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Samsung is ditching LCD in favor of QNED display technology

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Samsung is ditching LCD in favor of QNED display technology

Today, LCD is regarded as the most dominant display technology in the world and it has been the case for a while. Thus, different companies have invested in next-gen display technologies – a term that has been used to refer to a successor to LCD technology. Samsung has been pushing its QLED technology while on the other hand, LG is promoting its OLED standard. And if the latest rumors are to be believed, Samsung will introduce the QNED display technology next year. In this post, we will be taking a look at these display technologies and what makes them stand out in comparison to others.

LCD technology

Let’s start with the LCD. It consists of tiny liquid crystals placed in front of the backlight system. The light from the backlight separates into red, green, and blue lights as it passes through a color filter. The liquid crystals then use these lights to produce the desired color on the screen. In the early days, LCD displays used CCFL as a backlight. However, they have now been replaced by a more efficient LED system. Thus, LED displays are actually LCD panels with LED light sources illuminating them.

QLED Technology

A different version of this technology exists in the form of QLED which Samsung has been using in its high-end TVs. Here, the company uses Quantum Dot Enhancement Film. Quantum Dots are tiny particles that emit photons (light) when they are excited by an external source of energy. The light produced here differs according to the size of the dots.

Quantum Dot Enhancement Film
Source: Nanosys

OLED Technology

But wait, why is Samsung still using LED displays when apparently they manufacture the best quality OLED panels for smartphones. The problem here is scalability. The OLED panels in smartphones use Red, Blue, and Green sub-pixels that are self-emissive. That is, they don’t need any external light source. They offer a better contrast ratio compared to conventional displays as they can produce true black by turning off all the sub-pixels. They don’t even suffer from light bleed which is a major problem in LED displays.

However, as I mentioned earlier, scalability is an issue. OLED with RGB subpixels are hard to implement on large displays. On the other hand, OLED panels are prone to screen burn-in issues in the long-run, and they also cannot get bright enough compared to QLED either. Thus, Samsung still promotes QLED in its TVs.

OLED technology
Source: Nanosys

While Samsung avoids OLED in its TV, LG and other brands have used it in their flagships offering. These TVs use what LG calls WOLED (White OLED). As the name implies, it uses White pixels based on blue and yellow substrates which are then converted into four sub-pixels (red, green, blue, and white) by an RGBW filter.

QD-OLED Technology

Now that we have learned about the unique characteristics of QLED and OLED, you may ask if there is a way we could enjoy the best of both worlds. It is here where Samsung’s QD-OLED technology comes in. The idea here is to place a Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (QDEF) place instead of an RGBW color filter in front of a blue OLED.

Samsung QNED Display Technology

And now, Samsung is even taking things further with the new QNED technology. It’s an acronym for Quantum Nano Emitting Diode. It won’t require a separate QDEF since the Quantum Dots will be printed into the pixel area using inkjet printing technology. Instead of blocking unwanted light and allowing only desired light to pass through, the Quantum Dot panel in QNED will convert all of the light falling on it into the desired color. This process is referred to as Quantum Dot Color Conversion and it results in higher efficiency.

Quantum Dot Color Conversion
Source: Nanosys

Also, the light source (OLED) will be replaced by a blue-emitting Nanorod LED, hence the name QNED. The Nanorod LED is based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) which is an organic substance and thus should last longer than the organic substance (Phosphor) used in OLED panels. Other advantages of QNED over QD-OLED are better efficiency and improved brightness. It will also be free from screen burn-in issues. And to achieve this, Samsung won’t have to overhaul their current QD-OLED manufacturing plants. Similarly, it is also expected to cost less than a QD-OLED panel.

Samsung QNED Launch and Availability

According to a recent report by UBI Research, Samsung Display will start manufacturing QNED panels starting from Q2 of next year. It also mentions that the company is capable of producing around 30,000 QNED panels per month. Earlier, Samsung Display had announced that it will stop producing LCD panels by the end of 2020.

TV Display Technology Availability
Samsung QNED Q2, 2021
  • Watch our review of the Samsung RU7100 55″ 4K TV.

Vivo officially unveils its new Android skin: OriginOS

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Vivo officially unveils its new Android skin: OriginOS

In the hopes of providing a stock Android experience to its users, Vivo has finally unveiled its new UI – the OriginOS. It replaces the highly polarizing FuntouchOS that previously donned Vivo smartphones. OriginOS brings in a complete revamp in terms of optimizations, gestures, and visuals. Vivo claims that the OriginOS will bring in a smooth and secure user experience.

Vivo OriginOS Overview

Visual Flair

The first visual overhaul can be seen on the home screen itself. The desktop grid system is now the preferred widget arrangement style. It is based on the Klotski Grid. Now, users will be able to arrange multiple widgets even if their sizes don’t match.

OriginOS klotski grid

Moreover, the widgets can also change their looks to relay the required information. For instance, the inbuilt weather app intuitively displays the temperature information. The temperature color card has 90 color values. Thus, you can perceive the difference between warm and cold temperatures.

Furthermore, the message notification system has also received an improvement. The nano alerts show smart notifications in an elegant way. They extract key information from the widgets and then present it in a way that does not disturb you.

Behavioral wallpapers have been introduced by Vivo in OriginOS. However, performance wallpaper is its official name. For instance, you can use the sky background that mimics various weather effects. And then there’s the blooming flower background that showcases complex motions such as the swaying of each individual petals.

Additionally, the wallpapers can also mimic the time of the day. That is, brightest at midday and darkest at night.

Navigation

For navigation, Vivo has added 26 new navigation gestures. And they cover the mainstream operation methods. You can also create your own gesture controls for multitasking and more.

OriginOS atomic components

Another nifty addition is the atomic component library. It summarizes atomic components and provides an easy way to retrieve them. Moreover, when icons are dragged from the navigation library into the application interface, it generates small windows for multitasking.

Then there’s the super card pack. A single swipe lets you call the pack no matter what screen you are on. The payment types to be displayed can be customized in the pack. This could come in real handy for quick and easy mobile payments.

