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Samsung Galaxy M21s with 64MP triple camera launched

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Samsung has just unveiled its latest mid-range M-series smartphone in Brazil. The new smartphone is no one other than the Galaxy M21s. Let’s take a look at the specifications, features, expected price, availability of Samsung Galaxy M21s in Nepal.

Samsung Galaxy M21s Overview

The model number of the M21s (SM F415FZKBZTO) confirms that it is indeed the Galaxy F41 in a 4/64GB memory configuration. Both the device are rebrands of the Galaxy M31 that is available in Nepal.

Design and Display

Design-wise, there is not much that separates the new Galaxy M21s from the vanilla model. Both feature a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED FHD+ panel with Infinity-U notch that holds the front camera. The display is housed inside a polycarbonate body. The volume rockers and power button are on the right side while the SIM card tray is on the left side of the phone. Samsung Galaxy M21s Design

At the back, we get to see the rectangular camera bump on the top left corner. It’s home to a triple camera setup. Even though the device has a Super AMOLED display, Samsung has still gone with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Performance and Memory

Nothing has been upgraded in the chipset department as well. Samsung has gone with the same Exynos 9611 chipset that it has used in the majority of its mid-range phones in 2020. The chipset based on the 10nm FinFET process consists of four Cortex A73 cores (up to 2.3GHz) and four Cortex A53 cores (up to 1.7 GHz). It can get you through the day to day tasks. However, when it comes to gaming, it is well below the Helio G90T and Snapdragon 720G which the competitors are offering in the mid-range segment.

Talking about the memory, only the 4+64GB variant has been confirmed now. However, we expect Samsung to release a 6+128GB variant as well. The storage can be expanded up to 128GB using an external microSD card.

Camera

Galaxy M21s features a triple camera setup on the back. The primary here has a 64MP sensor instead of the 48MP one that is on the regular M21. The rest of the setup has remained unchanged. There is an 8MP camera with a wider FOV. There is also a dedicated 5MP sensor for the depth sensor. On the front, Samsung has upgraded the 20MP selfie camera to up to 32MP. Samsung Galaxy M21s rear panel

Rest of the specs

Samsung Galaxy M21s has a monstrous battery of 6000mAh with support for 15W fast charging. There is a rear-mounted physical fingerprint sensor for biometrics. Connectivity options include USB 2.0 Type-C port, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

Samsung Galaxy M21s Specifications:

  • Body: 159.2 x 75.1 x 8.9mm; 191 gm
  • Display: 6.4-inches Super AMOLED panel
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 19.5:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset: Exynos 9611; 10nm Mobile Platform
  • CPU: Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53)
  • GPU: Mali-G72 MP3
  • RAM: 4GB
  • Storage: 64GB UFS 2.1 (expandable using SD card)
  • Software & UI: Samsung’s One UI 2.0 on top of Android 10
  • Rear Camera: Triple camera;
    – 64MP primary shooter
    – 8MP ultra-wide lens
    – 5MP depth sensor
    – Single LED flash
  • Front Camera: 32MP
  • Security: Physical fingerprint scanner
  • Audio: 5mm headphone jack, Dolby Atmos
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou/Galileo, USB Type-C
  • Battery: 6000mAh with 15W fast charging

Samsung Galaxy M21s Price in Nepal and Availability

Samsung Galaxy M21s is now available in Brazil for R$1,699 for the 4/64GB variant. The company recently dropped the price of Galaxy M21 in Nepal. We think Samsung is preparing for new launches which in this case could be the Galaxy M21s. We expect the price of Samsung Galaxy M21s in Nepal to be under Rs. 30,000.

Smartphone Model Price in Brazil Price in Nepal (Expected)
Samsung Galaxy M21s R$ 1,699 NPR 30,000
  • Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy M31. 

Samsung Nepal announces a price drop of up to Rs. 1,500 on Galaxy M21 and M31

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On the occasion of Tihar, Samsung Nepal has announced a cashback offer of up to Rs. 1,500 on two of its most popular mid-range smartphones. Under this scheme, Samsung Nepal has announced a price drop on Galaxy M21 and Galaxy M31.

The new starting price of the Samsung M21 and M31 in Nepal is Rs. 21,999 and Rs. 29,999 respectively. Since the two devices are nearing their End of Life (EOL) period, we expect the price cut to be permanent. It may even be a hint that Samsung is preparing new smartphones in Nepal. Because of it, Galaxy M21 and M31 are even more affordable making the deal even more tempting for potential buyers.

Overview

For the most part, Samsung Galaxy M21 and M31 are similar devices. The only major difference is the camera setup. Samsung Galaxy M21 flaunts a triple camera setup on the back. It consists of a 48MP primary camera accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and a 5MP depth sensor.  The M31 betters it with a 64MP primary sensor and an additional 5MP macro sensor. Similarly, it has a 32MP front camera compared to a 20MP camera on the Galaxy M21.

The two devices are powered by Exynos 9611, which actually falls behind what the competitors are offering at the price range. Other than that, the M21 and M31 are a good overall package. Both device sports 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. The displays are Widevine L1 certified. M21 and M31 ship with One UI 2.0 on top of Android 10.

Both phones come with a big 6,000mAh battery with support for 15W fast charging via Type-C port. For biometrics, they have a rear-mounted physical fingerprint scanner. They also support Dolby Atmos via the 3.5 headphone jack.

Samsung Galaxy M21, M31 Specifications:

  • Display: 6.4-inches Super AMOLED panel; 403PPI; Gorilla Glass 3
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 19.5:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset: Exynos 9611; 10nm Mobile Platform
  • CPU: Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53)
  • GPU: Mali-G72 MP3
  • Software & UI: Samsung’s One UI 2.0 on top of Android 10
  • Rear Camera:
    – 48/64MP primary shooter
    – 8MP ultra-wide lens
    – 5MP depth sensor
    – 5MP macro sensor (only in M31)
  • Front Camera: 20/32MP lens
  • Security: Physical capacitative fingerprint scanner (rear-mounted)
  • Audio: 5mm headphone jack, Dolby Atmos
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BDS, USB Type-C
  • Battery: 6000mAh with 15W fast charging

Samsung Galaxy M21, M31 Price in Nepal

After the price drop, the new price of the Samsung Galaxy M21 in Nepal is Rs. 21,999 and Rs. 25,999 for the 4/64GB and 6/128GB, respectively. Similarly, the Samsung Galaxy M31 starts at Rs. 29,999 for the 6/128GB variant, while the 8/128GB has a price tag of Rs. 34,499.

