi 6E, NFC, USB Type-C, NFC
Battery: 5000mAh with 67W fast charging, 67W Wireless Charging, 10W reverse charging
Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro and Ultra Price in Nepal
Mi 11 Pro and Ultra are now up for pre-order (sales starts April 2) in China with the base variant starting at 4,999 Yuan and 5,999 Yuan, respectively.
While it’s almost certain that Xiaomi will launch the regular Mi 11 in Nepal, we’re not sure about these. Still, if the company decides to launch them here, we expect the price of Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro and Ultra in Nepal to start at NPR 95,000 and NPR 115,000, respectively.
Smartphone Model
Memory Configurations
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Mi 11 Pro
8/128GB
4,999 Yuan
NPR 95,000
8/256GB
5,299 Yuan
NPR 100,000
12/256GB
5,699 Yuan
NPR 105,000
Mi 11 Ultra
8/256GB
5,999 Yuan
NPR 115,000
12/256GB
6,499 Yuan
NPR 125,000
12/512GB
6,999 Yuan
NPR 140,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Xiaomi Mi 10.
Finally, Nepal Rastra Bank has approved the use of prepaid dollar cards for online transactions. It had been coming for a while. And we couldn’t be more ecstatic that the day is finally here. As you might’ve known by now, the cap has been set at USD 500 per year. Now, you might be wondering how you can get the dollar prepaid cards and what they can be used for. Don’t fret, cause that’s what we’re going to get into today. So, keep on reading in order to find out how you can get the dollar prepaid card in Nepal.
How to get a Dollar Prepaid Card in Nepal?
First off, as mentioned above, the dollar prepaid card that you’ll receive from the bank will have a maximum cap of USD 500/per year. That means you cannot store more than USD 500 on that card and cannot use more than the mentioned amount throughout the year either. Furthermore, you’ll also need to mention the purpose/reason as to why you want the card.
The application for the card is pretty straightforward. If you have an account in any class ‘A’ or class ‘B’ bank then you can simply fill up a form at the bank’s counter. However, a PAN card and a KYC form are mandatory items in order to apply for the card.
Class A Commercial Banks in Nepal
Agriculture Development Bank
Himalayan Bank
Nepal Bank
Prabhu Commercial Bank
Bank of Kathmandu
Kumari Bank
Nepal Commerce and Credit Bank
Rastriya Banijya Bank
Century Commercial Bank
Laxmi Bank
Nepal Investment Bank
Sanima Bank
Citizens Bank International
Machhapuchchre Bank
Nepal SBI Bank
Siddhartha Bank
Civil Bank
Mega Bank
NIC Asia Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
Everest Bank
Nabil Bank
NMB Bank
Sunrise Bank
Global IME Bank
Nepal Bangladesh Bank
Prabhu Bank
Class B Development Banks in Nepal
Corporate Development Bank
Kamana Sewa Bikas Bank
Muktinath Bikash Bank
Shangri-la Development Bank
Excel Development Bank
Karnali Bikash Bank
Narayani Development Bank
Shine Rasunga Development Bank
Garima Bikas Bank
Lumbini Bikash Bank
Sahara Bikas Bank
Sindhu Bikas Bank
Green Development Bank
Mahalaxmi Bikash Bank
Salapa Bikash Bank
Jyoti Bikas Bank
Miteri Development Bank
Saptakoshi Development Bank
Once you submit the form at the bank, then the bank will create a linked dollar account. That is another account to hold cash in dollars that will be linked with your main account in the bank. In that account, the bank will transfer your requested amount (up to USD 500) in dollars according to the exchange rate of the day you submitted the form.
Depending upon the bank, the charges for the prepaid card will be levied. And the bank will probably provide you with the dollar card within 4-5 working days. However, some banks may also provide instant cards.
The dollar prepaid cards can only be used for online transactions. And that too on those sites that accept payment in USD (or other equivalent currency). Also not to forget, you can transfer back the dollar amount from your linked account to the main account i.e the NPR one by filling out a form in the bank.