OriginOS for Optimized Performance

OriginOS brings Multi-Turbo 5.0. This helps in the core system optimization. Multi-Turbo introduces three technologies – memory fusion, process optimization, and application preloading.

Here, memory fusion allows the allocation of idle ROM space to perform the function of RAM. This leads to a better experience while multitasking since your smartphone will now freeze less often. You can think of memory fusion as a way in which your phone with 8 gigs of RAM will behave as if it has a memory capacity equivalent to 11GB.

Additionally, in-depth control and system resident process optimization help in the overall process optimization. It contributes towards reducing concurrency conflicts and increases concurrency capacity by 20%.

Finally, preloading technology speeds up the app startup time. It intelligently guesses which app you’ll run next and preloads the necessary data. With this, Vivo says the app load time is reduced by up to 40%.

Vivo OriginOS Availability, Eligible Phones

In a Weibo post, the official account for OriginOS has detailed the update schedule for different Vivo and iQOO phones. The company plans to roll out the update in three distinct phases:

A. The first batch of public beta plans (Open beta before Jan 31, 2021)

Vivo phones iQOO phones
Vivo NEX 3S iQOO, iQOO Pro
Vivo X50, X50 Pro, X50 Pro+ iQOO 3
Vivo S7 iQOO 5, 5 Pro
iQOO Neo3

B. The second batch of public beta plans (Open beta before Chinese New Year 2021)

Vivo phones iQOO phones
Vivo NEX 3, NEX 3 5G iQOO Neo
Vivo X30, X30 Pro iQOO Neo 855 version

C. The third batch of public beta plans (Open beta in Q2 2021)

Vivo phones iQOO phones
Vivo NEX (dual-screen), NEX (in-display fingerprint), NEX S iQOO Z1
Vivo X27, X27 Pro iQOO Z1x
Vivo S5, S6, S1, S1 Pro
Vivo Z5, Z5i, Z5x, Z6
In the meanwhile, you can watch our review of the Vivo V20:

What does Huawei selling Honor mean for both brands?

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What does Huawei selling Honor mean for both brands?

You may have heard about the latest decision of Huawei to sell Honor. The news hit the internet even before Huawei officially announced the deal via a press release. In this post, we will be taking a look at the deal, its motive, and what it means for the three parties involved in the deal in the longer run.

Huawei sells Honor

Let’s start with the new acquisition itself. On November 17, Huawei released an official statement confirming the news which was already circulating on the internet. The statement also shed light on the buyer. Huawei has sold its sub-brand Honor to Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology. Shenzhen Smart City Technology Development Group created the company for the sole purpose of purchasing Honor. It consists of over 30 different agents and dealers of Honor.

Still, the sale price has not been disclosed. Huxiu, a China-based new site, reported that the deal was worth US$40 billion while a different report from Reuters estimated it to be around US$ 15.1 billion.

Huawei’s motive

According to Huawei, the decision to sell Honor was made under “tremendous pressure” that the company is facing. It has been suffering ever since the US government included it in its Entity list. This led to restrictions on how the company carried out business with US-based companies. Earlier the US government tightened the restriction. This time around, Huawei was restricted from using any product or technology made using US technology.

As a result, the company was stockpiling many components, especially the Kirin chipsets, before the new restrictions were implemented. Huawei has acknowledged this situation as well. The company has stated that persistent unavailability of technical elements needed for mobile phone business is the reason they have sold Honor.

Some reports even claim that Huawei will be using the cash coming from Honor’s sales to strengthen its stand against the ban. It has also been reported that Huawei might invest the cash to manufacture smartphone components on its own. If true, it will decrease the company’s dependence on foreign technology. Even if false, Huawei can forget about Honor and fully concentrate on its premium offerings with whatever resources it has left.

Honor’s sale will impact Huawei’s global ranking

While it may seem Huawei is getting rid of a burden, that too for good, there is more to the story. Before the US-imposed restriction, Huawei was the second biggest smartphone brand in the world and was aiming for the first place. However, the US ban has impacted the company’s ambition and the sale of Honor is not doing anything good to the cause.

Honor X10

Different reports suggest that over the last two years, Honor has contributed to around 25 to 29% (IDC) and 20 to 40% (Canalys) of Huawei’s total sales. Even Huawei has stated that Honor ships 70 million smartphones annually. That is around 29% of what Counterpoint reported Huawei’s total shipment for 2019. Also, Honor’s sales were instrumental for Huawei’s short reign as the world’s biggest smartphone brand during Q2, 2020. According to reports, Honor’s 15 million shipments contributed to around 25% of the total Huawei shipment during the period.

Without Honor, Huawei is expected to take a dunk in the global ranking of smartphone brands. In addition to Samsung and Apple, it also faces competition from fellow Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, which have capitalized on Huawei’s declining appeal outside of China.

Future without Huawei for Honor

As per the deal, Huawei will not hold any share in Honor and thus won’t be involved in any business management or decision-making activities in the new company. On the other hand, the deal won’t be impacting the stability of the current executive and talent team.

We will have to wait to see how Honor will bring out new products without the assistance of Huawei. One might even argue that the association with Huawei was doing more damage than help in recent times. Last month, Kuo Ming-chi, a popular analyst mostly known for his Apple prediction, suggested that Honor can bypass US trade sanctions if it went independent. It would be key to ensure Honor’s survival and growth in the long run. After all, the whole point of separating Honor from Huawei was to save Honor’s industry chain and ensure its survival.

On the other hand, the company will have to start investing in R&D. Similarly, it won’t get to use Huawei’s supply chain either. Honor is a huge company, especially in its domestic market. According to Counterpoint, in the third quarter of 2020, the company contributed to 15% of overall smartphone sales in China. It will look to strengthen its position in China and slowly focus on overseas markets.

Will it affect existing Employees and Customers?

