Qualcomm announced its latest flagship smartphone processor on the first day of Snapdragon Tech Summit Digital. The new Snapdragon 888 5G is the successor to the SD 865. This new SoC will be the first choice SoC for flagship Android smartphones in the coming year. In this post, we will be taking a look at the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and how it is different than the Snapdragon 865.
Snapdragon 888 SoC: How is it better than the 865?
To begin with, the new Snapdragon 888 SoC is based on a new 5nm process node. This makes it more efficient than the SD 865 which is built on a 7nm process. However, the company has not revealed the details surrounding the architecture of the new chipset as of yet.
5G Connectivity
The major update comes in the form of the Snapdragon X60 5G modem, which is integrated into the SoC itself. Like the processor, the X60 5G is based on a 5nm process and it is the first of its kind for that matter. This makes it more power-efficient than the X55 5G modem. It is the first 5G modem to allow aggregation of mmWave-sub6 5G spectrum. One couldn’t enjoy this combined band in the X55 modem.
Similarly, the X60 also allows sub-6 carrier aggregation across FDD, TDD. The antennas for the X60 are also said to be smaller than the previous generation. Thus, it will be less challenging of a task for smartphone manufacture to fit them in their products. Other notable features include global multi-sim, Voice over NR, and Dynamic Spectrum Sharing.
The sixth-generation Qualcomm AI Engine gives Snapdragon 888 a big advantage in AI-related tasks. The company claims that the new AI engine has been built from the ground up. Qualcomm is claiming up to 26 Tera Operations per Second (TOPS). It’s a significant improvement over SD 865’s 16 TOPS. It’s even faster than Apple’s A14 Bionic which managed up to 11 TOPS.
The new AI engine is also said to be more power-efficient. It is aided by the second-generation Qualcomm Sensing Hub. It comes with a lower-power always-on AI processing.
Snapdragon Elite Gaming
Qualcomm claims that the third generation Snapdragon Elite Gaming feature offers the biggest leap in the GPU performance in the Adreno GPU history. As of now, the company has not any details of the GPU. However, the Elite Gaming Features bring updatable GPU drivers, a frame rate of up to 144fps, and Desktop Forward Rendering.
Image Signal Processing
The Spectra ISP on the Snapdragon 888 is now 35% faster than the previous generation. That is, it can capture videos and photos at 2.7 gigapixels per second. Qualcomm also says that the new SoC triples down on computational photography. However, it did not give any detail about what it means and how it manages to do so.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC Availability
Snapdragon 888 will power flagship Android smartphones of 2021. Xiaomi has confirmed that the upcoming Mi 11 will be the first phone to include the Snapdragon 888 SoC. Realme has also announced a device codenamed “Race” will equip Snapdragon 888, while OPPO will be bringing this chip in its upcoming Find X3 series as well.
There are very few companies making Android tablets these days, and the number is a lot less when we look at the budget tablet section. Samsung remains one of the few smartphone manufacturers that’s still coming up with Android tablets. But then those from the company too cost upward of 50K. For instance, there’s the super expensive Tab S7 or the mid-ranger Tab S6 Lite. We’ve already covered the Tab S6 Lite, and today we’re going to review the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2020).
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2020) Specifications:
Dimension:9.8 x 6.2 x 0.3 -inches
Display: 10.4-inch TFT display, 2000 x 1200 pixel resolution
Storage: 32GB (expandable via a microSD card slot)
Audio: Quad stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos
OS: Android 10, One UI 2.5
Security: Face recognition
Battery: 7040mAh, 15W fast charging
Color options: Dark Gray, Silver, Gold
Price in Nepal: NPR 34,999 (3/32GB)
Available at Samsung authorized retail stores
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2020) Review:
For those looking to shop for a tablet in the budget segment, there’s not much of an option. Of course, you can buy the Amazon Kindle Fire, but that would be breaking away from the Android ecosystem. So, given the fact that there’s a limited set of choices for customers in the budget tablet segment, it made sense for Samsung to come up with one.
And that’s exactly what they have done with the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2020). But should you buy it or skip it altogether and go for a high-end tablet? Well, that’s what we are here to discuss. Let’s dive into our review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2020), and find out whether it is worth your money or not.
Design and Build
Premium metallic build
Slightly heavyweight design
Galaxy Tab A7’s metallic build gives it a very premium feel. It’s not every day that you see a budget tablet with a metallic build, so that’s a good thing. However, considering some of the compromises that Samsung has made in some areas, it could have been better if they had considered a cheaper alternative here rather than in other departments. Anyway, what’s done is done. You still get a premium-looking device with a solid aluminum build. I’ve with me the silver-colored one. Other color variants include gold and dark grey.
The design isn’t particularly striking. It’s pretty minimalistic if you ask me. At the back, there’s an 8MP camera module on the left-top-hand corner and the Samsung logo along with the IMEI number is stamped right in the middle. The front is no different. Thick bezels surround the display and the front camera is on the right-hand side bezel.
There are 2 speaker grills on each end, with a USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack the extra additions on one end. On the left, you’ll find the volume and the lock button. Similarly, on the right side, towards the bottom, you’ll find a SIM + microSD tray.
