While the Note20 lineup bettered the S20 lineup in numerous areas, the latter had something that the former did not – a ToF Sensor. One of the reasons for the exclusion was Sony, the manufacturer of the ToF sensor, prioritizing Apple over Samsung. To avoid such situations in the future, Samsung is now reportedly working on its own ToF sensor. The upcoming ISOCELL Vizion Time of Flight (ToF) sensor from Samsung has been spotted in EUIPO.
But first, what is a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor?
Time of Flight Sensor (or simply ToF) is a special kind of sensor that is capable of measuring the depth and distance of the object in the frame. The sensor produces a light beam that strikes an object which returns back to the sensor. The ToF sensor then measures the time taken by the light to reflect back to the sensor and evaluates the distance of the object, taking account of the speed of the beam.
In smartphones, the sensor is used in photography. It is used to create beautiful bokeh effects for photos as well as videos. There are different applications that use the ToF sensor to measure the distance of the object in focus.
DepthVision Camera
We have seen Samsung use ToF sensors in some of its flagships including the Note20 and the S20 lineup. Samsung likes to call it the DepthVision camera. It is based on the same working principle. In Samsung flagships, features like “Live Focus” videos and “Quick Measure” use this sensor. The former lets the user blur out the video’s background in real-time while the latter is a standalone app that helps the user analyze the dimensions (width, heights, area, and volume) of the object in focus.
Samsung replaced the DepthVision camera in the Note20 lineup with a Laser AF. A report from The Elec suggested that Samsung won’t be using the sensor in its upcoming flagship as the company doesn’t see a real-life use of the sensor. It is also not the most demanded feature in smartphones right now. Thus, we should not be surprised if the sensor is dropped in the upcoming S21 lineup as well.
However, reports suggest that the exclusion of the ToF sensor in the Note 20 lineup was due to some complications with the manufacturer. As of now, Sony is the only major manufacturer that supplies ToF sensors to smartphone brands. Earlier, Apple struck an exclusive deal with Sony that meant Sony will make the superior ToF available only for Apple. The DepthVision camera is an indirect ToF sensor with half the range of the direct ToF sensor is used in the latest iPad Pro’s LiDAR module.
Samsung ISOCELL Vizion Camera
Because of Apple’s exclusive deal with Apple, Samsung’s silicon department is developing its own ToF sensor. As a result, the company has now filed for a trademark for the ISOCELL Vizion sensor. The application was submitted to EUIPO on September 18. The description of the sensor suggests that Samsung could use the sensor for 3D face detection as well.
However, it still does not guarantee that Samsung will use it in its upcoming flagship. Reports suggest that the company is still not convinced that the feature is a necessity in today’s flagship. Samsung will watch how the consumer reacts to ToF sensors in the upcoming Apple devices and then decide to use it in its smartphones later.
Samsung ISOCELL Vizion Sensor Availability
At the earliest, the Samsung ISOCELL Vizion might make its debut with the Note 21 lineup or whatever decides to call the successor to the Galaxy Note 20 lineup.
ToF Sensor
Availability (Expected)
Samsung ISOCELL Vizion
Note 21 Lineup
Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
I don’t know about you but Realme thinks a higher refresh rate screen will do wonder in the lower market segment. It looks to be the new trend in Realme devices. After the Realme 7i, C17 is now official with a 90Hz panel. Let’s check out all the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Realme C17 in Nepal.
Realme C17 Overview
Realme C17 is the followup to Realme C15. In terms of the competition, it is comparable to Oppo A53 and the rumored OnePlus Clover.
Design and Display
The main talking point of the device is the 90Hz panel that it houses. It is the cheapest Realme phone to have a 90Hz panel. “Smooth display” is what Realme wants you to remember the device for. However, with an HD+ resolution, don’t expect it to be as smooth as other devices with better resolution. The 6.5-inch LCD screen features a circular cutout on the top left corner of the screen to house the front camera. Realme is boasting a screen to body ratio of 90%. The screen is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
The back panel features a sunrise design with the rays originating from the rectangular camera bump. It also features the mount for the physical fingerprint scanner. The device is available in two colors – Navy Blue and Lake Green.
Performance and Camera
Realme C17 is powered by the Snapdragon 460 paired with Adreno 610. It is an entry-level chipset from Qualcomm. It is the same processor that is in the Oppo A53. The phone will be available in a single memory configuration – 6GB + 128GB. The RAM is based on LPDDR4X technology while the internal storage is based on UFS 2.1.