As mentioned earlier, the company won’t be changing its human resource. According to reports, Zhao Ming will continue to lead Honor, this time as the company’s CEO. Similarly, other top officials will also be making the switch from Huawei to Honor. Honor will retain more than 7,000 employees. The company will move away from Huawei’s headquarter to a new location.

As for the existing customers, they won’t have to face any issue because of the change in ownership. They will still be eligible to use all the services that they could when Honor was under Huawei. However, all the services for future releases will be provided through a separate service system.

  • Watch: How Huawei is preparing for its Google-less future

Oppo X 2021 with a rollable screen showcased at INNO Day 2020

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Oppo X 2021 with a rollable screen showcased at INNO Day 2020

It looks like the major player in the smartphone industry are all convinced that foldable smartphones are the future. We have seen companies like Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola launch their own take on the technology. Additionally, LG and TCL have also teased the industry with their concept of foldable phones. And now, Oppo has joined the race with the Oppo X 2021. It’s a concept smartphone from the Chinese brand that will feature a screen with variable screen size.

Oppo X 2021 Overview

Concept of Rollable Screen

The concept of a smartphone with a rollable display is not entirely new. Earlier this year, we saw TCL tease a phone with a similar concept. However, the phone by TCL was a non-functional prototype. Similarly, LG also has a similar phone in progress under the Explorer Project Phone.

Oppo’s Rolling Display

Coming to the Oppo X 2021, the phone has a 6.7-inch OLED display. Unlike the mainstream foldable that just fold and unfold, the X 2021 has a variable screen size. The screen can be expanded up to 7.4-inch as per the user’s need. Oppo also demoed the expanding screen in which the device was automatically scaling the video in play as per the screen size. The company is looking to solve another major problem with the current folding smartphones – creases. Oppo X 2021 is said to avoid it altogether.

Underlying Technologies

Oppo has also shed some light on the underlying technology. The phone has Oppo’s proprietary roll motor powertrain, a 2-in1 plate, and a Warp Track high-strength screen laminate. Oppo X 2021 Rolling Display

The dual Roll Motor mechanism has a scroll diameter of 6.8mm and is responsible for the expansion and retraction of the screen. It also protects the display from sudden thrust. The Warp Track is a 0.1mm laminate that provides the rolling display the much-needed strength to undergo the expansion and retraction. The 2-in-1 plate prevents the rolling display from collapsing. It consists of a fixed frame and a flexible roll that slides in and out of it.

Oppo X 2021 minimum and maximum screen size

The rolling mechanism makes up 12 of the 122 patents that the company has applied for the phone. Unfortunately, Oppo did not provide any details on the specs of the device. However, the company believes that rollable displays like that of the Oppo X 2021 have wider user scenarios compared to conventional foldable smartphones because of the adjustable screen size.

Oppo X 2021 Launch and Availability

The Oppo X 2021 was showcased during the company’s INNO Day 2020 event but it just a concept as of now. According to Vice President Levin Liu, the company is working to make the new technology available for regular consumers. However, don’t expect it to come any time soon as the device.

Smartphone Availability
Oppo X 2021 TBA
  • Check out our review of Samsung Galaxy z Fold 2.

Realme 7i unveiled in Nepal with Snapdragon 662 and a 64MP quad-camera setup

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Realme 7i unveiled in Nepal with Snapdragon 662 and a 64MP quad-camera setup

Along with the Realme 7, Realme has also launched the Realme 7i, which is the most affordable offering in the 7-series. The Realme 7i brings a 90Hz display, 64MP cameras, but you might be disappointed with its price in Nepal. Read along to find out.

Realme 7i Overview

Realme 5i was the first device under the Realme 5 series with an “i” suffix and was launched in January 2020. The 7i is the third i-suffixed device from Realme in the last nine months.

Design and Display

Like the Realme 7, the new 7i also features a 6.5-inch LCD display. The major highlight of the display here is the support for the 90Hz refresh rate. However, don’t expect the Realme 7i’s panel to perform in the level of a higher-priced phone like the Realme 7, as it comes with HD+ resolutions. One may argue that Realme should have bumped the resolution as well but the new refresh rate is still an upgrade compared to Realme 6i’s screen. The device features a circular cut-out on the top left corner to house the selfie camera.

Realme 7i design

At the back, one can notice the quad-camera setup enclosed inside the rectangular module. The mirror design on the rear panel of the device is said to be inspired by the North Pole.

Performance and Memory

Realme 7i is more of a cheap alternative to Realme 7 than an upgrade to the 6i. That is why Realme has included Snapdragon 662 instead of Helio G90T/ G95. With this, Relame 7i is closer to the Realme 5i in terms of performance. Snapdragon 665 used in the 5i is almost similar to SD 662 except for some minor differences.

Camera

On paper, the rear camera setup looks similar to that of Realme 7. It has a 64MP primary camera (f/1.8) with PDAF. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.4) offering up to a 119-degree Field of View. The quad-camera setup is completed by a 2MP monochrome portrait lens and a 2MP macro lens (4cm).

Realme 7i Camera Specs

On the front, Realme has included the 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor with f/2.1 aperture. While the rear camera setup supports UIS Max Video stabilization, the front camera only supports UIS Video Stabilization.

Rest of the Specs

Realme 7i features a massive battery of 5,000mAh. An 18W fast charger (9V/2A) will be included in the box. The device supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. There is a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for biometrics.

Realme 7i Specifications:

  • Dimension: 164.1 x 75.5 x 8.9mm; 188gm
  • Display: 6.5-inch panel; 90% screen to body ratio; 90Hz refresh rate; Corning Gorilla Glass
  • Resolution: HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels);
  • Chipset: Snapdragon 662; 11nm platform
  • RAM: 8GB LPDDR4x
  • Storage: 128GB (UFS 2.1 storage)
  • Software & UI: Realme UI on top of Android 10
  • Rear Camera: Quad; 64MP primary lens, 8MP Ultra-wide-angle lens, 2MP B&W lens, 2MP Macro lens
  • Front Camera: 16MP Sony IMX47
  • Security: Fingerprint (rear-mounted)
  • Connectivity: Wifi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz, 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/Beidou/Glonass, Type-C
  • Battery: 5000mAh with 18W Fast Charge
  • Color Options: Aurora Green, Polar Blue

Realme 7i Price in Nepal and Availability

Realme 7i will be available starting tomorrow (18th Nov). The official price of Realme 7i for the 8GB RAM, 128GB storage is set at Rs. 29,990.