Measuring 9.8 x 6.2 x 0.3 -inches and weighing about 1 pound, the device is relatively thick and heavier. However, I didn’t find it troubling to carry around or to use.
Display
10.4″ TFT LCD panel with 5:3 aspect ratio
An abysmal 329 nits of peak brightness
This device sports a 10.4-inch screen. It is a TFT display with 2000 x 1200 pixel resolution. The huge screen is surrounded by bezels of substantial size. Though, it does come in handy as it decreases the chances for accidental touches. However, considering how the Galaxy Tab S7 is famed for its AMOLED panel, it was rather surprising to see such a downgrade on this one. But then again, this is a budget tablet. Having said that, the display might not be mind-blowing, but it is not a pushover either.
The pictures come out big and sharp, the color definition is decent enough, however, the less we talk about its brightness, the best it is. On its big screen, you’ll be able to properly consume Netflix and Amazon Prime series. You’ll find the videos to be fairly vibrant with popping colors. Furthermore, the screen covers 102% of the sRGB color gamut. Thus, the colors are fairly accurate. Overall, you won’t be missing any details in whatever you watch on its screen.
However, as I mentioned previously, the screen brightness is the weak-link here. At 329 peak brightness, it is not the brightest display out there. Even with full brightness, you’ll have a hard time while viewing darker scenes or while viewing something on a bright sunny day.
I did not face any problem while using the device. The screen responded perfectly to all my gestures and felt smooth, except for the occasional lag in animations. Overall, barring the issue with the brightness, this display, to me, feels perfect for everyday web surfing and media consumption.
Software and Performance
Snapdragon 662 (11nm) SoC paired with 3GB of RAM
Either 32 or 64GB of internal storage (expandable)
OneUI 2.5 on top of Android 10 out-of-the-box
Out of the box, this device comes with One UI 2.5 and Android 10. The combination of these two provides you with enough features that you’d expect on a tablet. You’ll find some useful features such as Quick Share, media control among your other Samsung devices, SmartThing/Bluetooth device control, and call & text right in the notification bar. However, to use the call and text feature you’ll require another galaxy smartphone logged in with the same Samsung Account.
One expects brilliant multitasking features on a tablet because that’s probably why you get one, right? And this device offers you some of the most essential features such as a split-screen and pop-up view. They all work smoothly and you won’t experience a lag in performance.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC and comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. However, if you want more storage, you can opt for the 64GB variant. Our review unit of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2020) comes with 3GB RAM and 32 GB storage.
I was keen to test out how the 3GB RAM complements the Snapdragon 662 processor. It does hold back the processor a bit, but for the most part, you’ll have no complaints about the performance.
Slight lags
There was some delay while launching the apps and in general, I felt that there was a hint of lag in the animation, however, that’s about it. Once the app launches, everything works smoothly. It can keep up with your day to day tasks such as surfing the web, watching videos on YouTube, attending online classes/meetings, or catching up on the latest stories on Instagram quite easily.
I had opened several tabs on Google Chrome, Facebook, Instagram, and a few other apps, and the tab was able to handle the pressure pretty well. But as mentioned earlier, I did face some delay while switching from one app to another.
Gaming
If you are a fan of mobile gaming, then you will be relieved to hear that the Galaxy Tab A7 can handle heavy-duty games such as PUBG, Asphalt 9, COD, and Mobile Legends pretty well. On max settings in PUBG Mobile, i.e Balanced graphics, and medium frame rate, the gameplay is not smooth, you’ll have to deal with a lot of stuttering.
For the best result, you should opt for smooth graphics with high frame rates. As for COD and Mobile Legends, you can play to your heart’s content without any frame drops. On Asphalt 9, which is a relatively less demanding game among the ones mentioned, I experienced lags while performing rolls and overall not the smoothest of experience, but still playable.
All in all, you will not get high-end tablet smoothness while using the Tab A7, but then again it is not a high-end tablet. For performing everyday tasks and playing games, this device should be more than sufficient.
Battery
7040mAh battery with 15W fast charging
I would gladly take the trade-off between a rather dim display and a better battery life. And that’s exactly what this device provides. Modern Android devices are plagued by a lackluster battery backup, but you won’t have to worry about that issue on the Galaxy Tab A7.
Similar to the Tab S6 Lite, this device too is equipped with a 7040mAh battery. I managed to get around 13 hours while browsing through the web, and watching videos on Netflix and YouTube at 40% brightness. Throwing in some game time in between regular tasks does decrease the battery life by an hour or so, but it still great. So, no complaints on that department.
The battery lasts for a long time on this device, unfortunately, a similar time period is required to charge this device. Okay, that might be a little exaggerated statement, but honestly, charging this device to 100% took ages to complete. You surely would want to get hold of a 15W fast charger for this device because it does not ship with the device. Either that or be prepared to wait for 3 and a half hours to get the device fully charged.
Audio
Quad speakers with Dolby Atmos support
3.5mm headphone jack
The quad-speaker setup on the A7 delivers punchy, loud, and clear sound. Of course, they are not flagship-level, but in a small to medium-sized room, you’ll find that the sound reproduction is good. Even at the highest volume, the sound does not distort.