Similarly, Realme C17 flaunts a quad-camera setup at the back. The primary camera has a 13MP sensor with an aperture of f/1.8. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera offering up to 119-degree Field Of View. The rest of the setup includes a 2MP macro lens (4cm focus distance) and a 2MP black and white lens. The 8MP front camera can shoot portraits using a software-based background blurring.
Rest of the specs
Backing up the whole setup is a 5,000mAh battery. It supports 18W fast charge that will fill the device up to 32% in the first 30 minutes. Realme C17 also supports reverse charging, thus, you can also use it as a power bank. For security, it has the aforementioned rear-mount fingerprint sensor.
Realme C17 Specifications:
Dimension: 164.1 x 75.5 x 8.9mm; 188g
Display: 6.5″ LCD panel with HD+ resolution (1600 x 720 pixels); 90Hz refresh rate; 90% screen to body ratio; Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Realme C17 is now available in Bangladesh, where its price is BDT 15,990. We can expect to see the Realme C17 launch in Nepal with a price tag of around NPR 23,000.
Lately, Samsung has been facing backlashes because of its strategy of launching its flagship devices with different processors based on the market. Different tests have shown that Samsung’s in-house Exynos chipset is trailing behind its Snapdragon counterpart when it comes to performance and battery efficiency. However, Samsung may have found a way to fix this. Rumors suggest that Exynos 1000 has overpowered the Snapdragon 875 in Geekbench tests.
Exynos 1000 vs Snapdragon 875
Architecture
Exynos 1000 and Snapdragon 875 are the upcoming flagship processor from Samsung and Qualcomm, respectively. The biggest news here is Samsung’s decision to discontinue its in-house Mongoose cores. The two processors will feature 8 cores in a 1+3+4 arrangement. Samsung and Qualcomm have both gone for ARM’s latest Cortex X1. However, it has been reported that Samsung, on witnessing a problem with the new core, decided to clock it even higher. Rumors suggest the setup will be completed with three Cortex A78 cores and four Cortex A55 cores. It is not just the core setup, the Exynos 1000 and Snapdragon 875 will both be based on Samsung’s 5nm process.
The two processors will feature different graphics units. Qualcomm is expected to include its Adreno GPU while Samsung will still be relying on Mali GPU. Unfortunately, we will only be able to witness Samsung flagships with AMD’s custom GPU starting from 2022. An early leaked suggested that the first custom made AMD GPU will offer thrice the performance of Adreno GPU on the SD 865.
Earlier, a well-known tipster Ice Universe acknowledged the fact that Exynos 1000 (code-named Olympus) will still lag behind SD 875 in terms of CPU and GPU. According to him, the SD 875 will even overpower the A14 Bionic chipset on the iPhone 12 lineup. However, recently, he tweeted that Samsung has improved power efficiency greatly. And that the user will no longer have to worry about getting an Exynos variant.
A post on a Korean forum has now gone viral where the author claims he has access to early Geekbench results of two units of the upcoming Galaxy S21 (powered by Exynos and Snapdragon, respectively) and Xiaomi Mi 11 (powered by SD 875). According to the post, the SD 875-powered S21 outperformed the Mi 11 in the single-core test (1159 > 1102) but on the other hand, lagged behind in the multi-core test (4113 > 4090).
The biggest surprise comes from the Exynos-powered S21 which managed to defeat both SD 875-powered S21 and Mi 11. It managed to score 1302 points in the single-core test and 4250 points in multi-core tests. The architecture of both the processor is almost similar. Thus, the higher score of the Exynos 1000 is because of the higher clocked prime cores. Yet, we will have to wait a while to actually verify if said claims are true or not.
Check out our review of Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Oculus has announced the successor to the original Quest. The new Oculus Quest 2 features a brand new design, new controllers, and improved display. The best part is that it retails for even less than that of the original Quest. Let’s learn more about Oculus Quest 2, including its specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
Oculus Quest 2 Overview
New Design
Compared to the original quest, its successor is both slimmer, lighter, and thus, more portable. Oculus has managed to reduce the weight of the VR headset by up to 10%. The new headset is also said to be more comfortable. It features two built-in IPD (Inter-Pupillary Distance) mechanism that allows the user to choose from three settings. Users can adjust the IPD for their comfort.
Improved AI and Graphics
Oculus Quest 2 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XPR2 platform. It comes with 6GB of RAM. Thus, it offers better processing and AI capabilities compared to the Oculus Quest. Oculus has also improved the graphic processing prowess. The new AR headset can handle 90Hz contents. As of now, the feature is limited to select system applications. The supported app includes Home Environment, Explore, Store, Browser, and Oculus TV.