As of now, the following banks have already started providing this service in Nepal:
Global IME Bank: Global E-com Card
Himalayan Bank: HBL Dollar Prepaid Card
Kumari Bank: Kumari $eCom Card
Machhapuchchre Bank: Machhapuchchre Dollar Card
Mahalaxmi Bikas Bank: Mahalaxmi Dollar Card
Nabil Bank: Nabil iCard
Nepal Investment Bank: NIBL vPrepaid International Card
NMB Bank: NMB Dollar Card
Prabhu Bank: Prabhu 500 Card
Siddhartha Bank: Siddhartha eCom Card
Sunrise Bank: Sunrise E-card
What’s the use?
Oh, so many. From paying for streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Spotify, Apple Music, content distribution platforms like Steam, or even buying goods from Amazon, Newegg, etc. this move from Nepal Rastra Bank opens up so many avenues. And if it wasn’t already obvious, you’re not allowed to buy any goods/services deemed illegal by the Nepal government.
For now, USD 500 might not seem like a significant amount, however, it is just the beginning. And the signs seem positive. Hopefully in the future things will improve significantly.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Lenovo Yoga 7i (2021).
A new Xiaomi product is available in the Nepalese market. The product in focus here is the new Mi Portable Bluetooth Speaker. As the name suggests, it is a compact and lightweight speaker that you can carry around easily. And the affordable price at which it has launched suggests that it can become the go-to speaker for many.
Mi Portable Bluetooth Speaker Overview
It has a compact body that measures 8.6cm in diameter and weighs just around 182 grams. The circular design kind of reminds you about the Google Home Mini. However, it is a bit bulkier than the Google Home Mini. Anyway, you can easily carry it around in your jacket pocket. Or use the stretchable loop to hang it in your backpack or wrist. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about water or dust ruining it as this speaker is IP55 water and dust resistant.
For dynamic audio, the Mi Bluetooth Speaker has a double magnetic unit. It comes with a fiber diaphragm and a passive radiator. This results in an immersive audio experience with clear medium and high frequencies. Furthermore, it supports truly wireless stereo interconnections. That means you can connect two such speakers for a stereo system experience.
As for the connection, the device supports Bluetooth 5.0. And to control the device, there is a single button on the backside. It can be used to turn on the device and to control music playback too. Finally, the device is powered by a 2000mAh battery that can last up to 10 hours. And the charging time is around 2 hours.
Mi Portable Bluetooth Speaker Price Nepal
The price of the Mi Portable Bluetooth Speaker in Nepal is Rs. 2,699 and it is available through Hukut and other authorized stores.
So, Xiaomi has launched a few new products in the Nepalese market. And among them is the Mi Beard Trimmer 1C. The device was actually launched last year in India. However, it has arrived in the Nepali market just now. This trimmer is sort of a derivative of 2019’s Mi Beard Trimmer. They have reduced the number of length settings on this one from 40 to 20. However, with COVID cases on the rise, you might want to get your hands on one of these to achieve a perfect beard look at home. So, let’s dive into the details about the Mi Beard Trimmer 1C including its price in Nepal.
Mi Beard Trimmer 1C Overview:
This new trimmer comes with an improved design over its predecessor. Therefore, it offers better grip and control. Furthermore, it is lighter and thinner so you get a controlled trim experience.
The blades on the Mi Beard Trimmer 1C are made up of stainless steel. Furthermore, they are self-sharpening blades that offer up to 0.5mm precision. Basically, the rotatory blades slide along the edge of other blades. As a result, after every rotation, the cutting edge sharpens. This mechanism helps to increase the lifespan of the blades.
The device is powered by a 600mAh battery. The claim is that the trimmer takes two hours to fully charge. And this is supposedly 75-80% efficiency in terms of the charging time in comparison to its competitors. Also, on a single charge, the trimmer can last for up to 60 minutes. Another thing to note about the Mi Beard Trimmer 1C is that it is built for cordless use only, meaning you shouldn’t actively use it while plugging it into a power source.