There are two speakers on either side of the tablet and they have Dolby Atmos support for high-quality stereo, surround sound. Furthermore, there are 4 audio presets Auto, Movie, Music, and Voice. As the device is more suited for media consumption, I had it on Movie mode most of the time. However, I would recommend you to switch it to voice mode while attending online classes and meetings. Lastly, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, a rarity nowadays, on this device for those who’d prefer to use this tab with a wired earphone.
Camera
An 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera
Cameras
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Back Camera
Front Camera
Cameras are not the strongest feature of this tab. Let’s put it this way – you won’t get Insta-worthy photographs, but the images are still passable.
Rear Camera
The 8MP rear camera takes decent photographs in a well-lit condition, however, that’s about it.
Normal
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You probably won’t be taking this tablet around on your vacations to click photographs.
Front Camera
Talking about the front camera, it is a 5MP shooter, placed on the center of the right-hand side bezel. This forces you to place the tablet in landscape mode while you are on a video-call. That’s probably a good thing as it increases your display angle.
Selfie
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This is not suited for taking high-quality selfies because the images lack sharpness and details, however, for online classes and meetings, it works just fine.
The front camera is also used for the facial recognition system. And it works perfectly. In dark rooms, the system will have a problem recognizing your face. Thus, it’s better if you turn on the option to temporarily brighten the screen while unlocking.
Verdict
So, what’s our final stand about the Galaxy Tab A7? This budget Android tablet provides goods in just the right areas. Sure, it could have been a lot better if only they had provided a brighter display, but considering its battery life and fit for media consumption configuration, I’d rate this one as a go-to budget tablet. You just have to keep in mind the money you are paying for it, and you will be more than satisfied with the Galaxy Tab A7.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2020) Review: Pros & Cons
Pros:
Great battery life which can easily last for two days
Although Oppo boasts some of the most impressive flagship smartphones the industry has to offer, the company has managed to historically establish itself as a brand that values the trend, the glamour, and more importantly, the cameras above everything else. The new F17 Pro that I have with me right now follows the same trend. Dubbed as the slimmest and the lightest entry in Oppo’s fashion-first “F” series of smartphones, the F17 Pro is definitely something to drool over. But how is everything else on it—let’s find out in this review of the Oppo F17 Pro.
OPPO F17 Pro Specifications:
Body: 6.30 x 2.91 x 0.30 inches, 164 gm, Gorilla Glass 3
Display: 6.43-inches Super AMOLED panel, 408PPI, Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: MediaTek Helio P95 (12nm Mobile Platform)
Like its predecessor, the Oppo F17 Pro stands out among the competition because of its design. As I mentioned earlier, Oppo is advertising it as the sleekest phone of the year. Measuring just 7.48mm in thickness while weighing 165 grams, the phone almost feels non-existent when keeping it in the pocket. There were a couple of instances where I gasped about the whereabouts of my phone—only to discover it was in my pocket the entire time.
Design, Buttons, Ports
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Volume rockers
Back panel
Headphone Jack, USB-C, Speaker
Oppo has achieved this impressive lightweight build partly with the use of a polycarbonate body, alongside plastic frames. That may sound like a bummer but it’s really not, considering the work Oppo has put into designing the back panel. With a (subtle) reflective matte finish, holding the phone at different angles makes it seem as if the camera module is pouring rays of light throughout the panel. There is also a vertical strip running down the length of the phone—therefore resulting in a hip dual-tone design. Similarly, the F17 Pro has reflective materials on the edges for an added visual treat.
Catches fingerprints quite easy
Unfortunately, the phone isn’t as fingerprint resistant as Oppo would want you to believe. Although the matte finish does a decent job of concealing the smudges, I found myself having to wipe off the fingerprints quite often. Speaking strictly in terms of the back panel, the one on the F17 Pro feels significantly better than the Oppo F15 that I had reviewed earlier this year. The camera module itself has a dual-layer finish with the actual sensors protruding even further.
Overall, I gotta admit that the F17 Pro is a great phone to look at. Yet, keeping it that way could be a headache as within a week or so, I noticed dust accumulation around the camera module—therefore masking off the glossy surface beneath it.
Display
6.43-inches FHD+ AMOLED panel
Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection
Standard 60Hz refresh rate
Moving on to the display, the Oppo F17 Pro sports a 6.43” FHD+ AMOLED panel refreshing at the regular 60Hz, with a dual-punch-hole cutout for the selfie cameras. And like every other typical AMOLED panel, you get to enjoy rich colors with excellent contrasts on this display. Furthermore, it is also Widevine L1 certified meaning that the F17 Pro can play HD content from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. It can get plenty bright too. Throughout the review period, I didn’t face a visibility issue with the Oppo F17 Pro, even when I was under direct sunlight. Oppo also claims that the phone can reach up to 800 nits of brightness.
Likewise, the company has also added Dark Mode and Always-on Display features on the F17 Pro. Both these features were absent on the F15 (despite featuring an AMOLED panel as well). Dark Mode is still in Beta mode and therefore doesn’t work well with all apps. Whereas, you get to play around with up to 18 different clock styles, and the information to show under the AoD settings.