Smartphone Model
Old Price New Price
Galaxy M21 (4/64GB) NPR 22,999 NPR 21,999
Galaxy M21 (6/128GB) NPR 27,499 NPR 25,999
Galaxy M31 (6/128GB) NPR 30,999 NPR 29,999
Galaxy M31 (8/128GB) NPR 35,699 NPR 34,999

Poco launches C3 in Nepal: Best phone under Rs. 15,000?

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Just some days ago, Poco teased that it is making a return to the Nepali market. The company today announced two devices that will soon hit the stores around you. The cheapest of the two is the Poco C3. In this post, we will be taking a look at the specs, features, official price, and availability of the “Game Changer” Poco C3 in Nepal.

Poco C3 Overview

Design and Display

Poco C3 DesignPoco C3 features a 6.53-inch HD+ display. It sports a waterdrop notch to house the selfie camera. The panel sports an HD+ resolution and a tall aspect ratio of 20:9. The display on the Poco C3 is reading mode certified by the TUV Rheinland.

At the back, Poco has included a dual-tone color scheme. It also houses the square camera module. Unlike the Redmi 9C that the device is based on, the Poco C3 does not have a fingerprint scanner. Similarly, the device is P2i certified against minor splashes.

Performance and Software

Here, the phone packs in Helio G35 SoC. It’s a budget-oriented gaming chipset from MediaTek. Thus, it supports HyperEngine Technology that manages the resources intelligently for a lag-free experience. As of now, only the 4/64GB variant will be available in Nepal.

MediaTek Helio G35

Poco C3 ships with MIUI 12 based on Android 10. The highlight here is the Poco Clean Experience which provides an ad-free experience to the users. Also, the company claims to have optimized the MIUI launcher and improved the responsiveness of the system animation.

Camera

Poco C3 camera setup

At the back, the triple camera setup is enclosed inside the square camera module along with the LED flash. The setup is led by a 13MP camera sensor. It is joined by a 2MP portrait camera and another 2MP sensor for macro shots. The rear camera setup supports Phase Detection AF, AI Scene Detection, and Face Recognition. On the front, the waterdrop notch encloses the 5MP selfie camera.

Rest of the specs

The whole setup is powered by a 5,000mAh battery, which the company claims can deliver up to 2 hours of battery endurance on normal usage. Poco is also claiming a 25% longer battery lifespan on this device because of the Better Battery 2.0. The device supports 10W charging and Poco has included a 380V surge protection charger with the device. Similarly, the ports are also made from corrosion-proof materials. Poco C3 Better Battery 2.0

Poco C3 Specifications:

  • Dimension: 164.9 x 77.1 x 9mm; 194g
  • Display: 6.53-inch In-cell LCD display; Panda Glass Screen Protection
  • Resolution: HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels); 20:9
  • Chipset: Mediatek Helio G35
  • CPU: Octa-Core (8 x 2.3 GHz Cortex A53)
  • GPU: Imagination PowerVR GE8320
  • RAM: 3/4GB
  • Storage: 32/64GB eMMC 5.1 (expandable with SD card)
  • OS: Android 10 with MIUI 12 on top
  • Rear Camera: Triple;
    – 13MP rear camera, f/2.2, 1.0μm
    – 2MP macro camera, 1.75μm
    – 2MP depth sensor, 1.75μm
    – LED flash
  • Front Camera: 5MP front-facing camera, 2.2μm
  • Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, Micro USB 2.0, A-GPS/GLONASS, Beidou
  • Battery: 5000mAh, 10W charging via Micro USB
  • Colors: Arctic Blue, Matte Black, Lime Green

Poco C3 Price in Nepal and Availability

The official price of Poco C3 in Nepal is Rs. 14,999 for the 4/64GB. Similarly, the low-end 3/32GB variant of the Poco C3 costs Rs. 13,999,

Smartphone Model
Price in Nepal (Official) Availability
Poco C3 (3/32GB) NPR 13,999 Offline & Online markets
Poco C3 (4/64GB) NPR 14,999 Offline & Online markets

Yesyou read that right. Poco, an online-exclusive brand up until now, will cater to its customer via the offline market in Nepal. With this, we have another contender for the best smartphone under Rs. 15,000 in Nepal. The device is a rebranded version of the Redmi 9C, which has been our top pick in that particular price range.

Users will have to decide on which features they want the most. Poco C3 comes with an extra gigabyte of RAM, an ad-free UI experience, and Better Battery 2.0. On the other hand, Redmi 9C comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, which is absent on the C3.

  • Check out our review of the Poco X3.

Razer Book 13 launched as the brand’s first ultrabook for productivity

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There is no doubt Razer is among the biggest gaming brand out there. It specializes in gaming hardware, software, and system. However, the company has now launched a new its first non-gaming laptopthe Razer Book 13. With this, it looks like Razer is trying to penetrate into the Ultrabook market. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Razer Book 13 in Nepal.

Razer Book 13 Overview

Design and Display

Talking about the design, Razer Book 13 looks quite similar to Blade Stealth 13. It sports a portable unibody design. The chassis is made from CNC anodized aluminum, while the whole thing weighs around 1.34 kg. Razer Book 13 Design

As the name implies, Razer Book 13 features a 13.4-inch display with a four-sided thin bezel. Users can choose between FHD and UHD resolution. Further, there is a touch and non-touch option for the FHD variant. On the other hand, the UHD variant only has the touch option. Irrespective of the configuration, the display in the Razer Book 13 comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection.

Performance and Memory

The base variant of Razer Book 13 is powered by Intel’s Tiger Lake Core i5-1135G7. It should be the first time that the brand is offering the option of Core i5 on its laptop. Thus, the company is advertising it as an exclusive variant. The other two models are powered by Core i7-1165G7.

There is no discrete graphics and users have to make use of the Intel Xe Graphics that comes with Intel’s 11 Gen Core 5 and Core 7 processors. While it may not match more powerful discrete GPUs, Intel claims that the new Xe graphic units are up to twice as powerful as its predecessor. Users can also buy Razer Core X separately to connect an external GPU to the laptop.

Razer has also included a Vapor Chamber cooling system that cools the device as you go through more demanding tasks. As far as the memory is concerned, the laptop will come with 16GB of RAM (dual-channel) and 512GB SSD storage. The Exclusive version has only 8GB of RAM that is paired with 256GB of SSD.