The price of the Mi Beard Trimmer 1C in Nepal is NPR 1,799. You can purchase Xiaomi’s Mi Beard Trimmer 1C from the company’s e-commerce partners like Daraz and Sastodeal on top of Mi authorized retail stores across Nepal.
Xiaomi Lifestyle Product
Price in Nepal
Mi Beard Trimmer 1C
NPR 1,799
Meanwhile, check out our impressions of the POCO X3 Pro.
iQOO – the gaming subbrand of Vivo has launched yet another 5G smartphone. The new iQOO Z3 is a midrange 5G device powered by the Snapdragon 768G chipset. Let’s learn more about the specs, features, expected price, and availability of iQOO Z3 5G in Nepal.
iQOO Z3 5G Overview:
Design and Display
Here, the iQOO Z3 features a 6.58–inch FHD+ display with a waterdrop notch. Its 2408 x 1080 resolution results in a pixel density of 480 PPI. The phone supports a 120Hz refresh rate too. Similarly, the touch sampling rate is listed at 180Hz. You can also enjoy HDR10 content on the iQOO Z3 5G.
The rear panel features a rectangular camera bump that encloses the triple camera setup. The physical fingerprint scanner is on the side. Thus, the rear panel is clean except for the iQOO branding. It is available in three colors – Deep Space, Nebula, and Cloud Oxygen.
Performance and Memory
iQOO Z3 is powered by the Snapdragon 768G chipset. It is based on the same architecture as the 765G but features a faster CPU (up to 2.8GHz) and faster graphics (15%). Since the Snapdragon X52 modem is integrated into the chip, the phone is 5G capable.
There is a five-layered cooling mechanism along with six temperature sensors to keep the phone’s temperature in check. iQOO claims that it can reduce the core temperature of the phone by up to 10-degree Celsius. Similarly, the company has included a bunch of features for gamers including Multi-Turbo 5.0, Hawk-Eye Display Enhancement 2.0, and 4D game vibrations.
A 64MP primary camera leads the triple camera setup at the back. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. The phone is capable of recording 4K/60 fps videos using the rear camera. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie shooter.
Fuelling the device is a 4400mAh battery with 55W fast charging support. Connectivity options include 5G, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, Type-C port, and 3.5mm headphone jack.
Battery: 4400mAh battery with 55W Charging (Type-C port)
iQOO Z3 5G Price in Nepal and Availability
iQOO Z3 5G is now available in China where the price starts at 1,699 Yuan. We expect the price of iQOO Z3 5G in Nepal to start at NPR 35,000 if and when it launches here.
iQOO Z3 5G
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
6/128GB
1,699 Yuan
NPR 35,000
8/128GB
1,799 Yuan
NPR 37,000
8/256GB
1,999 Yuan
NPR 40,000
Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of Realme X7.
Of all the brands, it was Motorola who were the first to launch a smartphone with the Snapdragon 870 chipset. The Motorola Edge S that was launched in China back in January featured this higher-clocked Snapdragon 865 chipset. And now, the phone has made its way into the global market under the Moto G100 branding. In this post, we will be taking a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Moto G100 in Nepal.
Moto G100 Overview:
Design and Display
The Moto G100 features a 6.7-inch FHD+ panel with a dual punch-hole cutout. Motorola has gone with an IPS LCD panel here. The aspect ratio here is 21:9. The display has support for a 90Hz refresh rate and HDR10 content.
At the back, the square camera module houses the quad-camera setup. You also get the Moto logo beneath it. The fingerprint scanner is mounted on the side. The phone is available in three colors – Iridescent Ocean, Iridescent Sky, and Slate Grey. Moto G100 also has a water repellent design while it lacks an official IP rating.
Performance and Memory
Like I mentioned earlier, the phone is powered by Snapdragon 870 5G chipset. It is based on last year’s Snapdragon 865 with the same process node and architecture. The only difference lies in the Prime core which is now clocked higher at 3.2GHz. It also has 5G connectivity thanks to the Snapdragon X55 modem.