Performance & Software
Octa-core MediaTek Helio P95 (12nm)
8GB LPDDR4x RAM with 128GB UFS 2.1 storage (expandable)
Powering the F17 Pro is Helio P95 SoC. While it’s relatively new silicon from MediaTek, it surely isn’t an ideal one for the price of the phone. Even more so considering the fact how Qualcomm’s newer Snapdragon 700-series chipset is all the rage right now. Still, I faced no problem with the phone as it was fairly capable of handling my everyday tasks. With 8GB of RAM onboard, multi-tasking was a breeze as well.
Gaming
Getting to gaming, I was able to get around 25-30fps in PUBG Mobile under HD graphics and Extreme frame rate. The fps data comes directly from the built-in Game Assistant feature. There were hardly any instances of stutter or noticeable lag. But, the phone does start to heat up pretty quickly. Therefore, naturally, if you want a stable and comfortable gaming experience on the Oppo F17 Pro, you’ll need to tone down the refresh rate to Ultra or High.
Similarly, I tried playing COD Mobile with both: Graphics and Refresh Rate set to high. Here, the gameplay was fairly decent with minor stutters every now and then, but nothing that concerning. As you’d expect, running less demanding games like Clash Royale, Among Us was an absolute cakewalk for the phone.
Software
Since the F17 Pro ships with ColorOS 7.2 (based on Android 10) out-of-the-box, I was eager to check out the “Quick Return Bubble” feature. Basically, once activated, it keeps track of the waiting time of your game, while you temporarily get busy with other apps. To my disappointment, the phone doesn’t support it as of yet—maybe it will after the upcoming ColorOS 11 update.
Additionally, I also had some problems accessing the Game Assistant panel during games. While I didn’t face such an issue on the Realme 7 Pro, swiping the smart sidebar on the F17 Pro kept bringing the notification panel down.
Still and all, the Game Assistant isn’t completely useless. It gives you info about frame rate, CPU/GPU usage, and more. And when you receive a text message in the middle of the game, it is displayed horizontally across the screen, without disturbing the gameplay. It worked well with text messages and Telegram, although I do wish it supported Messenger too.
Google apps
In addition, I like the way Oppo ships with Google Phone and Messages apps as the default instead of their Oppo alternatives. Even swiping right on the home screen takes you to the Google Discover feed. If memory serves me right, this space was sheltered by some kind of assistant-like feature from the company itself. The F17 Pro does ship with a handful of third-party apps like Facebook, WPS Office, Music Party, Netflix. But, you can’t uninstall the last two.
Other interesting features on ColorOS 7.2 include Oppo Lab and Oppo Relax. As the name implies, the former is home to a set of new experimental features. At the time of writing this review, there were 9 assorted features inside it. And I’m personally fond of how it lets you change icon shapes and such. Similarly, the icon pull-gesture makes it easy to use the phone single-handed.
In terms of cameras, the Oppo F17 Pro has a total of 6 sensors: 4 at the back, and 2 on the front. The rear setup includes a 48MP primary sensor followed by an 8MP wide-angle and two 2MP monochrome sensors. The dual-punch-hole cutout on the display houses a 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor and an additional 2MP depth sensor. During the review, we compared the cameras of Oppo F17 Pro against the Realme 7 Pro since both phones retail at a similar price (in the international market).
Normal Images
Here, in normal images, the shots from F17 Pro tend to feature this noticeable pinkish tint to them. On the other hand, the ones from the Realme 7 Pro look more natural to the eyes.
Normal
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OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
The dynamic range is also comparatively worse on the F17 Pro and as you can see from these samples, the one from Realme has better details (thanks to the 64MP sensor) and highlights. But, in a couple of instances, Realme 7 Pro does overcompensate shadow details and exposure.
Wideangle Images
Moving on to the wide-angle images, the photos from Realme 7 Pro are much more detailed and have better exposure, white balance maintenance.
Wideangle
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OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
While the results are fairly comparable in a dimly lit situation, the wide-angle sensor on the F17 Pro’s inferiority is highlighted in a sunny environment.
Portrait Images
Likewise, portrait images look slightly better on the F17 Pro as the ones on the Realme 7 Pro have overblown shadows and exposure.
Portrait
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OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
The edge-detection itself is very similar between the two phones. Although the subjects do look a-bit smoothened on Oppo, the yellowish hue on Realme 7 Pro looks almost cartoonish.
Selfie Images
Regular selfies on the F17 Pro look pale while the ones on the competition come off reddish—and maybe even over-sharpened.
Selfie
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OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
Here as well, the subject looks smoothened on the F17 Pro.
Portrait Selfie Images
Moving on, the portrait selfies share a similar story as regular selfies.
Portrait Selfie
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OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
But, the background exposure is much worse on the Realme 7 Pro.
Nighttime Images
When it comes to nighttime shots, both phones struggle quite a bit under an extremely poorly-lit environment. Thankfully, they come with a dedicated Night Mode feature that works with the wide-angle sensor as well.
Regular Nighttime
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OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
The regular nighttime images on the F17 Pro are a little grainy whereas Realme 7 Pro has slightly punchy colors. It also has better exposure and shadow details compared to the F17 Pro and therefore looks better with a good amount of details.