Intel Evo certification

Talking about productivity, the Core i7 models of the Razer Book 13 are Intel Evo certified. The Exclusive model doesn’t have it as the certifications require the laptop to have a touch display. Evo certification ensures longer battery life (Razer claims endurance of up to 14 hours), instant wake and resumes feature, quick recharge (30 minutes ~ 4 hours usage), and best-in-class connectivity (Wi-Fi 6 and Thunderbolt 4).

Rest of the specs

Like the Blade Stealth 13, the Razer Book 13 comes with the Per-Key RGB Backlit Keyboard. The keyboard is powered by Razer Chroma RGC and users can personalize the lighting of each key as per their style. The sound system on the laptop is backed by THX Spatial Audio. For biometric, the laptop comes with Windows Hello facial recognition. Getting to I/O, you get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB Type-A port, a full-size HDMI port, a MicroSD slot, and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo port. Per Key RGB Backlit Keyboard

Accessories

If users want to make the most out of the Razer Book 13, they can also buy separate accessories from Razer. The company is promoting the Razer Laptop Stand and Razer Core X on the product page of the Razer Book 13. The former offers an inclination to up to 18-degree, while the latter uses one of the Thunderbolt ports and allows users to connect a discrete GPU.

Razer Book 13 Specifications:

  • Design and Build: Anodized Aluminum unibody, Mercury with Tone-on-tone Razer logo
  • Dimensions: 15.15 x 198.50 x 295.60 mm
  • Weight: 1.34 kg (6.06 pounds)
  • Display: 13.4″ 4-sided Slim bezels, touch/non-touch display, 60Hz, 178-degree viewing angle
  • Resolution: FHD / UHD
  • Keyboard: Pre-Key RGB Keyboard powered by Razer Chroma
  • Processor: Intel 11 Gen Core i5 – 1135G7 / Core i7 – 1165G7
  • Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • RAM: 8/16GB (dual-channel, fixed)
  • Storage: 256/512GB SSD
  • Webcam: 720p Webcam with IR for Windows Hello
  • Audio: 2 speakers + Smart AMP, THX Spatial Audio, 4 mic Array
  • Connectivity: Intel Wireless-AX 201 (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ax), Bluetooth 5.1
  • Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 1x USB Type-A port, 1x HDMI port 2.0, 1x MicroSD slot and 1X 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo port.
  • Battery: 55 Watt-hours
  • Adapter: 65 Watts

Razer Book 13 Price and Availability in Nepal

Razer Book 13 has been launched with a starting price of $1,199.99 for the base variant. The Core i7 variants costs $1,599.99 and $1,999.99 for UHD and FHD (touch) variant respectively. We can expect the price of Razer Book 13 in Nepal to start at NPR 1,50,000 if it launches here.

Razer Book 13 Variants Price (US) Price in Nepal (Expected)
FHD non-touch (Core i5-1135G7, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, FHD non-touch) $1,199.99 NPR 1,50,000
FHD Touch (Core i7-1165G7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Intel Evo) $1,599.99 NPR 2,00,000
UHD Touch (Core i7-1165G7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Intel Evo) $1,999.99 NPR 2,50,000
  • Check out our review of the MSI GE66 Raider gaming laptop.

Xiaomi launches Mi Box 4S Pro with support for 8K video playback

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Xiaomi launched Mi Box 4S just a few months ago and the company has already launched its Pro variant in China. The Xiaomi Mi Box 4S Pro improves on some aspects over the vanilla variant, of which the most notable is the support for 8K video playback. Let’s learn more about the new Mi Box 4S Pro, including its specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.

Mi Box 4S Pro Overview

Design

The design of the Mi Box 4S Pro is quite similar to the Mi Box 4S. However, the former is only available in White color option. It is a square box with its corners round. Mi logo is stamped on the top surface. One can also notice the groove that goes around the box except for the back where Xiaomi has included all the ports. Xiaomi Mi Box 4S Pro Design

Internal Specs

The main talking point of the new box is the 8K video decoding capability. The Mi Box 4S Pro supports 8K video playback. The vanilla model only supported 4K video playback. Similarly, Xiaomi has also upgraded the HDMI interface from 2.0 to 2.1. The company has not talked about the processor and GPU so, it is likely to be the same Quad-core A53 cores paired with Mali 450 that was on the Mi Box 4S. The RAM has remained the same at 2GB but the internal storage has been bumped from 8GB to 16GB. Since Mi Box 4S Pro is only available in China, it ships with MIUI for TV. However, the company should switch to Android TV, if and when Xiaomi launches it outside the domestic market.

Ports Selection

While Xiaomi has not provided any further details, the listing of the product in Xiaomi’s Chinese store confirms the presence of a USB port. The USB port along with the HDMI port, AV port, and power-in is placed at the back of the device. Mi Box 4S Pro Port Selection

Xiaomi Mi Box 4S Pro Price in Nepal and Availability

Mi Box 4S Pro is now available in China where its price is 399 Yuan. According to Android Authority, the company is not planning to launch it outside anytime soon. However, should it launch here in Nepal, we expect the price to be around NPR 8,000.

TV Box Price (China) Price in Nepal (Expected)
Mi Box 4S Pro 399 Yuan NPR 8,000
  • Check out our review of the Poco X3.

Daraz announces South Asian Ludo Tournament among other contests for 11.11

As Daraz is getting ready for the biggest online shopping festival of the year, the e-commerce platform has announced many promotional campaigns and contests. One of them being the Ludo Tournament where competitors from four different countries including Nepal will compete against each other in a game of Ludo for exciting gifts. Let’s learn more about the South Asian Ludo tournament and other contests by Daraz, including the dates, rules, prizes, and the rest of the terms and conditions.

South Asian Ludo Tournament by Daraz

Daraz will host the inter-country Ludo tournament between November 11 and 13. The competition will take place on Daraz’s official Android app. The entry is open for nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

Talking about prizes, the winner (if from Nepal) can win Daraz vouchers up to NPR 15,000. The best performing player from Nepal will win a new Titan watch worth up to 25K. Similarly, the second-best performing player will receive exclusive gifts from Vans and Erke. Finally, the third-best performing player will win gifts from Alpha Home.

You can register for the tournament by clicking on the Ludo tournament banned inside the Daraz app.

Mission 11:11

Daraz Mission 11.11 2020

Under Mission 11:11, users will be assigned 11 daily tasks, which upon completion, will yield different rewards and prizes. The Mission 11.11 section on the Daraz app will have the list of the missions between 1st and 13th November. To take part, login to Daraz App, click on the Daraz Mission 11.11 banner, and start completing the listed missions. Note that you can only complete one mission per day. Users can track their progress by entering their email address. Grand Prizes include Whirlpool Microwave (worth Rs. 19,000) and Xage Tablet (worth Rs. 8500). To be eligible for the grand prize, users must have completed at least 11 missions.