Moto G100 is available with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage on this one. Similarly, the phone ships with My UX based on Android 11 out-of-the-box. As we all know, Motorola is among the few brands that use near-stock Android for their phones. Others include Google and Nokia, both of which have not launched a Snapdragon 800 series phone in a while.
Camera
The rear camera setup is led by a 64MP f/1.7 primary camera. There is a 16MP ultrawide sensor with a 117-degree FOV as well. Likewise, it also has a 2MP depth sensor and a Time of Flight sensor. The rear camera setup supports “Audio Zoom” for which you’ll need to zoom in by 2x at least. You can even record from the front and the rear cameras simultaneously.
Similarly, the setup is capable of recording up to 6K/30fps videos. The selfie set up on the front consists of a 16MP primary sensor and an 8MP ultrawide sensor.
Rest of the specs
The phone is fueled by a 5,000mAh battery and features support for 20W fast charging. A compatible charger is also included in the box. It also retains the 3.5mm headphone jack. It is placed along with the Type-C port and the speaker grille on the bottom of the screen. The phone also comes with ThinkShield for mobile technology for business users.
Motorola has even introduced the new “Ready For” platform that lets you connect an external display to the Moto G100. You can increase productivity and multitasking by adding an external desktop-like screen.
Connectivity: Hybird Dual-Sim (Nano), 5G, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz, 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, USB 3.1 Type-C with DisplayPort
Battery: 5000mAh, 20W wired charging
Moto G100 Price in Nepal and Availability
Moto G100 is now available in Europe and Latin America at a starting price of GBP 449.99. Motorola Nepal hasn’t launched a flagship phone yet but if it decides to do so, we expect the price of the Moto G100 to be around NPR 62,000.
Moto G100
Price in Europe
Price in Nepal (Expected)
8/128GB
GBP 449.99
NPR 62,000
8/256GB
TBA
–
Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of the Realme X7.
Vivo has launched its X60 series (X60, X60 Pro, and X60 Pro+) In India. Also, Vivo has partnered with Zeiss for improvements in the camera department. The X60 series limited to China as of now but now Vivo has unveiled in India too. Let’s learn more about the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Vivo X60 and Vivo X60 Pro in Nepal.
Vivo X60, X60 Pro Overview:
Design and Display
Here, the Vivo X60 and X60 Pro are some of the slimmest 5G phones in the world. Among the two, the Pro model is thicker at 7.59 mm, while the vanilla X60 measures 7.36mm. This makes it even thinner than the iPhone 12 mini (7.4mm). The AG Glass on the rear panel results in a smooth and fingerprint-free panel. There is a gradient finish on top.
On the front, both devices sport a 6.56-inch E3 AMOLED display with a resolution of 2376 x 1080 pixels. There is a punch hole on the top centre of the screen that houses the front-facing camera. The two devices come with support for a 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and HDR10+. To give it a premium look, the display on the Vivo X60 Pro is curved while the vanilla model sports a flat panel. Regardless, the new panels have been developed in collaboration with Samsung for better sunlight visibility.
Performance and Memory
While the Vivo X60 series included Samsung’s Exynos 1080 5G chipset in China, the international variant gets the Snapdragon 870 SoC. It is a slightly faster chipset compared to Exynos 1080.
In terms of memory, Vivo X60 features 8 or 12 GB of RAM which can be paired with either 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. Vivo X60 Pro, on the other hand, is available in a single memory configuration of 12/256GB. Interestingly, these phones can take up to 3GB of additional memory from the storage under heavy workloads. Vivo calls this technique “Fusion Memory” (*roughly translated from Mandarin). Both devices will ship with OriginOS based on Android 11 out-of-the-box.
Camera
Last year, Vivo introduced gimbal-like stabilization on smartphones with the X50 series. However, given the quality of the camera, the new feature could not make much impact. Therefore, Vivo has partnered with Zeiss for the lens technology on the X60 series. Prior to this, Zeiss has worked with Nokia and Sony.