To enjoy the feature, the user must activate it from the Experimental features. Oculus will be making the feature available to third-party developers in the near future. Oculus has bumped the resolution on the new VR headset. We are talking about 1832 x 1920 pixels for each eye. That is about 50% more pixels than that on the first-gen Oculus.
Ergonomic Touch Controllers
Oculus has introduced new touch controllers to improve comfort. The new design is based on the original touch controllers but is said to be more comfortable. Oculus says that with the added comfort of the new ergonomics users will be able to perform better in games. The new touch controllers are also more power-efficient than their predecessors. They are optimized to offer up to four times better battery endurance than the original Quest Touch controllers. Other than this, the controls remain the same.
Supported Games and Library
Quest 2 will support all the existing Quest library contents. It will also be compatible with upcoming gaming titles such as the Star Treks: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, Myst, Jurassic World Aftermath, Warhammer 40,000, Battle Sister, Pistol Whip: 2089, The Climb 2, and others. It also supports Oculus Link, which allows users to play Rift games by connecting the VR headset to a gaming PC. Thus, the Quest 2 will also support PC titles such as Asgard’s Wrath, Stormland and Lone Echo. Quest 2 will also support Lone Echo II and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond when the two are launched.
Oculus Quest 2 Price in Nepal and Availability
Oculus Quest 2 (64GB) is available for pre-order in select markets including the US, UK, and Japan for a price of $299. The 256GB variant is not available as of now. We might not see the Oculus Quest 2 launch officially in Nepal but one can expect to get hands-on it through unofficial channels for an expected price of NPR 45,000.
Sony has everyone talking with the announcement of its latest flagship smartphones – Xperia 5 II. It is a compact flagship phone designed for gamers and photographers. Read along to know more about the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Sony Xperia 5 II in Nepal.
Sony Xperia 5 II Overview
Design and Display
Sony’s flagship smartphones can be easily distinguished from devices by other brands as they still feature top and bottom bezels. This allows the company to insert front-facing stereo speakers that the company claims will sound better than other mainstream smartphones. The Xperia 5 II features a 6.1-inch AMOLED screen. The display in itself isn’t a big one but it comes with a tall aspect ratio of 21:9. It is actually wider than many of the phones out in the market today. Xperia 5 II is officially the first phone from Sony to feature a higher refresh rate. The panel supports a 120 refresh rate and a touch sampling rate of 240Hz. Earlier, Sony claimed that its display on the Xperia 1 II with its “Motion Blur Reduction” feature was comparable to mainstream 90Hz panels. On top of the higher refresh rate, Xperia has included 240Hz Motion Blur Reduction technology for a blur-free experience.
Performance and Memory
Sony Xperia 5 II is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SoC, which is a popular choice for 2020’s flagships. But looking at the price and the gaming features that the company has packed in the phone, we are left to wonder what stopped Sony from including the more powerful SD 865+. You can manually set the parameters like refresh rate, touch sampling rate, and motion blur for the game you wish to play. Compared to the Xperia 1 II, the 5 II comes with an improved cooling arrangement that consists of a graphite heat sink. Another useful feature in the Xperia 5 II is the HS Power Control feature, which lets the charger power the phone directly without first routing power through the battery. This feature is said to stop the device from heating during longer gaming sessions.
Other gaming-centric feature includes support for PS4 Remote Play and Dual-Shock Controller compatibility.
Camera
Another area where the Xperia 5 II excels is the camera department. The camera setup is almost similar to that of the Xperia 1 II, except that the latter includes an additional ToF sensor. There are three 12MP Zeiss powered sensors arranged vertically inside a pill-shaped camera module. The primary lens uses a 1/1.7” Exmor RS (mobile) sensor with an 82-degree Field of View. Similarly, the ultra-wide-angle camera extends the Field of View up to 124-degree. The third sensor comes with a 3x zoom capability.
Sony claims that the device is capable of recording slow-mo videos at 120fps and 4K HDR videos up to 60fps. They could also be used for zooming in and zooming out. The primary camera supports OIS while the zoom lens can make us of both OIS and EIS. Under the Steady shot, the primary camera also supports 5-axis stabilization.
The 8MP front-facing camera uses a 1/4″ sensor with an aperture of f/2.0. It comes with support for HDR, Steady Shot, display flash, hand, and smile shutter.