Night Mode
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OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
OPPO F17 Pro
Realme 7 Pro
Turning on Night Mode, images from both phones have similar results. But, I’d prefer the one on the Realme 7 Pro for its marginally better details.
Wideangle Nighttime
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OPPO F17 Pro - Wideangle Normal Nighttime
Realme 7 Pro - Wideangle Normal Nighttime
OPPO F17 Pro - Wideangle Normal Nighttime
Realme 7 Pro - Wideangle Normal Nighttime
OPPO F17 Pro - Wideangle Night Mode
Realme 7 Pro - Wideangle Night Mode
OPPO F17 Pro - Wideangle Night Mode
Realme 7 Pro - Wideangle Night Mode
Regular wide-angle nighttime shots from both phones are almost dismissable, although Night Mode does help a bit to bring out more details.
Videography
In terms of videos, the F17 Pro is locked at 30fps under every resolution—except for slow-mo recordings. While testing them during the review, we found that 1080p/30fps footages from the Oppo F17 Pro look a bit muddy and it can’t lock exposure as often. But otherwise, they are similar on both phones in regards to details and stabilization. Bumping the resolution to 4k, the Realme 7 Pro gives off stabilized shots while Oppo lacks it entirely.
Similarly, 1080p/30fps wide-angle videos are slightly wobbly on the F17 Pro, although the Realme 7 Pro’s field-of-view (FOV) is comparatively smaller. Selfie videos aren’t that great on the Realme 7 Pro with worse background exposure and a shorter FOV.
Battery
4015mAh battery with 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0
AI Night Charging for intelligently juicing up the phone
Here, the Oppo F17 Pro gets its juice from a decent 4015mAh battery; which I think is a little small considering what competing devices are offering. Almost every day I had to charge the phone in the middle of the day—after two hours or so of FPS gaming, and couple more hours of social media browsing, video streaming, and such. My usage also consisted of turning on the GPS and Bluetooth the entire time—with the Huawei Health app running in the background.
The considerably inadequate battery endurance is somewhat compensated by a fast-charging mechanism. The phone ships with 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0. Oppo claims that it can juice up the phone in just 53 minutes. During my test, the claim kinda-sorta proved to be true. The phone got from 0-70% in just 30 minutes, while it got to 100% in the 55th minute. We all know by now that fast charging technologies have an adverse effect on battery health in the long-run.
So, to prevent this, Oppo has come up with a feature called “AI Night Charging”. With this, the device intelligently identifies the time of the day when you are most unlikely to use the phone; and slows down the charging process for that period. In the early days of the review, this feature slowed down the charging process overnight, only to fully charge the phone at 6 AM. After a while, the adjusted settings now completes the charging cycle at 7:30 in the morning.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the F17 Pro is like every other mid-range Oppo phones. If you’re a fan of style and aesthetics, this will definitely catch your eye. It has an excellent AMOLED panel, so the viewing experience is great too. Unfortunately, the camera performance is somewhat inconsistent as we discovered from our intensive testing against a directly competing device—the Realme 7 Pro. And about that, Realme’s superiority is a bit confusing considering how it’s a spin-off of Oppo itself.
Just by looking at the spec-sheet, you can tell the 7 Pro is a much better value overall. From relatively better cameras to a bigger battery, better performance, and a flagship-grade 65W charging, almost everything looks better compared to the F17 Pro. And hey, if you’re looking for even better cameras, we can’t recommend the Vivo V20 enough, although it does come at a slightly higher asking price.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) launched in Nepal back in September 2020. However, back then, only a single variant (with RTX 2060) was available. But now, more SKUs of the laptop have made it to the Nepali market have expanded its selection. In this post, we will be taking a look at the specs, features, price in Nepal, and availability of Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020).
Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) Overview
Design and Display
The body of the Acer Predator Helios 300 2020 is made up of both plastic and metal alloy. Acer has used Aluminum alloy on the display top and the keyboard base area. The frames and the bottom of the laptop are made up of ABS plastic. The blue highlights on an otherwise black body try to give that gaming vibe. Predator Helio 300 maintains an angular design on the edges and corners.
The variants that are available in Nepal comes features a 15.6-inch IPS display with an FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It is listed with a brightness of 300 nits. The display supports a refresh rate of up to 144Hz and boasts an overdrive response rate of up to 3ms (Gtg response). Similarly, the panel covers 72% of the NTSC color gamut.
Performance and Memory
Under the hood, the new Acer Predator Helio 300 packs the Intel Core i7-10750H processor. This 10th-gen processor from Intel features six cores and double the number of threads. It can attain a clock speed of up to 5.0GHz. There is also a variant with Intel Core i5-10300H that you can get for lower price.
For graphics, there are options for up to graphics are handled by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070. It comes with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. However, most of the variants that are available in Nepal come with GTX 1660 Ti. There is also a variant with RTX 2060. Based on NVIDIA’s Turing GPU architecture, these GPUs support real-time ray tracing, artificial intelligence, and programmable shading.