The Vivo X60 series has a 48MP Sony IMX598 sensor as the primary camera. But the camera on the Pro model has a larger aperture (f/1.48 > f/1.79) and features a 7P lens. The primary camera on both devices has Vivo’s 4-axis Optical Image Stabilization and a second-gen specialized motor for the gimbal-life effect.
There is a 13MP ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree Field of View. It also doubles as a macro camera. The setup also includes a 13MP telephoto lens with 2x zoom capability. The 8MP periscope camera is exclusive to the Pro model, which is capable of 5x optical zoom. On the front, both devices feature a 32MP selfie camera.
Rest of the specs
Moving on, Vivo X60 Pro features a 4,200mAh battery and with support for 33W fast charging. On the other hand, the vanilla model has a slightly bigger battery of 4,300mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the two phones support dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC.
Back Cameras:
– 48MP Sony IMX598 primary camera, 4-axis OIS
– 13MP 120° ultra-wide sensor with 2.5cm Super Macro
– 13MP telephoto lens for 2X optical zoom
– 8MP periscope lens for 5X optical zoom (Only on X60 Pro)
Front Cameras: 32MP
Security: Fingerprint (under-display), Face Unlock
Battery: 4200mAh (X60 Pro) / 4300mAh (X60) with 33W Fast charge
Vivo X60, X60 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability
Vivo X60 and X60 Pro are now available for pre-order in India for a starting price of INR 37,990 and INR 49,990 respectively. According to our sources, Vivo is planning to launch the X60 series in Nepal as well.
Vivo X60 Series
Price in India
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Vivo X60 (8/128GB)
INR 37,990
NPR 70,000
Vivo X60 (12/256GB)
INR 41,990
NPR 76,000
Vivo X60 Pro (12/256GB)
INR 49,990
NPR 90,000
In the meanwhile, check out our review of the Vivo V20 SE.
Samsung’s annual update to its budget and mid-range phones is underway. And the Galaxy M12 that I have with me is the successor to last year’s disappointing Galaxy M11. From its display, performance to practically every other aspect besides battery, that phone under-performed. So, has Samsung turned things around with the M12? Let’s find out in this review of the Samsung Galaxy M12.
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo, USB Type-C, 4G LTE
Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity
Battery: 6000mAh with 15W fast charging
Color options: Black, Light Blue, Green
Price in Nepal: Rs. 18,499 (4/64GB) | Rs. 22,499 (6/128GB)
Samsung Galaxy M12 Review:
Design & Build
Glass front, plastic back/frame
While the Galaxy M11 had a pretty basic design (even for a budget phone), Samsung has made amends here. The Galaxy M12 features a new textured rear panel that looks refreshing, to say the least. Here, its bottom quarter goes for a smooth finish which ultimately makes for a striking design. With all this, the phone feels quite nice on the hand. Plus, it doesn’t attract many smudges or fingerprints either.
The weight distribution is fairly well balanced so you’ll have no trouble holding the phone for a long time. Having said that, if you’re used to lightweight smartphones, one will take some getting used to. Weighing 221 grams, you’ll definitely feel Galaxy M12 in your pocket. But because of its ergonomic design, as I mentioned earlier, the phone’s easy on the hand.
Fast fingerprint sensor
Moving on, the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor of the M11 has been shifted to the side which adds to the redesigned aesthetics. And I’m honestly pretty surprised at how fast it is. It doesn’t let you scroll the notification center but for its core purpose, Samsung has hit the bull’s eye here.
Ports, Buttons
1 of 3
Buttons
SIM slot
Ports
The only thing that bothers me with this design is how disproportionately the LED flash is laid out. Simply enclosing inside the camera module itself would’ve looked more visually pleasing. Anyway, the volume rockers click well and require a little struggle to get to. The left frame stays mostly clean except for the SIM tray while you’ll find the headphone jack, USB Type-C port, and the solitary speaker grille on the bottom.