Add To Cart & Win

Daraz Add to cart and win contest

The third contest on this list is the Add To Cart & Win. Under this scheme, customers will have to add products for their desire from the “Add to Cart and Win” page to their cart. Daraz will select 7-11 winners on a daily basis. These winners will take home the product for free. It is valid from November 1st up to November 12th. Winners will be announced on Add to Cart Page on the Daraz app.

  • Check out our review of the POCO X3.

Do Your Data Overview: Data Recovery Tool for Windows and MacOS

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I bet that every one of us has been in a situation in which we have lost important data from our computer. Be it a result of human error, malware attack, or system/software failure we have all been there. There are plenty of tools on the internet that claims to fully recover your data. But not every one of them tend to keep up their promise, and some are too complex for normal people to use. In this post, we’ll be taking a look at the Do You Data Recovery Toola fast and easy tool that you can use to recover your lost data.

What is Do Your Data Recovery Tool?

Do Your Data is a premium data recovery tool that is available for both Windows and Mac users. It can recover a wide range of files such as photos, videos, emails, archives, audio, folders, and documents. The tool can come in handy in case of data loss due to accidental deletion, formatting, partition loss, software crash, power failure, and even virus infection.

File Types Supported:

File Type Supported Formats
Document DOC/DOCX, XLS/XLSX, PPT/PPTX, PDF, CWK, HTML/HTM, INDD, EPS, etc.
Image JPG/JPEG, TIFF/TIF, PNG, BMP, GIF, PSD, CRW, CR2, NEF, ORF, RAF, SR2, MRW, DCR, WMF, DNG, ERF, RAW, SWF, SVG, etc.
Video AVI, MOV, MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, MKV, ASF, FLV, SWF, MPG, RM/RMVB, MPEG, etc.
Audio AIF/AIFF, M4A, MP3, WAV, WMA, APE, MID/MIDI, OGG, AAC, RealAudio, VQF etc.
Email PST, DBX, EMLX, EML, MSG etc.
Other Such as Archives(ZIP, RAR, SIT, ISO etc.), EXE, html etc.

System Requirement:

Windows Mac
OS version
  • Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000
  • Windows Server 2019, 2016, 2012, 2008, 2003
  • macOS 11.0, 10.15, 10.14, 10.13,10.12
  •  Mac OS X 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, 10.8, 10.7
  •  OS X Server
File System FAT 12/16/32, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS 5, ext 2/3/4, ReFS FAT 12/16/32, exFAT, HFS+, HFS +, NTFS/NTFS +, ext 2/3/4, APFS
Disk Space at least 60 MB at least 60 MB

How to use Do Your Data Recovery Tool?

First, head over to the official site (Windows, Mac) and download the appropriate version of the tool depending upon your computer’s OS platform. Or, you can use the link given below:

Complete the installation process and launch the software. You will be prompted to select the hard drive that housed your lost data. After selecting the drive, hitting scan will complete a quick scan of the device. For better results, you will have to select the advanced scan option. The scan will take some time to conclude but it will give better results. However, users are allowed to pause and even stop the scan process as per their convenience.

Once completed, the search results can be filtered according to the path, file type, and time. Users can select the files that they need and hit the Recover button. The tool does not recommend saving files on the same drive where they were originally saved. Users can even choose to store the recovered files on a storage media.

The neat thing about this tool is that you can export your search result whenever you don’t have enough time to go through all the search results. Whenever you are free, you can import the search result and recover items that you couldn’t recover during the initial search.

Redmi 9C Review: Budget Phone Done Right

It’s a story like every other. Xiaomi has remained unbeatable in the budget and mid-range smartphone segment in Nepal when it comes to pricing. Time-and-again, Xiaomi phones manage to take the top spot in our pick for best devices under different price ranges. And here, the Redmi 9C is yet another fine addition to the company’s lineup of budget smartphones. Let’s discover more about the Xiaomi Redmi 9C in this review.

Redmi 9C Specifications:

  • Body: 6.49 x 3.03 x 0.35-inches, 196gm
  • Display: 6.53-inches “Dot Drop” IPS LCD, 88.84% screen-to-body ratio, 270 PPI, 1500:1 contrast ratio, 70.8% NTSC color coverage
  • Resolution: HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels), 19:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset: MediaTek Helio G35 (12nm mobile platform)
  • CPU: Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A53)
  • GPU: PowerVR GE8320
  • RAM: 2/3GB LPDDR4x RAM
  • Storage: 32/64GB eMMC 5.1 internal storage (expandable)
  • Software & UI: MIUI 12 on top of Android 10
  • Rear Camera: Triple-camera;
    – 13MP, f/2.2 primary lens
    – 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
    – 2MP, f/2.4 macro sensor
    – LED flash
  • Front Camera: 5MP, f/2.0 lens (notch)
  • Security: Physical Fingerprint Scanner (rear-mounted)
  • Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, Speakers
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / A-GPS / Glonass / Beidou, micro USB 2.0, 4G LTE
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Distance, Ambient Light
  • Battery: 5000mAh with 10W charging (18W fast charge support)
  • Colors: Midnight Gray, Sunrise Orange, Twilight Blue
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 12,999 (2/32GB) | Rs. 14,999 (3/64GB)

Redmi 9C Review:

Display

  • 6.53-inches HD+ IPS LCD panel
  • Fair enough quality for the price

Now, being a budget device, the display here is nothing extra. It’s an LCD HD+ panel with 270 PPI. Good thing is that it’s a big screen, so even budget users get to enjoy the perks of a huge display. About the quality of it, you will notice that videos look a bit on the softer side, but the colors are natural.

Redmi 9C - Display [2]

So, it’s good enough for viewing content. Redmi 9C’s display is sufficiently bright too even for outdoor usage. During the review, I compared the display of Redmi 9C against the Infinix Hot 9 Play. As it turns out, the former is not as bright as the latter. But that’s just me nitpicking. Overall, it’s a good display for the price.

Design

  • Plastic build material
  • Textured finish at the back

The design of the Redmi 9C speaks “budget” with the entire phone being made of plastic. It has this textured design that helps prevent smudges on it and the phone is well built too. Its big form factor does not make it suitable for one-handed usage but it’s not one of those “uncomfortable to hold” phones, so I am okay with that.