Keeping the setup cool is Acer’s 4th-gen Aeroblade 3D technology. This cooling system is shared between all of the latest Predator laptops. The fourth-gen cooling solution features fans with a serrated edge that allows more air to pass through. There are altogether 59 fan blades and each of them is just 0.1mm thick. When the laptops start heating, the Predator CoolBoost gets activated. It then increases the speed of the fans based on the heat generated.
The laptop relies on a 4-cell Li-ion battery of 3720mAh capacity. To limit the network latency, Acer has included Killer’s E2600 Ethernet Controller, Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i, and Control Center 2.0. The Killer E2600 can detect and accelerate the highest priority network traffic. The Killer Ax1650i offers up to 2.4Gbps of throughput (theoretical) using 160Mz channels.
Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) Specifications:
Design & Build: Aluminum alloy shell, plastic frame, and bottom
Processor: up to 10th-gen Intel Core i7-10750H (Up to 5.0GHz)
RAM: up to 16 DDR4 RAM @2933MHz
Graphics: up to 8GB GDDR6 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
Battery: 4-cell 3720mAh battery
Max Power Supply Voltage: 180 Watts
Storage: 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD
Webcam: 720p HD webcam
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac , Bluetooth 4.0
Acer Predator Helios 300 2020 Price in Nepal and Availability
The starting price of Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) in Nepal is NPR 190,000 for the Core i5 model. The price can go up to NPR 224,000 depending upon the specs you choose to go with. You can buy Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) in Nepal at ITTI and other authorized stores.
Nokia 5.3 saw a delayed-release in Nepal compared to the phone’s international launch. However, it had been reported that the brand is already working on its successor. And the successor is finally here. Let’s learn more about the specs, features and expected price and availability in Nepal of the new Nokia 5.4.
Nokia 5.4 Overview
Nokia 5.4 comes as another addition to the Nokia 5 series which is basically a mid-range segment. This device runs on the Snapdragon 662 and has a Nordic design, similar to that of the Nokia 3.4.
Design
This time around, Nokia has made some changes on the front of the device. The Nokia 5.3 came with a 6.55-inch IPS LCD panel with a waterdrop notch on the top. However, the screen size of the Nokia 5.4 is comparable to that of Nokia 3.4. Thus, the upcoming Nokia 5.4 has screen that is closer to 6.4-inch in diagonal length. And it has a resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels. This time around, Nokia has included a punch-hole instead of a notch to house the front camera.
A capacitive touch-sensor is there on the back just below the camera module. And talking about the colors, there are two options – Polar Night and Dusk.
Camera
On the back, there’s a quad-camera setup in a circular cutout. The primary sensor is of 48MP. A 5MP ultra-wide lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens complete the setup. Up front, there’s a 16MP sensor inside the punch-hole.
Internal specs
Nokia 5.4 runs on the Snapdragon 662 SoC. It is the same chipset that the Poco M3 and the Moto G9 series devices are equipped with. The chipset can be paired with either 4GB or 6GB RAM and either 64GB or 128GB storage.
The device packs in a 4000mAh battery that charges at 10W via the USB-C port.
As expected, the phone ships with Android 10. However, an update for Android 11 is already on the work. The major selling point of the device will still be its software experience. It will offer a near-stock Android experience. The Android One Program will guarantee 2 years of the software update and 3 years of security updates.
Nokia 5.4 Specifications:
Body: 6.34 x 2.99 x 0.34-inches; 181gm
Display: 6.39-inches IPS LCD panel
Resolution: 1560 x 720-pixels; 19.5:9 aspect ration
Nokia 5.4 Price in Nepal & Availability (expected)
Nokia 5.4 will be available for purchase in Europe later this month. The base configuration i.e 4/64GB variant is priced at €189. There are other two variants, 4/128GB and 6/64GB. However, they are yet to receive official pricing.
HMD Global will probably launch this device in other regions including Nepal. However, a specific date has not been revealed. And the price of the base variant of Nokia 5.4 in Nepal will be around NPR. 28,000.
Apple started its transition into Arm-powered MacBooks a few weeks ago. For a start, Apple introduced a MacBook Air, a 13-inch MacBook Pro, and a Mac mini. The Apple Silicon M1 that powers the new Macs have put its predecessor far behind. And now, rumors have already started circulating about the Apple Silicon M1X which will supposedly power the upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro. In this post, we will be taking a look at all the rumors of the Apple Silicon M1X and the 16-inch MacBook Pro that it will power.
But some… uninspiring news first
As I mentioned earlier, Apple’s transition from Intel processors to its Apple Silicon will take almost two years. Yes, that’s right – Intel-powered Macs will still be around. Apple will still launch new Macs with Intel processors. According to recent rumors, Apple will launch a 16-inch MacBook Pro in the first three months of 2021.
Apple M1X:
-12 Cores.
– 8 performance cores.
– 4 high efficiency cores.
– Coming first on a MacBook Pro 16” unveiling as a press release.
– According to a source who used a prototype, “if you think M1 is fast, you haven’t seen M1X”.
The original leak by Apple News stated that the launch will take place on March 16. However, if LeaksApplePro is to be believed, the launch will take place in the first two months. He has also added that the 16-inch Intel MacBook Pro will be for developers and that regular users should avoid it altogether. This Intel-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro will be a mere refresh and come with AMD GPU. Similarly, there won’t be any significant changes in the design.