Rest of the specs
The whole setup is backed by a 4,000mAh battery with support 21W USB PD charging. It can charge the device up to 50% inside 30 minutes. The traditional design of the phone means that Sony can fit in the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a rare feature in the premium market segment.
There is a dual-stereo speaker on the front of the device. The device supports Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio (TIDAL and other compatible services). Thanks to DSEE Ultimate, users can enjoy Hi-Res like audio by connecting to the device to their favorite earphones, whether wired or wireless.
Battery: 4000 mAh battery with 21W USB PD fast charging
Sony Xperia 5 II Price in Nepal and Availability
Sony Xperia 5 II bears a price tag of $949 and it will go on sale from December 4 with pre-order starting from September 29. If it launches here, we expect the price of Sony Xperia 5 II in Nepal to be around NPR 120,000.
Smartphone model
International Pricing
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Sony Xperia 5 II
$949
NPR 120,000
Check out our review of Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
A smartwatch is an excellent gadget to have on you; especially if you’re an aspiring, amateur, or even a professional athlete. While the ones from the most popular manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Huawei don’t fully give-in to the performance-monitoring roots, there are a few who do. Here, Garmin has always been one of the frontrunners in this market. And now, the company has launched Forerunner 745 with blood oxygen monitoring and other exciting upgrades. Let’s discover more about the Garmin Forerunner 745 including its features, expected price in Nepal, and availability.
Garmin Forerunner 745 Overview
Fitness Tracking
The Forerunner 745 is the successor to 2016’s 735XT and comparatively under-powerful than Garmin’s premium Forerunner 945. It is designed with pro-athletes in mind and has got a feature-set to back its professional heritage. It has a pulse oximeter that monitors the blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) level in your body which can deliver a more thorough insight on your sleep habits and more. Moving on, the Garmin Forerunner 745 also provides training guidance and daily recommendations depending on your training pattern.
And after every workout, you can get see how effective it was (with aerobic and anaerobic feedback), and how long it’s going to take before you’re ready for the next round of workout by counting in factors like stress, sleep level, daily activity, etc. The watch comes with different sports apps for a bike ride, track run, cycling, triathlon, swimming (open water, pool), etc.
Brick Workouts
Under different races or brick sessions (a workout that combines multiple disciplines like a bike ride, run, and a swim), although the watch can’t automatically switch between those, it does have a button that you can press to toggle different sports mode. There’s VO2 Max monitoring as well for determining your expected level of performance under any workout. Complementing this is how the Forerunner 745 takes account of your pace, heart rate (and its variability) when you’re running to indicate your ability to perform – in real-time.
Forerunner 745 also has a built-in GPS system (with GLONASS and Galileo) for accurate location tracking. It features something called “Body Battery Energy Monitoring”. This tracks your body’s energy levels to determine the best time for you to exercise and rest. Also, the “Trendline” routing feature gives you the best possible route between any two points; be it a road or trails by using the user data of other Garmin smartwatch users.
Rest of the specs
Garmin has packaged all this into a fairly lightweight body weighing 47 grams. It has a 1.2-inches transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) color display with 240 x 240 pixels. Protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass DX, it also supports Always-on Display (AoD). Forerunner 745 has a silicone strap while its bezels are made from fiber-reinforced polymer. It is 5ATM water-resistant and can record up to 200 hours of activity data.
In terms of battery life, the Garmin Forerunner 745 can last up to 7 days in Smartwatch Mode. Similarly, it is rated at up to 21 hours in UltraTrac, 16 hours in GPS, and 6 hours in GPS with music mode. You can also store up to 500 songs and sync music, playlists from different streaming platforms like Amazon Music and Spotify. It has Garmin Pay integrated as well, meaning you can make payments using this watch. A handy feature here is that if it senses you’re in some sort of danger or something worse has occurred, the watch automatically sends your current location to emergency contacts.
Garmin Forerunner 745 Specifications:
Body: 1.72 x 1.72 x 0.52-inches; 47 grams
Display: 1.2-inches transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) color panel; Corning Gorilla Glass DX; 240 x 240 pixels
Strap: Silicone straps
Storage: Up to 500 songs
Water Rating: 5 ATM (up to 50 meters in depth for 10 minutes)
Battery Life: Up to 7 days (Smartwatch mode), 21 hours (UltraTrac mode), 16 hours (GPS without music), 6 hours (GPS with music)
Garmin Forerunner 745 Price in Nepal and Availability
The Garmin Forerunner 745 is available for purchase in the US & UK for $499.99 and £449.99, respectively. We can expect the price of Garmin Forerunner 745 to be around NPR 65,000 if and when it launches in Nepal.