Smartphone Model Price in Nepal  
Realme 7i (8/128GB) NPR 29,990
  • Watch our review of the Realme 6i / Narzo 10.

Black Shark 3 Review: Get Your Game On!

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Black Shark 3 Review: Get Your Game On!

Love it or not, dedicated gaming smartphones have become a thing in the past couple of years. Youth these days love gaming on their phone. However, if you go out in the Nepalese market, you will find that finding a gaming smartphone is much more challenging than finding a gaming laptop. Though you can game on pretty much any high-end smartphone, ones that are specifically designed for gaming purposes are hard to come by. But today, we have the new Black Shark 3 in for review.

Black Shark 3 Specifications:

  • Body: 6.64 x 3.04 x 0.41-inches, 222gm, Glass front, aluminum back/frame
  • Display: 6.67-inches AMOLED panel, 90Hz Refresh Rate (MEMC), 270Hz touch sampling rate, DC dimming, DCI-P3, 394 PPI, ≥60000:1 contrast ratio, 500 nits (typ) brightness, Always-on Display
  • Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
  • Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (7nm+ mobile platform)
  • CPU: Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 585 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 585)
  • GPU: Adreno 650
  • RAM: 8GB (LPDDR4x @2133MHz) / 12GB (LPDDR5 @2750MHz); Dual-channel
  • Storage: 128/256GB UFS 3.0 internal storage (fixed)
  • Software & UI: JoyUI 11 on top of Android 10
  • Rear Camera: Triple-camera;
    – 64MP, f/1.8 primary sensor, PDAF
    – 13MP, f/2.25 wide-angle
    – 5MP, f/2.2 depth sensor
    – LED flash
  • Front Camera: 20MP, f/2.2 lens (top bezel)
  • Security: In-display fingerprint scanner (optical)
  • Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, Stereo speaker, aptX (HD, Adaptive), LDAC
  • Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / A-GPS / Glonass / Beidou / Galileo / QZSS, USB Type-C, 4G LTE, 5G
  • Sensors: Gravity, Ambient Light, Proximity, Gyro, Compass, ForceTouch
  • Battery: 4720mAh (dual-cell) with 65W Hyper Charge, Quick Charge 4.0+
  • Colors: Midnight Black, Knight Grey
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 98,490 89,490 (12/256GB)
  • Buy Black Shark 3 Here (Daraz)
  • Buy GamePad 3 Here (Daraz)

Black Shark 3 Review:

Ola Electronics has made the phone available in Nepal, and users can also opt to buy the GamePad 3 for Rs. 9,490 more. It comes with a controller, an attachment, and a phone holder. It is a Bluetooth-enabled controller that can be attached to the side of the Black Shark 3 using the phone holder. However, it also supports a hands-free operation.

Black Shark 3 - GamePad 3

The attachment can be added on top of the controller for extra buttons. The buttons on the GamePad 3 can be remapped. It has a motion-sensing feature and users can even change the direction of the controller. In this review, we are going to test the gaming capability of the Black Shark 3 to see if it is worth buying.

Display

  • 6.67-inches FHD+ AMOLED panel
  • 90Hz refresh rate, 270Hz touch sampling rate

Before getting to the gaming performance of the phone, allow me to discuss its design and display. Black Shark 3 sports a 6.67-inches display with an FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The colors and contrast are what you could expect from an AMOLED panel. That being said, it still can’t match the quality of the ones on OnePlus 8T and Samsung Galaxy S20+, which are its closest competitors (in terms of price).

Black Shark 3 - Display [1]

The colors are slightly on the warmer side, but it is not much of an issue as you can easily customize the color scheme under the settings. Even with the advertised brightness level of 500 nits, visibility will be an issue when using the phone outdoors—especially when you’re directly under sunlight. Black Shark 3’s display has a 90Hz refresh rate and a touch sampling rate of 270Hz. In case you didn’t know, a touch sampling rate (measured in Hz) refers to the number of times the display scans for an input. A higher sampling rate means your touch input gets registered much quicker and without any lag.

Other notable features of the display include Anti-flicker mode, HDR mode, and the Super Cinema Mode. The latter optimizes standard video content to look smooth at a higher refresh rate. One can also notice the thick bezels around the screen. From a gaming perspective, it is a nice thing to have as it reduces accidental touches, while the company has made it even better by slapping in a stereo speaker setup. Likewise, its in-display fingerprint sensor is both fast and accurate as well.

Design

  • Aluminum back/frame, glass front
  • Expectedly bulky and a radical design

Even the design of the phone gives a gaming vibe. The back of the phone is made up of Aluminum and glass. The frames on the other hand are built entirely out of aluminum. The phone feels sturdy and offers a better grip on the hand. Despite the size of the phone, handling the phone is easy and it doesn’t get uncomfortable.

Black Shark 3 - Design

The Black Shark logo on the back glows. It is placed in between two LED lights which you can customize for different notifications according to your preference. Similarly, there are two triangular cut-outs on the back of the device. The one on the top houses the camera module whereas the other has pins to connect the magnetic charger.

Performance

  • Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC (7nm+)
  • 8GB LPDDR4x / 12GB LPDDR5 RAM with 128/256GB UFS 3.0 storage (fixed)
  • “Sandwich” Liquid Cooling System

As you’d expect from a gaming phone, the Black SharkFPS 3 boasts a top-of-the-line spec-sheet. It is powered by Snapdragon 865 and comes with up to 12GB of DDR5 RAM paired with 256GB of UFS 3.0 internal storage. Talking about the games, 90Hz optimized titles such as PUBG Mobile, Mortal Kombat, and VainGlory ran without any lags and shutters. One can also play PUBG in 90fps (in Smooth graphics).