The square-shaped camera module at the back looks different in a good way and you have a fingerprint sensor below it, which as I stated earlier is the only thing that differentiates this phone and the Poco C3. The sensor does a good job but the thing is it’s weirdly smaller than other sensors that we are used to seeing. But again, it’s not that big of a deal I guess.

Redmi 9C - Design

I have this “Sunrise Orange” color variant of it which I am not a huge fan of. I prefer subtle color options, but this one’s definitely good for someone who is into vibrant colors on smartphones. On the top you get a headphone jack and down below you have a speaker grille, a microphone, and a micro USB port.

Considering its budget nature, I do understand Xiaomi’s choice for a traditional micro USB port. I just hope in 2021, all devices shift to USB-C, once and for all. And by the way, you get a dedicated slot for SIM and microSD card here which is a good thing.

Performance

  • Octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 SoC (12nm)
  • 2/3GB LPDDR4x RAM with up to 64GB internal storage (expandable)
  • MIUI 12 on top of Android 10

Talking of performance, we get the entry-level Helio G35 manufactured on a 12nm process coupled with PowerVR GE8320 GPU. I have the 3GB RAM version which did not bug me for my everyday social media and general usage. For gaming though, the entry-level PowerVR GE8320 does not run demanding games like PUBG very well even in the most basic of settings.

Redmi 9C - Display [1]

So, I switched to PUBG Lite and got a much smoother experience with the graphics set to smooth and extreme frame rates. Having said that, COD is playable in low graphics and high frame rates without much frame drops. But if you are someone who only involves in light gaming, this phone will fare you well.

MIUI 12

Onto the software side of things, Redmi 9C runs on MIUI 12.0.5 based on Android 10. And although it’s appreciable that Xiaomi is shipping this device with its latest software, MIUI 12 feels a little heavy and overpowering on this phone. You can feel the phone lagging when you open the control center and navigating around the phone seems a little slow too, especially when using it after some idle time.

Yet, Xiaomi does give you the option to change the control center to its previous version by going to the display settings. And the good thing is that Redmi 9C is already running on September’s security patch and I hope for faster updates in the future too. Like with the majority of budget and mid-range Xiaomi phones, you are greeted with unpleasant ads in the UI and default apps. You don’t have the option to turn it off altogether but you can always use other third-party apps if the ads in default apps feel annoying to you.

Cameras

  • Triple cameras at the back
  • (13MP primary, 2MP depth, 2MP macro)
  • 5MP selfie camera inside the teardrop notch

Now, let’s talk about the cameras of the Redmi 9C. You get a triple camera setup at the back consisting of a 13MP primary, a 2MP depth, and a 2MP macro sensor and for the price, these sensors definitely do justice, except for the macro lens.

Macro Images

But of course, I think a macro sensor is not a necessary addition, to begin with.

Then again, if you like to play around with macro cameras, this one is strictly average.

Normal Images

With good lighting, the primary camera images look natural, sharp, and have good contrast in them.

Also, I found its dynamic range to be better than the Infinix Hot 9 Play which I had used previously.

Portrait Images

In fact, I found the portraits on the Redmi 9C to be better than the Hot 9 Play in edge detection and exposure in subjects.

Selfie Images

Redmi 9C’s front houses a 5MP selfie camera. Like with the back cameras, the selfie camera also works well in good lighting.

Edge detection in portrait selfies is not that good but serves the purpose nonetheless.

Videos

About videos, being a budget device, you are limited with the 1080p 30fps option and the video quality is okay enough for casual usage.

Security, Audio

  • Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
  • 3.5mm headphone jack, single bottom-firing speaker

Getting to extras, as I said in the beginning, you get a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor that works well. Surprisingly, the AI face unlocking works well too even in low light conditions, although it takes 2-3 seconds to register and unlock.

Redmi 9C - Speaker, Micro USB

On a different note, the audio from this device is okay for gaming and video streaming, but the same cannot be said for listening to music as the audio is not that balanced and pleasing. Having said that, the audio is good enough for making calls.

Battery

  • 5000mAh battery with 10W charging (micro USB)

I am fond of the battery life of Redmi 9C too. With a low-power CPU and an HD display, I got about one and a half days of endurance with my usage consisting of a lot of social media use, streaming, and light gaming. However, the phone will take a good 3 hour time to fully charge with its 10 Watt charger which can be a pain sometimes.

Conclusion

The Redmi 9C is a good budget option in my opiniona verdict I’ve reached after weeks of testing for this review. Considering its budget nature, it gives everything in moderation, a good enough display, a design that you can barely complain about, an enduring battery, and good cameras for casual usage. I would advise you to go for the 3GB RAM variant to ensure good performance in the long-run too!

Redmi 9C Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Its textured finish looks attractive
  • The display quality is acceptable for the price
  • Decent gaming capabilities
  • Camera performance is nice under ample lighting
  • Terrific battery life (almost a 2-day phone)

Cons:

  • Performance could’ve been slightly better
  • Occasional ads across the UI
  • Micro USB connection for data/charging

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) Review: Great Value!

So today I have got the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) with me in for review, which was launched like a month ago. Samsung says it’s the company’s flagship phone for the fans. From the top of the line hardware to flagship features like the IP rating and wireless charging, the S20 FE has it allalthough there are definitely some compromises to keep the price in check.

Regardless, when it was initially announced, I thought it would be more like a lite version of the S20 series, similar to last year’s S10 Lite. But, it’s not. As a matter of fact, Samsung says the main reason for the introduction of the S20 FE was to create a cheaper flagship for people not willing to spend over a thousand dollars amidst the current economic downturn because of Covid 19, which is something I really appreciate. Keeping the appreciation aside, does this cheaper Samsung flagship keep up with the “Fan Edition” tag? Let’s dig deeper to find out in this review of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition)!