Smartwatch model
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Garmin Forerunner 745
NPR 65,000
Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.
Microsoft and Samsung have had a tight bond over the years. From shipping a large percentage of Samsung smartphones with Microsoft’s Office Suite applications to other assorted integrations, one could even say that in some intricately contrived way, Microsoft never actually left the smartphone scenario. And with the latest release of the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, these two companies cemented their relationship even further. From bundling the Project xCloud to allowing Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series owners to run their phone’s app on a PC via the Microsoft Your Phone app, it’s clear that their collaboration isn’t ending anytime soon.
Microsoft Your Phone x Samsung
And now, as promised, Microsoft has expanded the availability of this service to much more Samsung Galaxy smartphones. In a post by Microsoft Your Phone’s official Twitter handle, the company confirmed that the feature will be widely available to a bunch of different Samsung Galaxy devices; starting September 18th.
We are excited to announce that the Apps feature is now rolled out to everyone with supported devices (It may take up to 48hrs. to show up). It allows you to instantly access your Android phone’s mobile apps directly from your Windows 10 PC. Learn more: https://t.co/vASs8SCCVWpic.twitter.com/xUOaMmfALU
With the availability window of 48 hours since the day of the announcement, it’s likely that some users have already had their hands on it. Here, without using cables of any sort, you can connect your Samsung phone to your Windows 10 PC (provided that they are connected to the same network). After this, using the “Your Phone” app, you can simply access your phone’s applications on the computer itself.
Besides the luxury of using phone apps, one can also mirror the phone screen or get notifications on the PC. Moreover, it also lets your pin the Android apps onto the Start menu or taskbar. But as of now, it doesn’t support running two apps simultaneously at once although you can use one alongside one/more Windows applications. Similarly, you can’t resize the app window size on the computer.
Availability
Like I said in the beginning, this feature was initially exclusive to the Note 20 series. But now, it is available in a bunch of Galaxy devices including Samsung’s foldables, S-series, and few devices under the A-series. Here’s the complete list:
The Oppo Reno4 series debuted in China back in June and then went global in August. And now, the company is planning to expand the lineup with Reno4 SE. Like the first two smartphones, it will also land in China before making the global debut. Let’s check out the preliminary specs, features, and the official launch date of Oppo Reno4 SE.
Overview
Though Oppo has not revealed the complete specs sheet of the upcoming Reno4 SE, the listing of the device in Oppo’s official site and other Chinese online retailers have plenty of information to dwell on. The render in the official listing reveals a phone with a circular cutout on the top left corner of the screen. If the rumors are true, the Reno4 SE will sport a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen with an FHD+ display. The fingerprint scanner will be placed under the display.
Similarly, the rear panel of the Reno4 SE sports a flashy gradient design. There is a triple-camera setup enclosed inside a square camera module. A line goes that divides the module in half also gives a dual-tone design.
Unlike the Reno4 and Reno4 Pro, the Reno4 SE will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 720 which supports 5G connectivity. The phone was spotted in China Telecom’s product listing in two memory configurations – 8/128GB and 8/256GB.
Reports suggest that the triple camera setup will consist of a 48MP camera accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor. They will be joined by a 2MP sensor. On the front, there will be a 32MP selfie camera sensor inside the punch-hole.
Oppo Reno4 SE will rely on a 4,300mAh battery for the juice. It will actually contain two 2,150 cells combined together. The device will support 65W fast charging. The device will ship with ColorOS 7 based on Android 7.
Honor deals in a wide range of products including smartphones, tablets, and even ultrabooks. And now the subbrand of Huawei is stepping into the gaming laptop business. The company has announced its first-ever gaming laptop under the new Hunter series. Let’s check out the specs, features, expected price in Nepal and availability of the Honor Hunter V700 gaming laptop.
Honor Hunter V700 Overview
Design and Display
For a gaming laptop, Honor V700 is compact and quite portable too. Huawei has managed to fit the massive 16.1-inch screen in a body that measures 369.7 x 253 x 19.99-mm. The body is made using an aluminum alloy and Honor has added a customizable lighting shoulder line for the gaming aesthetics.
The screen has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and supports a 144Hz refresh rate. The bezels are slim at just 4.7mm. This panel covers 100% of the Wide Color Gamut (P3). Similarly, the contrast ratio and brightness level are listed at 100:1 and 300 nits, respectively.