Black Shark 3 - Gaming

The highest setting achievable here is Ultra HD graphics and Ultra Frame rate where you can get a stable 35 to 40fps. Unfortunately, Fortnite is not optimized for 90fps gameplay yet, and the setting doesn’t allow users to go beyond 30fps.

Shark Space

Another impressive thing about the device is the Shark Space which can be activated by sliding the toggle. Here, you can add games and customize aspects like performance level and display quality individually. For example, there is a Ludicrous Mode that increases CPU usage for a smoother experience. On the downside, the phone heats pretty fast, while accelerating the battery drain under this setting.

Similarly, users can also change the refresh rate and display mode. However, the games can get choppy if the selected refresh rate doesn’t match with the game’s refresh rate. Users can also customize touch sensitivity, accuracy, and stability. There is also an option to customize the LED lighting.

Black Shark 3 - Port

Gamer’s Studio

Features like screen-recording, FPS monitoring can be accessed from the Gamer’s Studio. While the device doesn’t have physical shoulder buttons like the Black Shark 3 Pro, it comes with pressure-sensors in the display that you assign functions as per your convenience.

Cooling

For any gaming machine, the cooling solution is as important as the CPU that it cools. Thankfully, Black Shark 3 doesn’t disappoint here. You won’t face any heat management issues even during prolonged gaming sessions. This has been possible due to the device Sandwich style liquid cooling technology. In this case, the motherboard is sandwiched between two liquid coolers with Graphite on top.

Software

  • JoyUI 11 on top of Android 10

The device ships with Joy UI 11 on top of Android 10. The UI comes with a green accent that gives it an inherent gaming vibe. There have been talks about this phone getting the Android 11 update. If you’ve used a Xiaomi, Poco phone before, the JoyUI should feel right at home since it is based on MIUI.

However, the company needs to work on providing timely updates as well, since our review unit of the Black Shark 3 is still stuck on June’s security patch. Additionally, I also witnessed a couple of instances of ad on certain pre-installed apps like Cleaner.

Camera

  • Triple camera setup at the back
  • (64MP primary, 13MP wide-angle, 5MP depth)
  • 20MP selfie camera on the top bezel

Let’s talk about the cameras now. The triple camera setup on the back consists of a 64MP primary camera, a 13MP ultra-wide lens, and a 5MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 20MP selfie camera. Gaming phones are not known for having great camera capability. Unfortunately, the Black Shark 3 bows down to this trend as well, since its cameras are comparable to that of an upper mid-range phone. So don’t expect S20 or OnePlus 8T-level camera on this phone.

Normal Images

As evident in this picture, the Black Shark 3 saturates and sharpens images to an extent. However, the end result isn’t that bad.

Portrait Images

The portraits are above average.

Its edge detection is not perfect but is just acceptable.

Selfie Images

The selfie camera over-processes the face portion but the photos remain sharp. Similarly, the colors on the selfies are also decent.

In terms of videos, Black Shark 3 can record 4K footages at up to 60fps. However, the image stabilization works only while recording 1080P videos at 30fps. Thus, if you are not equipped with a gimbal, it is better to stick to 1080p recording. Moving on, the selfie camera can record 1080P videos at 30fps and it doesn’t support any stabilization. In addition, you can also record SlowMo videos at 720P using the rear camera.

Battery

  • 4720mAh (dual-cell) battery with 65W Hyper Charge

The battery is another important aspect of a gaming phone. Black Shark 3 is equipped with a decent battery of 4720mAh capacity. I don’t have any complaints about the actual endurance on this phone. With the 90Hz refresh rate turned on, I was able to get around 6 hours of screen on time on normal usage.

Even during intense gaming sessions, the phone lasted as much as 4 hours. In case you run out of juice, you can use the 65W charger to quickly charge the device. The in-box 65W fast charger can charge the device from 0 to 100% in around 40 minutes.

Audio

  • Dual-front facing stereo speakers
  • 3.5mm headphone jack

Black Shark 3 - Gameplay

Moving on to the speakers, the position of the dual-front facing speakers saves it from getting blocked while playing games. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the device which other brands are getting rid-off in their premium offerings.

Conclusion

The launch of Black Shark 3 in Nepal is a warm welcome from us as there aren’t that many options for gaming smartphones in the country. And we hope to see more such smartphones launch here. Keeping that aside, is the Black Shark 3 worth buying? Well, if you are serious about mobile gaming it will serve you well. It offers high-fps stable gameplay and doesn’t heat even after intense gaming. Even for normal users, it is not a bad option.

But, conventional premium phones like the OnePlus 8T and Samsung S20+ provide better cameras and software experience. However, they don’t come with gaming-centric features and accessories like the Black Shark 3. To sum it up, we really like the fact that Black Shark 3 is available in Nepal and hope that it is followed by other gaming phones from Asus and Lenovo Legion. This would most certainly boost the current scenario of mobile gaming in Nepal.

Black Shark 3 Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Excellent gaming capabilities
  • Effective heating solutions
  • Smooth 90Hz display with 270Hz sampling rate
  • Decent battery life with 65W charging
  • Surprisingly comfortable grip, aesthetics
  • Good audio from the stereo speaker setup

Cons:

  • The design may be unpalatable to many
  • Camera performance is dismissable
  • Software support needs a lot of work
  • Occasional ads on a few system apps

Google Photos to suspend free unlimited storage starting June 1, 2021

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Google Photos to suspend free unlimited storage starting June 1, 2021

Google Photos was launched back in 2015 and since then, it has remained one of the most popular services from the tech giant. Partly because it allowed free unlimited cloud storage if you chose to upload your photos/videos in a compressed “High” setting. However, Google has announced that the service will no longer be free starting from June 1, 2021. In this post, we will talk about the termination of unlimited storage on Google Photos.

Google Photos: No More Unlimited Storage

The commercialization of Google Photos is a part of the Google Account’s latest storage policy. The latest update in the policy affects both Google Photos and Google Drive. For Drive users, Google will count Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and Jamboard files as part of 15GB allocated storage, starting from June 1. Similarly, Google will also be suspending free unlimited storage of compressed files in Google Photos on the same day.