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Specifications:

  • Body: 6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33-inches, 190gm
  • Display: 6.5-inches Super AMOLED panel, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 120Hz Refresh Rate, 240Hz Touch Sampling Rate, 84.8% screen-to-body ratio, 407 PPI, Always-on Display (AoD), IP68 dust/water resistance
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset: 5G: Snapdragon 865, 4G: Exynos 990 | 7nm+ mobile platform
  • CPU:
    • 5G: Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 585 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 585)
    • 4G: Octa-core (2×2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2×2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
  • GPU: 5G: Adreno 650 | 4G: Mali-G77 MP11
  • RAM: 6/8GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • Storage: 128/256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage (expandable)
  • Software & UI: One UI 2.5 on top of Android 10
  • Rear Camera: Triple-camera;
    – 12MP, f/1.8 primary lens, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
    – 12MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, 123° FOV
    – 8MP, f/2.4 telephoto lens, 3x optical zoom
    – LED flash
  • Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.2 lens (punch-hole)
  • Security: In-display Fingerprint Scanner (optical)
  • Audio: Stereo speakers, No headphone jack
  • Connectivity: Hybrid Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / A-GPS / Glonass / BDS / Galileo, USB Type-C, 4G LTE/5G
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass, Barometer
  • Battery: 4500mAh with 25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse-wireless charging
  • Colors: Cloud-Lavender, Mint, Navy, White, Red, Orange
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 69,999 (4G, 8/128GB)

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Review:

Design & Build

  • Aluminum frame, plastic back
  • IP68 dust/water resistance

Alright, let’s address the elephant in the room first. Yes, plastic backs on flagship phones are a thing now, all thanks to Samsung. It started with the Galaxy Note 20 and then got handed over to the S20 FE. It might sound like I am complaining, but trust me I’m not! Certainly, when you hear plastic you assume the device to feel flimsy and cheap. But this one’s nothing of that sort. In fact, it has a very good feel and the right kind of heft.

Galaxy S20 FE - Design [1]

Also, what makes me like this design, even more, is that it does not register scratches or fingerprint smudges as easily as glass backs do. I’ve used this phone for more than a month without a cover and it still looks good as new. But, I do encourage you to get a back cover or a skin since plastic might get scratched or washed out over time.

Similarly, the front of it only has the Gorilla Glass 3 protection, which isn’t as scratch and drop resistant as the latest Gorilla Glass Victus or the Gorilla Glass 6 we’ve seen on Samsung’s recent flagship phones. So, if you are one of the careless ones like me, you’d better get a good screen protector. The frames are, however, made of aluminum just like the S20+.

Plus, I think Samsung has finally got the color availability right. The phone is available in multiple color options, which isn’t something new for them. But this time, Samsung is making all these colors available in the majority of the markets.

Display

  • 6.5-inches FHD+ Super AMOLED panel (flat)
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection
  • 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate

Moving on to the display, it is a classic Samsung Super AMOLED panel, so no doubt it’s one of the best you smartphone screen you could lay your eyes on. Still, it doesn’t have a sharper QHD resolution like the S20+, but honestly, I’ve never practically turned that option on in any of the Samsung flagships I’ve ever used.

Galaxy S20 FE, S20+
Left: S20 FE | Right: S20+

The important thing about this display is it refreshes at 120Hz which makes for a super smooth experience. I think this feature alone has made the $1000 Galaxy Note 20 look pale and unjustifiably priced in comparison. The bezels on the other hand are slightly pronounced as opposed to what we usually see on flagship offerings from Samsung. Likewise, the gentle curves are gone too and you get this super flat display, which I am okay with actually!

The issue with S20 FE’s display

However, there are some underlying issues at times with the S20 FE’s display. For starters, scrolling would be jittery all of a sudden and I even experienced some ghost touches. I turned to the community to check if others were going through the same thing and turns out this was the issue faced by many others too.

Samsung, in its October update, did fix the issue to some extent but it is not completely gone. In my opinion, this looks more like a software issue rather than hardware and I hope Samsung fixes it ASAP.

Optical in-display fingerprint sensor

On a different note, this display houses an in-display fingerprint sensor—not the ultrasonic kind like in the company’s premium “S” and “Note” series of phones, but the standard optical one. Nonetheless, it works flawlessly. I was a little worried that it would be slower just like the ones in Samsung’s A-series phones, but it’s not like that at all.

Galaxy S20 FE - Display [1]

The brightness of this display is also very good, not as good as the Note 20 Ultra but will get you through even in a sunny environment. The tiny punch hole up top is non-obtrusive and its diameter is in fact smaller than the one on the Note 20 Ultra.

Performance

  • Two variants: 4G (Global, including Nepal), 5G (US, S. Korea)
  • 4G: Octa-core Samsung Exynos 990 SoC (7nm+)
  • 6/8GB LPDDR5 RAM with upto 256GB UFS 3.1 storage (expandable)

Anyway, let me talk about the most criticized feature of the S20 FE, which is the Exynos 990 chipset. Really makes me wonder: why did Samsung include the most criticized feature of the Galaxy S20 and the Note 20 Ultra on a device that is meant for the FANS?

Not that the Exynos 990 is a bad chipset or anything, it’s still a powerful chipset but it certainly is not in the same league with its direct Snapdragon counterpart. And since I am also using the OnePlus 8T right now, which retails at the same price, it’s not difficult to point which one’s better in terms of sheer performance. Moreover, the Exynos 990 is not only inferior to the Snapdragon 865 when it comes to performance, but it is more battery hungry and toastier too.

Anyways, all the negativity aside, Samsung’s upcoming Exynos 1080, 2100 are the real deal. If the early leaks are to be believed, these silicons can reportedly outperform the next-gen SoCs from Qualcomm, namely the Snapdragon 875. In terms of memory, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has DDR5 RAM and UFS 3.0 storage. The RAM options are either 6 or 8GB, whereas storage is either 128 or 256GB.

Galaxy S20 FE - Design [2]

Moving on, with my real-life usage, the experience on this phone has been buttery smooth. There’s not a hint of lag, apps open fast, and multitasking is a breeze. But again, I am using the Oneplus 8T right now, and it definitely feels more optimized and faster than the FE.

Gaming

Similarly, gaming, especially those high demanding titles, are inferior to that of the OnePlus 8T. For instance, the max you can go to PUBG is smooth graphics and extreme frame rates with a little bit of choppiness here and there. With the Oneplus 8T, there’s an exclusive 90 fps mode as well, which is much smoother.

About the heating, I’ve noticed that the S20 FE does not heat up easily like the S20+ which is something I really appreciate because shooting 4K videos and heavy gaming on the S20+ would result in the phone getting considerably warm after a while. So, Samsung has improved the thermals on the FE, which is great.

Software

  • One UI 2.5 on top of Android 10

Galaxy S20 FE - Software

Talking about the software, the phone runs on Android 10 with One UI 2.5 out-of-the-box. It also includes the support for Samsung DeX, which I particularly don’t find that useful, but some of you might. However, a little sad news is that the S20 FE is not up for One UI 3.0 Beta testing as other S20 Flagships yet, although it is sure to receive Android 11 any day now.