Performance
Interestingly, the Honor V700 gaming laptop features 10th-generation Intel processors in a time where the US is stopping even non-US silicon manufacturers to supply chips for Huawei and Honor smartphones. Users can choose between i7-10750H and i5-10300H. Both the processors are based on Intel’s 14nm++ process but the Core i7 has better core/thread count (6/12) and faster clock speed (up to 5.0 GHz). The Core i5 features 4 cores/8 threads and can only attain a clock speed of up to 4.5GHz. Handling the graphics in the Core i7 model is NVIDIA’s RTX 2060 while it is replaced by GTX 1660 Ti in the Core i5 model. Both variants come with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. There is also a 1TB SSD option for the Core i7 variant.
For thermal management, Honor is relying on its Wind Valley design that closes the air vents when the laptop is closed and opens them when it’s opened. The new design allows the laptop to remain slim when it’s closed. The laptop features a dual 12V pressure fan and a heat sink that makes use of surrounding surfaces to dissipate heat.
The whole setup is backed by a 56 Watt-Hr battery. Taking about the I/O options, the laptop has two USB 3.2 ports, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI 2.0 port, an ethernet port, and a 3.5mm headphone combo jack. It also supports Wi-Fi 6.
Ports: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x HDMI 2.0 port, 1 x Ethernet port and 1x 5mm headphone combo jack
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6
Keyboard: Full-Size Keyboard; RGB Lighting
Audio: Nahimic 3D Audio
Battery: 56 Whr Battery
Honor Hunter V700 Price in Nepal and Availability
As of now, the Honor Hunter V700 gaming laptop is exclusive to the Chinese market, where its price starts at 7,499 Yuan. If Honor decides to launch it in Nepal, we expect the price of the Hunter V700 gaming laptop to start at around NPR 135,000.
Honor V700 Model
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Core i5, GTX 1660 Ti, 512GB
7,499 Yuan
NPR 135,000
Core i7, RTX 2060, 512GB
8,499 Yuan
NPR 155,000
Core i7, RTX 2060, 1TB
9,999 Yuan
NPR 180,000
Check out our review of the Asus TUF A15 gaming laptop.
This year has been a little bit interesting for the smartphone world as we finally got to see Apple and OnePlus launching phones in the mid-range category after a long while. And today we have the iPhone SE 2020 and the OnePlus Nord up for comparison. These are probably the best non-flagship phones you can buy right now in the majority of the countries. Yes, I have not included Pixel 4a or the Redmi K30 Ultra…well because they aren’t as widely available as the two phones I have with me.
And while the OnePlus Nord and the iPhone SE 2020 are priced similarly in the European market, the price difference between these phones is quite high in the Asian market. But you know what? iPhones have always been pricier than its Android counterparts in this part of the world and frankly, I don’t know why. Regardless, which one should you pick, and which one would I recommend? Let’s do a detailed comparison in this video and find out.
iPhone SE 2020, OnePlus Nord Specs:
Specifications
iPhone SE 2020
OnePlus Nord
Body
5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29-inches; 148gm; IP67 dust/water resistance
Design-wise, these are completely different devices. OnePlus Nord has a more modern approach to its looks while the iPhone SE 2 is basically your old school iPhone 8, with different internals, of course. So, if you are someone who is into compact devices, the iPhone SE is a breath of fresh air in this world filled with large phones. It’s handy, comfortable for one-hand usage, and it fits snugly inside your pocket.
On the other hand, OnePlus Nord looks much more trendy and modern. Although it does not fit well for one-hand usage, the device does have good ergonomics in its favor. Additionally, the Nord gives you an in-display fingerprint sensor as opposed to the physical Touch ID on the iPhone SE 2020.
Being an iPhone 7 user in the past myself, I know how physical buttons are subject to damage over time. So, OnePlus’ implementation is certainly better among the two. Also, the minimal bezels, the tiny punch hole all add to the niceties of the Nord’s design.
Yes, you do get some perks in the iPhone SE’s design like an IP67 rating as compared to the splash resistance on the OnePlus Nord, but that, in no way covers up for its dated design and not so appealing aesthetics.
OnePlus Nord: 1 | iPhone SE 2020: 0
So, if you ask me to choose between one of these designs, well, it’s the OnePlus Nord!