Display
6.5-inches HD+ PLS LCD screen
90Hz refresh rate, Infinity-V notch
Moving on to the display, things don’t look that good on Galaxy M12—quite literally. It’s still a PLS LCD screen with an HD+ resolution so I didn’t have high expectations going into the review of the Samsung Galaxy M12. Feels like the company could’ve given an AMOLED screen here, so this compromise is really saddening.
Moreover, the company also decided to shift from the modern punch-hole cutout to an Infinity-V design. Weird. Had Samsung gone for an FHD display or an AMOLED panel, this move would’ve been understandable but at this point, it just feels like the company is being unnecessarily withholding.
Unappetizing display
And the bigger question is whether it can afford to make such cutbacks at a time when its direct competitors like Xiaomi are offering sharper FHD display at a similar price-point. Still, this 6.5” screen isn’t entirely terrible to look at. That’s major thanks to the 90Hz smoothness as well.
The viewing angles are decent and it can get fairly bright enough as well, although the former could’ve used a little work. As expected, the colors look muted but that’s pretty common for an LCD screen on budget phones. Galaxy M12’s system-wide dark mode is pretty well-implemented and somehow adds a certain value to this otherwise mediocre screen.
Even though it only has an HD resolution, I couldn’t notice any sort of pixelation issue and for the most part, the content on the display looks pretty sharp. All in all, while the Galaxy M12 doesn’t host a particularly bad display, there’s certainly some room for improvement.
Performance
Octa-core Samsung Exynos 850 SoC (8nm)
3/4/6GB RAM with up to 128GB storage (expandable)
In terms of performance, Samsung has turned into the in-house Exynos 850 on this phone. It is an efficiency-focused chipset that features eight Cortex-A55 cores which we know can’t deliver much in terms of sheer power. However, because it is manufactured under an 8nm process, you won’t find more energy-efficient silicon on other similarly priced phones.
Still, while you will struggle to drain the phone’s battery, don’t expect top-tier performance on the Galaxy M12 relative to Helio G-series powered phones. Let’s take a look at some benchmarks scores compared to POCO M2 powered by Helio G80:
Galaxy M12
POCO M2
Androbench
Sequential Read
310.92 MB/s
312.58 MB/s
Sequential Write
237.72 MB/s
255.92 MB/s
AnTuTu v8
Total
135174
204202
CPU
46393
73222
GPU
23011
43089
Memory
38003
44402
UX
27767
43489
Geekbench 5
CPU (Single Core)
179
344
CPU (Multi-Core)
968
1348
Compute (OpenCL)
646
1152
PCMark (Work 2.0 Performance)
5250
8846
3DMark (Wild Life Stress Test: Best Loop)
427
N/A
The results speak for themselves, don’t they? To cope with the fairly underpowered silicon, Samsung has installed One UI Core here instead of the full-fledged One UI. This is nothing of a dealbreaker but it does lack a few features like Secure Folder. But more importantly, it runs on One UI Core 3.1 based on Android 11 out-of-the-box which should be a lesson to all OEMs who are still shipping their phones with Android 10-based OS skin. Looking at you, Realme.
Here, Galaxy M12 handles lightweight apps pretty well and that’s including some multitasking too. In terms of memory, the phone is available in 3, 4, or 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB storage.
Gaming Experience
When it comes to gaming, you can play a handful of demanding titles in a controlled setting. Call of Duty Mobile runs well under Medium graphics and High frame rate but there are a couple of stutters now and then. Similarly, PUBG Mobile can be cranked to Balanced graphics and Ultra frame rate or HD graphics and High frame rate. I preferred playing in the former setting as bumping the graphics results in a rather stuttery performance.
But the more important thing here is that even after about 40 minutes of gaming, the phone doesn’t heat up that bad. Moving on, other relatively less demanding games like Mobile Legends, Clash Royale, and Injustice 2 are smooth enough to be playable.
Asphalt 9 is surprisingly unplayable at High-Quality settings but the performance mode shifts gears back to normal. Oh, by the way, Samsung’s similarly-priced Galaxy A12 is almost identical to the M12 but is powered by an even inferior Helio P35 SoC. Really unsure about this decision, to be honest.