Samsung has also promised to give 3 years of OS upgrade on the S20 FE. Its follow up on monthly security updates has also been really good until now. As of now, my phone runs on October’s security patch and I should be receiving the November patch anytime soon.

Cameras

  • Triple-cameras at the back
  • (12MP primary, 12MP ultrawide, 8MP telephoto)
  • 32MP front-facing camera inside the punch-hole cutout

S20 Fan Edition features the same 12MP primary and ultrawide angle lens as the S20+, followed by a new 8MP Telephoto lens capable of 3x optical zoom. As expected, this phone has stellar camera capabilities for photos, and even in regards to videos, you can go upto 4k 60fps with OISboth from the front and back cameras without any compromises on the quality as compared to the S20+.

Normal Images

In fact, in many cases, the S20+ overcompensates the colors while the FE tones it down and makes the image more natural.

Details, dynamic range, and everything else looks the same in both the phones, so I could not be happier with the cameras on the S20 FE.

Portrait Images

S20 FE does not shoot portraits with the Telephoto lens like the S20+ but rather uses the primary lens. The edge detection is slightly flawed as you can see in these pictures, but overall they are not bad.

Although, I would go for the portraits of the S20+ as the subjects look more pronounced in it and the depth looks more natural.

Telephoto Images

The 8MP Telephoto zoom lens, however, gives you slightly better results than the S20+ with its 3x Optical zoom capability as opposed to the 3X hybrid zoom on the S20+.

Ultrawide Images

The ultra-wide-angle images equally impress with outstanding colors and details.

As you can see from this comparison, both the S20+ and FE are nearly identical.

Nighttime Images

Even the night time shots from the FE are similar to the S20+ in both normal and night mode.

But, nighttime images in ultra-wide mode are riddled with grains although you can toggle to night mode to compensate for the noise and exposure management to some extent.

Also, while shooting in night mode, the camera takes over 5 sec to process the image, which I think Samsung needs to improve upon.

Videos

About the videos, as mentioned earlier, you can record upto 4k 60fps with full Optical image stabilization from the main lens. And since it doesn’t have a 64MP telephoto lens as the S20+, there is no 8k shooting with the FE.

You can shoot stabilized videos in the Ultra-wide angle mode too but, like the S20+, there’s no 60fps mode here. Likewise, the slow-mo and super slow-mo video modes are always fun to play around with.

Selfie Images

During my review, the selfie camera of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, unfortunately, didn’t meet my expectation. It’s a 32MP shooter as opposed to the 10MP one on the S20+.

But even with the higher resolution, it’s not as good as its flagship sibling which is clearly noticed in these pictures here. To make matters clearer, the S20 FE’s selfies are a kind of Galaxy A71-ish rather than a flagship level.

Overall, though, I am really satisfied with the cameras of the S20 FE. Samsung’s decision to not include a gimmicky macro or depth camera is spot on, unlike its closest competitors the Oneplus 8T—and frankly should be a lesson to all the smartphone manufacturers who purposefully sham their high-end devices with unworthy image sensors.

Battery

  • 4500mAh battery with 25W wired charging
  • Only a 15W charger provided inside the box
  • 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging

In regards to the battery life, the S20 FE has sort of met my expectations. I used this phone with the 120Hz refresh rate and the always-on display turned ON, and with that, I strictly got a days’ battery life. Now, I am someone who is into watching Netflix and Amazon Prime Video at almost every chance I get. And with all the social media, texting, clicking pictures and videos that I do all day, I would have to charge the phone as I reach home at around 8 PM.

Galaxy S20 FE - Display [2]

Talking about charging, you don’t get a faster 25W charger inside the box like the S20+ although it does support it. Obviously, Samsung had to make some compromises to achieve the lower price, such as skimping on accessories like chargers and earphones inside the box.

But unlike Apple, Samsung has been generous enough to include a 15-watt fast charger inside the box, which takes around an hour and a half to get the phone completely juiced up. So, if slow charging frustrates you as it does to me, you’re gonna have to cash-in around $30 dollars and get a genuine 25-watt fast charger.

Extras

As for other things, the Galaxy S20 FE has 15W wireless charging support, IP68 rating, and stereo speakers to give you a more flagship experience. But hold on, mark that these speakers are not true stereo as the earpiece serves as a secondary channel, but they do an amazing job. It produces balanced and rich output and there is Dolby Atmos support like the S20+.

Conclusion

So, that was all about my experience with the Galaxy S20 FE. Do I recommend this phone? Definitely! It is one of the best value flagships at the moment and If you are in the market for a new smartphone right now, and don’t want to cash in top dollars, the S20 FE would be an ideal choice.

In fact, it sits above the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro and the OnePlus 8T in my rank for the best value flagship phone right now. Moreover, it’s not even a debate, or a contest if your region ships the Snapdragon variant for the phone.

And with Samsung’s brand recognition and unmatched distribution and availability, I think this phone will definitely take some of the market shares of the OnePlus 8T. Plus, Samsung has already confirmed that it’s going to be releasing the Fan Edition version of the S series every year. So, it’s going to be an interesting battle in the coming days too.

  • Watch our video review of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Terrific value for moneyan easy recommendation
  • Impressively well-built for a phone with a plastic back
  • Flat Super AMOLED display is stunning
  • Flagship-grade performance
  • Excellent camera capabilities
  • Decent battery life

Cons:

  • Should’ve gone with the SD865 in all variants
  • The selfie camera isn’t that great
  • No 25W charger inside the box

Realme Watch Review: An Unpolished First-Gen Smartwatch

Realme launched its first-ever smartwatch back in May and it has been with me for more time than I can remembermost likely around 3 months; yeah, that adds up. So, in this review, I will be sharing with you my experience with the Realme Watch and what I think Realme (almost desperately) needs to improve in its next-generation smartwatches. Let’s begin!