M1X – The next Apple Silicon for Macs
Let’s talk about Apple’s second Arm-based chip for its Macs. Though we are calling it the Apple Silicone M1X for this post, it might not be the case when it’s official. LeaksApplePro, who initially talked about this chip has stated that the name has not been finalized. But what’s in the name, anyway?
The new chip is expected to feature a total of 12 cores. Eight of them will be performance cores while the rest will be efficiency cores. To compare, the M1 features an octa-core architecture with four high-performance cores and an equal number of efficiency cores. Even with eight cores, it has outperformed Intel processors in the last-generation 16-inch MacBook Pro. Thus, people have high expectations with the M1X chip. And it is not just about performance. In addition to the added performance, the M1 in the 13-inch MacBook Pro resulted in two times the battery endurance. Can Apple pull this off with the 16-inch MacBook Pro? We just have to wait.
Arm-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro
According to the LeaksApplePro, the launch of the Arm-based 16-inch MacBook Pro will take place after that of the Intel refresh. While the information on this upcoming MacBook is scarce, the leak suggests that it will have smaller bezels. Just last week, Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable Apple analyst, had suggested that the new Arm-based MacBook Pro will have to feature a new design.
16-inch MacBook Pro (Apple Silicon M1X) Availability
If we were to believe Ming-Chi Kuo, the new Apple Silicon M1X-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro will be available in the second half of 2021. However, LeaksApple Pro has given a more particular date: June 1st. However, it’s all rumors for now so take the info with a grain of salt.
Apple MacBook Model
Availability (Expected)
16-inch MacBook Pro with M1X
2021
Watch our review of the Acer Swift 3 2020 (Intel).
ZET has launched a new smartwatch in its home country of China. The company had grabbed headlines earlier this year becoming the first smartphone brand to implement an under-display camera in a commercial smartphone. In this post, however, we will be taking a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of ZTE Watch Live in Nepal.
ZTE Watch Live Overview:
Design and Display
The new ZTE Watch Live measures 40.6 x 34.6 x 10.8mm and weighs around 35.7 grams. It comes with a square screen that measures 1.3-inch with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels. The downside here is that the company has opted for a TFT LCD screen instead of an OLED panel which we expect on such devices. ZTE has rounded the watch at corners and placed a physical dial on the right side of the watch. The wrist band is made up of silicon. The watch is IP68 certified against dust and splash.
Health & Fitness Monitoring
The watch supports 24 hours of heart rate monitoring. Similarly, you can use it to determine your blood oxygen (SpO2) level. It can even keep track of your sleeping habits and help you maintain your stress level. For fitness freak, the ZTE Watch supports up to 12 different types of activity tracking. This includes walking, skipping, cycling, swimming, etc.
Smart Features
ZTE Watch Live comes supports Bluetooth 4.2 wireless transmission that you can use to connect it to your smartphone. Once connected, it can remind you of upcoming notifications, calls, messages, and even weather forecasts. The watch even allows you to control music playing on your device. It can also be used at a remote camera shutter. It is equipped with Find My Phone function in case you have a habit of misplacing your device too.
Battery
ZTE has not revealed the exact capacity of the batteries used in the ZTE Watch Live. But the company claims that the watch can last anywhere between 15 – 21 days on a single charge. A magnetic charger is included in the box.
ZTE Watch Live Specifications:
Body: 40.6 x 34.6 x 10.8mm, 35.7gram
Display: 1.3-inches TFT LCD panel
Resolution: 240 x 240 pixels
Water Resistance Level: IP68 rating
Activity Tracker: 14 different modes
Battery Endurance: 15–21 days
Charger Type: Magnetic charger
ZTE Watch Live Price in Nepal & Availability
ZTE Watch Live is available for pre-order in China where its price is 229 Yuan. As of now, there is no hint of an international launch. However, we can expect the price of ZTE Watch Live in Nepal to be around NPR 5,000 if it launches here.
Apple launched the iPad 10.2 (2020), Watch Series 6, and Watch SE in the Time Flies event held in Sept. But it was the iPad Air 2020 that stole the show with its A14 Bionic chipset. With the fourth-generation iPad Air, Apple has bridged the gap between the iPad Air and iPad Pro lineup. Let’s learn more about the new iPad Air 2020 along with its specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
Apple iPad Air 2020 Overview
Design and Display
Compared to its predecessor, the new iPad Air 2020 features a larger screen that measures 10.9-inch diagonally. The larger display means the new iPad Air has an all-screen design like the premium iPad Pro. The Liquid Retina display has support for True Tone and Wide Color (P3). Similarly, the display is fully laminated and it has an additional coating to avoid fingerprints and reflection. Unlike the new 8th-gen iPad that only supports the first-gen Apple Pencil, the 4th-gen iPad Air supports the second-gen Apple Pencil.
Since the space around the screen has been reduced to a significant extent, Apple has moved the Touch ID toward the top right corner of the device. The Touch ID uses Secure Enclave and is both faster and smaller compared to the previous generation of biometrics.