Galaxy M12’s cameras, on the other hand, are pretty good. It boasts a 48MP primary lens followed by a 5MP ultra-wide, a 2MP depth, and a 2MP macro sensor. Upfront, you get an 8MP selfie shooter inside the aforementioned Infinity-V notch. To reach a verdict about the quality of the cameras of Samsung Galaxy M12 for this review, I compared it against the Redmi 9 Power that has a similar camera setup.
Normal Images
Starting with the normal images, M12 can produce comparatively better-looking shots under a well-lit environment.
Normal
1 of 6
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
It retains excellent details while the colors are close-to-natural. On the other hand, photos from Redmi 9 Power tend to look a little washed out and lacking in terms of dynamic range.
Wideangle Images
On the contrary, wideangle shots, however, aren’t that good on the M12 as its 5MP images have low details and sharpness.
Wideangle
1 of 8
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
On the other hand, the Redmi 9 Power can deliver slightly better-looking shots in terms of details. Still, they are slightly over-saturated and have a narrower field of view.
Portrait Images
In terms of portrait images, once again, the Galaxy M12 comes off victorious. Edge-detection is similar on both phones but the M12 handles exposure way better.
Portrait
1 of 8
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Having said that, on certain occasions, we can clearly notice Redmi 9 Power struggling to distinguish the subject from the background. Also, subjects look slightly yellowish here while the overall shot turns out a-bit over-sharpened and bluish.
Macro Images
Here, the macro shots aren’t worth discussing much as both phones are defeated on this front.
Macro
1 of 4
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
On certain occasions, the Galaxy M12 fails to shoot somewhat natural-looking colors while the Redmi 9 Power does the same in other instances.
Selfie Images
Moving on, selfies from the Galaxy M12 look way better too.
Selfie
1 of 4
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
From the subject’s skin tone, details, to maintaining background exposure, photos come out a little better on the M12.
Portrait Selfie
1 of 6
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
Galaxy M12
Redmi 9 Power
It’s the same in terms of portrait selfies as well.
Nighttime Images
Nighttime shots from this phone aren’t that great though. It particularly struggles in terms of lens flare when there’s a direct light source in the frame.
Galaxy M12 - Nighttime
1 of 4
More importantly, there’s no dedicated night mode either. As a result, photos taken in a dimly-lit environment are grainy and lacking in terms of detail.
Videography
When it comes to videos, the Galaxy M12 is locked up to 1080p/30fps from both front and back cameras. There’s no form of stabilization either so the recordings are strictly average.
Battery
6000mAh battery with 15W fast charging
Apart from great cameras, the Samsung Galaxy M12 is an absolute beast in terms of battery life. Featuring a massive 6000mAh cell, even under heavy load with multiple hours of gaming, I was able to get more than 9 hours of screen-on-time.
That easily makes this a 2-day phone to those with a less demanding usage pattern. But juicing up this battery with the 15W charger easily takes around 3 hours to get it from 0 to 100%.
Audio
3.5mm headphone jack, Dolby Audio
If you intend to primarily use Galaxy M12 for content consumption, its audio performance won’t necessarily disappoint either. The single bottom-firing speaker gets loud enough although there’s not much to talk about in terms of details. Plus, it also supports Dolby Audio, but only when you have a wired/wireless earphone connected.
Conclusion
To conclude this review, the Samsung Galaxy M12 is a decent upgrade over the M11. The company has worked on improving the design while providing better cameras, performance, and battery life as well. Still, this phone is haunted by Samsung’s familiar ghost—lack of an exemplary level of performance.
As a result, the M12 is just not a perfect budget phone that you would hope for. Its display and performance aren’t as good as the competition. But again, you do get better camera performance and software support. So, unlike the Galaxy M11 from last year, I would recommend this phone to certain users.
Keeping the chip cool is a new cooling system that makes use of a solid-liquid phase-change thermal pad. According to the company, the thermal conductivity is 100% higher than that of traditional gels.
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