Realme Watch Specifications:

  • Body: 1.44W x 0.46H x 10.08L-inches, 31grams (w/ strap)
  • Display: 1.4-inches TFT LCD panel; Gorilla Glass 3, 262K colors, 380 nits
  • Design: Polycarbonate body, Silicon wrist band (20mm)
  • Resolution: 320 x 320 pixels
  • Water Resistance Level: IP68 rating (1.5 meters)
  • Compatibility: Android 5.0+ (no iOS support)
  • Companion App: Realme Link
  • Sensors: 3-axis Accelerometer, PPG Heart Rate, Rotor Vibration
  • Sports Mode: 14 different modes
  • Battery: 160mAh (BIS)
  • Battery Endurance: 7 hours (heart rate function enabled), up to 9 hours (heart rate disabled)
  • Charging Time: 2.5 hours (USB magnetic charging)
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 7,799

Realme Watch Review:

Design & Build

  • Polycarbonate body with silicon strap
  • IP68 dust/water resistance

Realme Watch - Strap

In all honesty, the first thing I noticed about this watch is just how much it’s inspired by the Apple Watch in terms of its looksbut then again, that’s not necessarily a bad thing I guess. Personally, I like how lightweight it is. So much so that it does not even feel like you are wearing anything on your wrists. I’m someone who doesn’t like wearing accessories to bed, so the Realme Watch has really been handy for me to track my sleep. But that in no way covers up for the fact that it feels a little plasticky and cheap.

While we’re on the topic of design, I skipped on using any sort of screen protector herea decision I now regret a little bit because as you can clearly see, there is quite a bit of scratch in my unit of the Realme Watch. I do admit the careless usage is on my part but had the company gone with the latest generation of Gorilla Glass instead of the third generation, I guess my watch would have been in much better condition.

Comfortable strap

Anyways, I have liked the buckle implementation of the strap that it has. Looks clean and seamlessnot as much as the new “Solo Loop” on the new Apple Watch, but still. Once you get used to it, it becomes really easy to put it on or to take it off. Why I am mentioning this is because I think in the long-run comfort and ease of use, it plays a huge role and the Realme Watch has not disappointed me in that regard.

Realme Watch - Power Button

I didn’t have to take off the Watch as much as I have in other smartwatches that I’ve used throughout the years while washing hands or even in instances of rainfall as this one is IP68 rated. However, note that you cannot take it to the shower with you. And because this watch cannot track swimming, it’s no use taking it in the pool with you, so there’s that! That’s a little disappointing seeing how relatively cheaper fitness bands like Mi Band 4, Mi Band 5 can track pool swimming.

Display

  • 1.4-inches TFT LCD panel
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection
  • 320 x 320 pixels, 380 nits of brightness

Speaking of the display, here you get a 1.4-inches TFT LCD screen with 320 by 320 pixels, 380 nits of peak brightness, and 323 PPI pixel density. Even on paper, you can tell that’s nothing out of the ordinary and my extensive usage proved the exact same.

Realme Watch - Display [1]

Disappointingly, despite receiving multiple updates, the touch response is still unsatisfying. Also, for all the time I used the Realme Watch, I always wished for it to be just a little brighter as I truly struggled with visibility in sunny outdoor conditions.

Fitness, Health Tracking

  • 24-hour real-time heart rate
  • Blood oxygen level (SpO2) monitoring
  • 14 sports modes (including yoga, cricket)
  • No women’s health tracking

It does track basic exercises like walking, running and it even helps you meditate. You have a bunch of options for tracking sports too. But, since it doesn’t support automatic workout detection, all the tracking needs to be manually triggered on the Watch. For instance, if you go for a run, you need to first select the “Running” option, unlike other expensive smartwatches that detect workouts automatically.

Realme Watch - Heart Rate Sensor

Talking about expensive smartwatches, I compared it with Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3 in regards to their heart rate sensors, blood oxygen monitoring, step counter, and basically everything else as well. Here, during my review period, the Realme Watch gave more or less similar results always in both heart rate and Blood Oxygen monitoring. But, I found the step counting to be slightly overcompensated on the Realme Watch though.

You can check all the aforementioned health-related data in the Watch itself but it will only show you a day’s stats at a time. For a precise and comprehensive reading, the watch must be connected to the Realme Link app, which by the way is only available on Google Play Store. Initially, Realme did say that its iOS version is under development, but as of now, the app is still not available on the App Store which is kinda disappointing.

Realme Watch - Wearing

Anyways, besides all the health stats, you can do quite a lot of things with the app like, changing watch faces although I only found a handful of good options that I like. So, I hope Realme gives us more watch face options through an update pretty soon.

Notification, Performance, & UI

  • Non-actionable app notifications
  • Software is inconsistent and buggy

Likewise, you can also get notifications on calls and messages, although you cannot pick calls because of the lack of a microphone, and neither can you reply to messages. I also found the vibration alerts on getting notifications to be strictly average. But, it is adequate enough to actually make you aware of the notification, even if you are riding a bike.

Overall, the app itself is pretty basic and simple and it’s really easy to work around it, while the same goes for the Watch itself as well. There’s a golden-accented button on the right which doubles as a back and power button.

Realme Watch - Watch Faces

Now about the performance, because this watch runs on an unspecified (but most definitely an under-powered) MediaTek chipset, the animations are pretty basic and the UI/UX feels like a bare minimum. Due to this, the Realme Watch does not feel slow or anything like that.

On a different note, since this is Realme’s first-ever smartwatch, I found a lot of software related issues like how the Find My Phone option wouldn’t work 100% of the time and the watch would get disconnected with the phone every now and then. This would have me miss my call and message notifications which is really counter-productive. As a result, I’ve had to reconnect the watch time and again which was quite a hassle.

Battery

  • 160mAh cell (wireless magnetic charging)

Realme Watch - Charger

Getting to the battery life, its 160mAh cell has yielded promising endurance on my use. On average, it lasted me for about an entire week on a single charge even with automatic heart-rate monitoring every 5 minutes turned on. Charging this thing is quite easy as well since all you need to do is attach it with the 2-pin magnetic charger. It takes around 2.5 hours to fully juice up the battery of the Realme Watch.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think the Realme Watch is basically a fitness band with a smartwatch design. And as I said earlier, because it is a first-generation product from the company, there is still some software related issue that Realme needs to work on.

So, should I recommend it for the price it asks? Well, even though it nails the basics of a smartwatch, I think it’s a bit overpriced. Yes, it’s technically just a $50 smartwatch, so you might be wondering why I am complaining. But the thing is, if you browse AliExpress or Gearbest, you will find so many other smartwatches similar to the Realme Watch in terms of functionality and quality, and yet, they cost half the price of what Realme is charging. Also, if you can manage to squeeze in a little more budget, the Mobvoi TicWatch GTX that retail at around Rs. 9,999 is a slightly better option.

  • Watch our video review of the Realme Watch.

Realme Watch Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • IP68 dust/water resistance
  • Great battery life
  • Comfortable strap

Cons:

  • Build quality isn’t great
  • Poor colors, visibility of the display
  • Touch response is inconsistent
  • No automatic workout detection
  • Data-sync between the app & phone is buggy