Display
On the display front too, you’re obviously going to get a lot more on the OnePlus Nord. I mean, it gives you a big AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate meaning you not only get to enjoy deeper blacks and vibrant colors but it offers you a smoother viewing, gameplay experience as well.
iPhone SE on the other hand offers an HD retina display with a much older 16:9 aspect ratio. And although its quality is decent, the display is too small and the bezels are too thick for it to be crowned as the winner in this aspect. So, this round goes to the OnePlus Nord as well.
OnePlus Nord: 2 | iPhone SE 2020: 0
Performance
Well, OnePlus Nord might take the cake for having the better design and display, but where the iPhone SE does holds its ground is unarguably in the performance and software support department.
As we all know by now, the iPhone SE 2020 is powered by Apple’s latest A13 Bionic chipset which is one of the fastest chipsets around – and not just in the Apple ecosystem. OnePlus Nord comes with the Snapdragon 765G & although I have the 12GB RAM variant, it struggles to keep up with the A13 in practically every aspect of performance like app opening, multitasking, gaming, etc. I ran multiple speed tests on these devices with apps that I use regularly and unsurprisingly found the iPhone SE completing it faster every time.
Even when it comes to gaming, the iPhone SE does better. For instance, I can play PUBG Mobile in HDR graphics and Extreme frame rates without much lags, while the OnePlus Nord maxes out at HD graphics and High frame rates. Yes, the 90Hz refresh rate makes the gameplay a little better on the Nord but this, in no way, can compensate for the higher frame rates and better graphics that we can get on the iPhone SE 2020.
So, with its top-of-the-line performance, the iPhone SE 2020 wins this round.
OnePlus Nord: 2 | iPhone SE 2020: 1
Software
Not to forget, this incredible performance is backed by iOS 13 whose app optimizations and back end support is just amazing. All of my most used apps like Instagram, YouTube Studio, Pages Manager, etc. run better on iOS devices.
1 of 2
Also, you get a well-stocked App Store in iOS with a wide selection of premium apps. Add to that the fact that the iPhone SE is going to receive updates for much longer than the Nord, the second-gen iPhone SE appeals to all those looking for years of software updates. Yes, OxygenOS is one of the best skins for Android but in comparison to iOS, it is still not up there.
So, the iPhone SE is the undisputed winner in the software department as well.
OnePlus Nord: 2 | iPhone SE 2020: 2
Cameras
Since I have been using these devices for a long time now, I have had the opportunity to test them quite extensively. Spec-wise, you get 2 cameras on the iPhone SE 2020, a 12MP back camera, and a 7MP camera at the front while the OnePlus Nord has a total of 6 cameras, a 48MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. There are two cameras up front consisting of a 32MP primary sensor and 8MP ultra-wide- lens.
Quick info, I will divide this comparison between the rear camera, front camera, and videos!
Rear Camera(s)
Normal Images
In terms of the primary camera, both phones do a pretty good job. iPhone SE produces warmer colors while the Nord has a cool tone in its images. The dynamic range works a little better on the iPhone SE though and sometimes its images are little on the saturated side. Despite this, I like the images from both cameras.
Normal
1 of 8
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
However, something that the iPhone SE does so much better is that its autofocus works wonderfully well and you will notice no shutter lag which of course is a perk of the well-optimized iOS.
Portrait Images
Moving on, software-side portraits on the iPhone SE are on par with those from the 5MP depth sensor on the OnePlus Nord.
Portrait
1 of 6
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
It’s just that the subjects appear a little dark on the SE as compared to Nord. Otherwise, both phones do a well enough job in portraits.
Nighttime Images
Talking of nighttime images, OnePlus Nord does slightly better in terms of details. But overall, the normal night time images are similar on both phones.
Nighttime
1 of 8
OnePlus Nord - Normal Nighttime
iPhone SE 2020 - Nighttime
OnePlus Nord - Normal Nighttime
iPhone SE 2020 - Nighttime
OnePlus Nord - Night Mode
iPhone SE 2020 - No Night Mode
OnePlus Nord - Night Mode
iPhone SE 2020 - No Night Mode
However, the iPhone SE does not have a dedicated night mode while the Nightscape feature on the Nord helps balance exposure and details by a great deal. So, that’s a plus for the Nord!
Wideangle Images
Also, we cannot miss out on the fact that the OnePlus Nord gives an ultra-wide-angle lens and a macro lens too which makes its rear cameras more versatile than the single-camera setup on the iPhone SE.
OnePlus Nord - Wideangle
1 of 3
So, although both phones’ primary cameras do a similar job, it’s only fair to declare the Nord as the winner of this round.