Google says that the commercialization of services like Photos and Drive allows the company to keep with the increasing storage needs. For instance, Google reports that 4 trillion photos are stored in Google Photos and 28 billion new files are being added each week. It also says it will help the company invest in the services and brings improvement to users.

What about the existing videos and photos?

If the existing photos and videos in your Google Photos are stored in compressed “High” quality, they will remain free even after all the changes have been implemented. Only photos and videos stored in “High” quality after June 1 will count towards the free 15 GB storage allocation. However, if you chose to store them in the original quality, it will be counted within the free 15GB storage.

Google Photos - Storage Estimation

Still, if you own a Pixel phone like the new Pixel 5, you will still be able to use the service for free (at least for now). Photos and videos stored in “High” quality using a Pixel smartphone will continue to be stored for free. But, upload from other devices will use the 15GB storage of your Google Account. You can check the backup quality in back up & sync in Google Photos’ settings.

What if you exceed the 15GB storage limit?

If your Google Account storage nears the 15GB storage limit, Google will notify you in the app, followed-up with an email. But before something like that happens, you can always check your remaining free storage here. You can also expand the storage by subscribing to one of the Google One storage plans.

Other changes

Similarly, Google will also be deleting content from services like Gmail, Drive, and Photos of inactive users (of 2 years). Your contents can also be deleted if your storage is over the limit for two years. However, users will receive multiple notifications before Google takes this step.

There is also an Inactive Account Manager that notifies a trusted contact if any of the services has been inactive for a predetermined period of time. Finally, the company will be launching a “Storage Management Tool” on June 1, 2021 for free. With this tool, users will be able to easily sort out potentially unnecessary photos/videos that have been backed up.

So what do you think of the decision of Google to terminate unlimited storage on Photos? Let us know in the comments section.

  • Watch our review of the Vivo V20.

Oppo Enco W51 Review: Active Noise Cancellation On A Budget

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Oppo Enco W51 Review: Active Noise Cancellation On A Budget

Oppo Enco W51 is probably the cheapest TWS earphones with ANC in the Nepali market right now. But what else does it offer besides ANC? And is it worth your money? Let’s find out in this review of Oppo Enco W51. Before that, let’s take a quick look at its specifications.

OPPO Enco W51 Specifications:

  • Driver: 7mm dynamic, Dual TPU composite graphene diaphragm
  • Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth v5.0, 10 meters range)
  • Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
  • Driver sensitivity: 103 dB @ 1 kHz
  • Microphone sensitivity: -38 dBV/Pa
  • Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
  • Music time: 3.5 hours (at 50% volume), 20 hours (with charging case)
  • Battery capacity: 25mAh (each earbud), 480mAh (power case)
  • Charging time: 80 minutes (with charging case)
  • IP rating: Yes, IP54 dust and water resistance
  • Noise-canceling: ANC, up to 35dB
  • Power case charger: Type-C, Qi wireless charging
  • Color: Starry Black, Floral White
  • Price in Nepal: Rs. 8,990
  • Available in Oppo authorized offline stores

Oppo Enco W51 Review:

Design and Build

  • AirPods-like in-ear design
  • Plastic build material
  • Glossy, squarish case
  • IP54 certified (earbuds)

Design-wise, what we have here is another Apple AirPods-inspired product. It is evident when you look at the oval-shaped earbuds from the inside. The stems are rather flat and have initial of the sides printed on the inside. The entire earbud is made of plastic. Oppo has used a glossy finish on the outside, while the inside of the earbud has a matte finish.

Enco W51 - Inside the box

What I don’t like about the W51’s design is the crease that is between the two surfaces. Over time, it will be home to a pile of dust which could get challenging to clean. The rest of the earbud can be cleaned with just one swipe using a clean cloth. The grille here feels metallic which is a warm welcome as there has been a number of cases where these wear out accidentally while cleaning or over time.

The earbuds come placed inside a glossy case that match the color of the earbud. It’s a square case with round edges. The Oppo logo is stamped on the top surface, which I noted can be peeled off easily. Likewise, the Type-C port and an LED is placed at the back of the case. I do wish the company had gone for a sturdier hinge though.

Feel and Comfort

Talking about the actual fit of the Enco W51, even with an in-ear design, it doesn’t go deep into the ear. Instead, it’s the oval head that fixates onto the ear. Regardless, Oppo Enco W51 offers a tight fit, and not once did the earphone(s) fall off during the period of this review. Oppo also includes four sizes of the silicone tips in the box, including the one on the earbuds. So, if the medium size doesn’t fit you still have three more options.

Pairing

  • Bluetooth v5.0 wireless connection
  • 10 meters effective range

Pairing the device is pretty easy. The earphones enter the pairing mode as soon as you open the lid of the case. For initial pairing, press the button on the inside of the case till the LED turns white. Then, scan for nearby Bluetooth devices in your smartphone and pair it with Oppo Enco W51. The earphone remembers the last paired device for future pairing. Likewise, it disconnects automatically after the lid of the case is closed with the earbuds inside.

Enco W51 - Charging Case, Earbuds

Enco W51 comes with Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless transmission. Oppo is claiming a stable connection within the 10m range. However, my experience with the earphone was different. At times, the earphone disconnected out of sudden and I had to manually re-connect it. Occasionally, the earphone would also just refuse to play and the only way to get it to work was by disconnecting and reconnecting it again. Similarly, you will have to be real close to your phone otherwise you will be facing connectivity issues.

Controls

  • A touch-based sensor on each earbud
  • Wear detection to play/pause music
  • Double, triple tap actions to trigger assistant, NC, etc.

It is where it gets awkward. I mean, I can’t remember using any other TWS that won’t allow users to play and pause the music via the earbuds themselves. You heard it right—the touch control on the W51 does not have an option for play/pause. It can be done using the wear detection function but I think it would have been a lot easier if a single tap could do that instead. You can skip to the next song by double-tapping on the right earbud. A double-tap on the left side turns activates or deactivates the ANC. Similarly, a triple tap on either side summons the default voice assistant.

The stem on the W51 is a narrow one and I had a lot of trouble getting the placement of the control right. On top of that, the touch-sensitive area expands almost to the middle of the stem. There were times when the earbuds recorded double-tap and skipped to the next song when I was adjusting the earphone.

Sound Quality

  • 7mm dynamic driver
  • Dual TPU composite graphene diaphragm
  • 20Hz – 20kHz frequency response
  • Standard AAC, SBC audio codec

Enco W51 - Wearing

For an in-ear earbud, the soundstage of the Oppo Enco W51 is actually good. There is enough separation between individual instruments and the vocal. When listening to the Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day, I could just follow Tre’s drumming and forget about everything else. The earphone also does a great job of separating the right and left channels. I found that Enco W51’s 7mm driver can get pretty loud. So most of the time, I would listen to it at 50% volume.

Talking about the sound quality, I found the bass and treble to be emphasized more than the mid-range. Thus, if we are into pop songs the device should serve you well. I had no complaints listening to the “Sold Out Edition” of MGK’s Tickets To My Downfall. However, you won’t have the same experience with EDMs and hip-hop music. I wished the bass had more punch to it. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t even have a dedicated Bass mode that is available on the cheaper Enco W31.

ANC, Latency, and Call Quality

  • Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
  • Noise reduction depth of up to 35 dB
  • Dual-core digital noise reduction chip
  • 3 microphones on each earbud

Oppo Enco W51 comes with Active Noise Cancellation, which is something unheard of in this price range. You can turn it on by double-tapping on the right earbud. While it doesn’t cancel the noise from the surrounding completely (like every other ANC-enabled earbuds, headphones), it suppresses them to an extent where you can feel, hear the difference between ANC and non-ANC sound. It only works with consistent low-frequency sound frequencies.

Enco W51 - Design

Besides this, the Enco W51 doesn’t have a dedicated low latency mode. Oppo is instead banking on the low-latency binaural Bluetooth transmission. And for the most part, it does an okay job. The latency didn’t bother me while streaming content from YouTube, Netflix. However, it will be better to invest in a good wired earphone if you are thinking of using it for gaming.

Moving on, the call quality on Enco W51 is also great. I used the earphone for around two weeks and I received no complaints from the other end of the call during this period. I also had no problem summoning Google Assistant with this one.

Battery Endurance

  • 25mAh (each earbud), 480mAh (case)
  • USB-C, Qi wireless charging

Talking about the battery, Oppo claims that the earbuds can last up to 4 hours on a single charge with the volume set to 50%. In my review, the Oppo Enco W51 only lasted 3.5 hours with the volume set to 50% and ANC turned off.

I repeated the test with the ANC turned on and got around 3 hours of playback time. The charging case has a USB Type-C port on the back that supports 10W (5V, 2A) charging. There is an LED on the side that turns green when the case is fully charged. Also, there is another LED inside the case, that indicates the charge of the earbuds—when it is placed inside, and of the charging case otherwise.

Enco W51 - Charging

Using a 10W power adapter, I was able to charge the case in around 80 minutes. You can also use a Qi-certified wireless charger, but the charging takes a little longer than the wired alternative.

Conclusion

While there are a lot of TWS in the Nepalese market today, only a handful of them come with ANC. Oppo Enco W51 offers it under the Rs. 10,000 which is actually great. Unless you are an audiophile or a hardcore hip-hop fan, you won’t criticize the sound quality. The call quality is also great. However, the earphone doesn’t have the greatest connection and the controls make it very inconvenient for people like me that don’t have an Oppo smartphone.

Songs referenced in the Oppo Enco W51 review:

Oppo Enco W51 Review: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Lightweight and comfortable
  • Tight fit with four pair of silicone tips in the box
  • Sturdy build, IP54, easy to clean
  • Great for casual listening
  • Wear detection works well
  • ANC at a budget
  • USB-C, wireless charging

Cons:

  • Sluggish control mechanism
  • Controls can only be customized on select Oppo phones
  • The connection is not the strongest
  • Bass could have been punchier
  • No dedicated game / low latency mode

Samsung announces 5nm Exynos 1080 5G SoC with Cortex-A78 cores

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Samsung announces 5nm Exynos 1080 5G SoC with Cortex-A78 cores

Samsung has finally unveiled its first 5nm smartphone chip. Yesterday, the company announced the new Exynos 1080 5G SoC at an event in China. Let’s learn more about Samsung Exynos 1080 5G along with its key specifications, features, and availability.

Samsung Exynos 1080 5G Overview

Architecture

Exynos 1080 5G is based on a 5nm EUV FinFET process. It is an octa-core chipset with three-tier architecture (or tri-cluster design). It consists of four Cortex-A78 cores and Cortex A55 cores. Among the four Cortex-A78 cores, one is clocked higher at 2.8GHz and it will act as the Prime core. The rest of the Cortex-A78 cores are clocked slightly lower at 2.6GHz. Similarly, the four Cortex-A55 cores are clocked at 2.0GHz.

For graphics duty, Samsung has included Mali-G78 MP10 GPU, which is based on Arm’s second-generation Valhall architecture. Smartphone manufacturers can opt to work with either LPDDR5 and LPDDR4x RAM.

AI

Here, Exynos 1080 5G comes with a powerful NPU and a DSP which allows it to compute up to 5.7 trillion operations in one second. Thus, it can support a wide range of AI applications.

5G

Like its predecessor, the Exynos 1080 5G also comes with an integrated modem for 5G connectivity. It supports both spectrums of 5G connectivity: sub-6GHz, and the faster mmWave. Samsung claims that Exynos 1080 5G can reach a downlink speed of up to 5.1Gbps on a mmWave 5G network. Similarly, it is also Wi-Fi 6 ready and comes with support for Bluetooth 5.2.