OnePlus Nord: 3 | iPhone SE 2020: 2
Front Camera(s)
About the front cameras, I prefer the images from the OnePlus Nord in terms of skin color. iPhone SE applies a really unnatural brown-ish tint which makes you look a little weird.
Selfie
1 of 8
OnePlus Nord
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
OnePlus Nord
iPhone SE 2020
Plus, the Nord gives you an extra wide-angle lens up front too. So, OnePlus Nord snatches victory in the selfie battle too.
OnePlus Nord: 4 | iPhone SE 2020: 2
Videos
Despite OnePlus’ dominance in the image department, I would give the iPhone SE the crown when it comes to videos. Here, you can get well stabilized and good quality videos in 4k 60 fps while the highest you can go on the Nord is 4k @30 fps.
OnePlus Nord: 4 | iPhone SE 2020: 3
Connectivity
Now, let’s get to connectivity. The iPhone SE supports the newer WiFi 6 while the OnePlus Nord does not have that. Yet, the Nord with its 5G connectivity, Dual-SIM compatibility, Bluetooth 5.1, and support for some high-end audio codec (aptX HD), all of which the iPhone SE 2020 lacks, wins this round.
OnePlus Nord: 5| iPhone SE 2020: 3
Audio quality & Vibration
Audio-wise, in a typical 2020 fashion, you don’t get a headphone jack on both phones. Likewise, iPhone SE has a stereo speaker while the OnePlus Nord only has a single firing speaker at the bottom. Overall, the iPhone SE has better audio clarity and frequency response.
Also, the iPhone SE has a better vibration motor compared to the significantly weaker motors on the OnePlus Nord.
OnePlus Nord: 5| iPhone SE 2020: 4
Battery
Time to talk about the batteries. And like I said in the long term review of the iPhone SE, it has one of the worst endurance among any other upper mid-range phone in 2020. The worst part is that you don’t even get a fast charger inside its box.
On the other hand, OnePlus Nord has a much bigger battery, better endurance and the company provides the 30W fast charger inside the box. You sure don’t get the wireless charging feature on the Nord like the iPhone SE 2, but I am sure one won’t miss such a flagship feature on an upper mid-range phone.
So, without any doubt, OnePlus Nord absolutely thrashes the iPhone SE in the battery department.
OnePlus Nord: 6| iPhone SE 2020: 4
iPhone SE 2020 vs OnePlus Nord: Conclusion
The conclusion here is pretty clear. OnePlus Nord is victorious in more aspects while the iPhone SE sweeps victory mainly in the performance and software department. But then again, it all boils down to the ever-lasting Android-iOS debate.
No Android phone in this price range can provide you iPhone SE-level performance and years of software support. However, it is also true that the unrivaled performance comes at a cost of feature omissions like a better display and bigger battery, etc.
Overall, I think the OnePlus Nord is a much better value for the money than the iPhone SE 2020, at least in South Asia. If only Apple had made a few changes in the iPhone SE rather than just repackaging the iPhone 8 with A13 Bionic chipset, this comparison would have turned out to be very different. So, unless you strictly want an iPhone, getting the OnePlus Nord, that too for a cheaper price, would be the wiser investment.
Watch our video comparison of the iPhone SE 2020 and OnePlus Nord.
Xperia 5 II is officially the first phone from Sony to feature a higher refresh rate. The panel supports a 120 refresh rate and a touch sampling rate of 240Hz. Earlier, Sony claimed that its display on the Xperia 1 II with its “Motion Blur Reduction” feature was comparable to mainstream 90Hz panels. On top of the higher refresh rate, Xperia has included 240Hz Motion Blur Reduction technology for a blur-free experience.
Compared to the 
![iPhone SE 2020, OnePlus Nord - Display [2]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iPhone-SE-2020-OnePlus-Nord-Display-2.jpg)
![iPhone SE 2020, OnePlus Nord - Design [2]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iPhone-SE-2020-OnePlus-Nord-Design-2.jpg)
![iPhone SE 2020, OnePlus Nord - UI [1]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iPhone-SE-2020-OnePlus-Nord-UI-1.jpg)
![iPhone SE 2020, OnePlus Nord - UI [2]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iPhone-SE-2020-OnePlus-Nord-UI-2.jpg)
![iPhone SE 2020, OnePlus Nord - Display [1]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iPhone-SE-2020-OnePlus-Nord-Display-1.jpg)