Display

The new Exynos 1080 5G chipset can support smartphones with up to 144Hz of refresh rate on an FHD panel. Even in a QHD+ resolution, the chipset can support a refresh rate of 90Hz. Thanks to its advanced dynamic range technology, the chip can also handle HDR10+ contents. The technology widens the range of visible content by dynamically optimizing brightness settings for colors and contour enhancement.

Camera

In terms of cameras, it can support a 200MP camera in a single-camera setup. The chip can support six individual camera sensors as well. In a dual-camera setup, manufacturers can use a 32MP + 32MP setup. Once the AI detects objects and scenery in the frame, the ISP on the Exynos 1080 5G can optimize the setting for a better shot. This SoC also supports true 10-bit video recording.

Samsung Exynos 1080 5G Specifications: 

  • Process: 5 nm EUV FinFETprocess
  • Core Architecture: 1x 2.8GHz Cortex-A78 + 3x 2.6GHz Cortex-A78 cores + 4x 2.0GHz Cortex-A55 cores
  • GPU: Mali-G78 MP10
  • Memory Support: LPDDR4x / LPDDR5
  • Storage Support: UFS 3.1
  • Max Camera: up to 200MP single sensor / 32MP + 32MP dual-camera setup
  • Video Support: up to 4K 60FPS (10-bit video recording)
  • Display Support: FHD+ @144Hz / WQHD+ @90Hz
  • Connectivity: 5G (mmWave and sub-6GHz), Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.2. FM Radio

Samsung Exynos 1080 5G Availability

Samsung has announced that the Exynos 1080 5G will first be used in a Vivo smartphone (most likely the upcoming X60 series). We can expect smartphones with Exynos 1080 5G to be available in early 2021.

Smartphone Chip Availability
Samsung Exynos 1080 2021
  • Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.

Apple’s switch from Intel (x86) to Arm: Everything you need to know

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Apple’s switch from Intel (x86) to Arm: Everything you need to know

Since Apple announced the Arm-based MacBook during the “One More Thing” event, people have once again started discussing the difference between Arm and x86 and what each brings new to the table compared to the table. In this post, we will take a looking at the difference between Arm and x86, and dive deeper into Apple’s transition into Arm-based Apple Silicon from Intel’s x86 architecture.

Apple switches from Intel’s x86 to Arm

Instruction Set Architecture

To the core, Arm and x86 are two CPU architecture with different instruction sets. An instruction set is the collection of basic operations that a CPU can complete. Here, Arm is an example of Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) whereas x86 is based on Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC). The difference?

  • CISC tries to include instruction that can implement high-level commands directly. This in turn simplifies the compilation process but results in a set with more complex instructions.
  • RISC on the other hand focuses on efficiency. It features simpler instructions that can be completed as fast as possible (one instruction in one cycle).

CISC-based CPU tries to complete command by using the least number of instructions without caring about the power consumed. On the other hand, a RISC-based CPU tries to complete command using the simplest of instruction, saving a substantial amount of power.

However, the difference between the two architectures has been blurred, to say the least. RISC based processor have become powerful. Apple even claimed laptop-like performance with the A12Z on its iPad Pro. Similarly, even recent x86 processors from Intel acts like a RISC machine in the sense that each instruction is converted into micro-operations for efficient execution.

Efficiency

Another reason Arm is more efficient than its Intel counterpart is because it has been adopting what it calls a big.LITTLE architecture. It compromises two clusters of cores – power cores (or big cores) and efficient cores (little). The power cores kick in whenever the system needs to run a demanding task, while the rest of the tasks are handled by efficient cores. This core design is used in almost all of the major smartphones today.

Thus, it would not have been difficult for Apple to go with Arm since the company has been trying to make its MacBooks slimmer and more battery efficient. The latest M1 Silicon features four high-performance cores paired with four high-efficiency cores.

Intel’s Setback

The primary reason Apple made the decision to make the switch from Intel’s x86 architecture to Arm is that Intel has failed to deliver improvements in a timely manner. Apple has been working with Intel since 2006 when the company decided to ditch PowerPC for Intel processors. However, in recent times Intel has been struggling with its process node. Intel was supposed to launch the 10nm processors in 2016 but then even today the process is far from a polished product. As a result, the company has been relying on refinements of its 14nm process. All these setbacks can turn off a company as ambitious as Apple.

Apple Silicon M1 (based on Arm architecture) - Features

Apple has used TSMC’s 5nm process node for the M1 silicon and it is making some big claims about it. First, Apple is advertising it as the world’s best performance per watt. It has also made a tremendous improvement with battery life. The new 13-inch MacBook is now claimed to have almost twice the battery life.

Greater Control and Optimization

To clear things off, Arm doesn’t manufacture actual cores or CPUs. Instead, what it does is design core architecture and sell it to other companies that can use, or modify it as they see fit. On the other hand, Intel does all the research, design, and manufacturing itself. While Apple needed to wait for Intel’s chip before unveiling its own product it will no longer require to do so.

Apple has an architectural license from Arm that allows Apple to design and manufacture its own chip. This allows the company to have greater control over the kind of hardware support it wants to include in the chips. The result is a computing device that has been highly optimized based on what Apple thinks its customer requires.

But how smooth will the transition be?

Even before Apple, Windows came with its own product based on Arm. Microsoft Surface Pro X came with an Arm-based processor and a version of Windows that was specially designed for Arm. However, the Surface Pro X suffered mainly because of the lack of native app support. As mentioned earlier, Arm involves a different instruction set than x86. Thus, apps designed to work on the platform are not readily compatible with the other. Surface Pro X could run 32-bit Windows apps using emulation but there was no support for 64-bit applications.

To avoid that, Apple has optimized macOS Big Sur to run on Arm-based silicon. The company has also promised that all the native apps will be supported on the new MacBooks. And the rest of the apps can be made compatible using Rosetta 2 translator. And since new MacBooks run on Arm-based Apple Silicon, they can also run iPad and iPhone apps.

  • Check out our long-term review of the iPhone SE (2020).
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