Performance
The highlight of the device is the new A14 Bionic chipset. iPad Air 2020 is the first device to house the chipset that is expected to be used in the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup as well. It is also the first chipset based on TSMC’s 5nm process node. With the new process, Apple has managed to fit in 11.8 billion transistors in the new processor (to compare, the A13 Bionic had 8.5 billion transistors).
It features an improved hexa-core CPU and quad-core graphics unit. With the new setup, Apple is claiming up to a 40% boost in CPU and a 30% boost in graphics performance compared to the last generation iPad Air that featured the A12 Bionic. The new 16-core Neural Engine is capable of completing up to 11 trillion operations in a single second. That is an astonishing 38% improvement over A13.
Here, the iPad Air 2020 features a 12MP wide camera with f/1.8 aperture at the back. If that spec sounds familiar, it is because it is the same one that Apple used in the iPad Pro and iPhone 11. Unfortunately, the ultra-wide shooter and LiDar scanner are not available in the iPad Air. It is capable of recording 4K videos at up to 60fps.
On the front, there is a 7MP FaceTime HD camera with an f/2.0 aperture. Both cameras use backside illumination technology and support Smart HDR and Auto Image Stabilization.
Rest of the specs
The new iPad Air 2020 is backed by a 28.6 Watt-Hour lithium-polymer battery which can last up to 10 hours of web surfing (Wi-Fi). It can be charged using a USB Type-C port which has been preferred over Apple’s proprietary Lightning port. There is also a magnetic connector to connect accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Smart Folios.
Apple iPad Air (2020) Specifications:
Body: 9.74 x 7 x 0.24-inches; 458gm (WiFi), 460gm (WiFi + Cellular)
Security: Touch ID integrated into the power button
Supported Accessories: Apple Pencil (second-generation), Smart Folio Keyboard, Magic Keyboard.
Battery: 28.6 Wh Li-Poly battery
Charger: 20W USB C charger
Colors: Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Green, Sky Blue
Apple iPad Air 4 (2020) Price in Nepal and Availability
The Apple iPad Air (2020) is set to launch in Nepal with a starting price of NPR 95,000. It is expected to be available from the 3rd week of December from Oliz and Evo Stores.
iPad Air 2020 Model
Price in Nepal
Apple iPad Air (2020): 64GB, Wi-Fi
Rs. 95,000 89,000
Apple iPad Air (2020): 64GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular
Rs. 115,000
Apple iPad Air (2020): 256GB, Wi-Fi
Rs. 119,000 110,000
Apple iPad Air (2020): 256GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular
Rs. 138,000 135,000
Check out our review of Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and iPad 10.2 (2019).
Xiaomi’s sub-brand Redmi launched its first smartwatch alongside the Redmi Note 9 5G series. The Redmi Watch, as it is called, comes with some common smartwatch features. However, its pricing has caught many people’s eyes. Let’s look into the features and the expected price in Nepal, availability of the Redmi Watch.
Redmi Watch Overview:
Whether the Redmi Watch will be available elsewhere, we don’t know yet. However, speculation is that this watch could be available in the global market as Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite.
The Redmi Watch sports a rectangular 1.4-inch color display. It has a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels and 2.5D glass. The design of this watch is similar to the Apple Watch. However, the price… is miles apart. You can choose between Elegant Black, Ivory White, and Ink Blue colors for the watch. And the additional colors available for the TPU straps are Cherry Blossom Pin and Pine Needle Green.
The watch measures 41 x 32 x 11.9 mm in dimensions and weighs just 35g. However, don’t let its small size fool you as its 230mAh battery is rated to last for 7 days with normal usage—and 12 days with the power-saving mode on.
Health, Fitness Tracking
As with every other smartwatch, the Redmi Watch too comes with fitness-related features. The features include heart-rate monitor, sleep-tracking, breathing training, and more. But that’s pretty limited considering how its competitor like Honor Band 6 comes with a much more diverse set of health tracking features like blood oxygen level (SpO2) and women’s health tracking.
Additionally, it also includes seven different sport modes such as outdoor running, indoor running, outdoor cycling, indoor cycling, walking, swimming, and free activities. This number is also outshined by the Honor Band 6, which has 10 sports modes altogether. Also, the watch is water-resistant up to 50 meters.
Redmi Watch can be customized with over 120 watch faces with the help of the Mi Fit app (Android | iOS). For pairing, the device uses Bluetooth 5.0 (BLE) and it also comes with NFC. Other features include Xiao AI and Alipay support for Chinese users.
Redmi Watch Price in Nepal and Availability
Redmi Watch will be available in China from December 1, where its price is CNY 299 ($45). However, its promotional price is CNY 296 ($40). If it becomes available in Nepal, the Redmi Watch could come with an expected price of NPR 6,000.
Yesterday, Redmi launched the Redmi Note 9 series in China. The lineup consisted of three new devices different from the Note 9 devices available outside of China. The cheapest of the three is the Redmi Note 4G. It is also the only-non 5G device in the lineup. Let’s talk about the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Redmi Note 9 4G in Nepal.
Redmi Note 4G Overview
Design and Display
If you look at the spec-sheet, the Redmi Note 4G is similar to the recently launched Poco M3. However, Redmi has made some changes to the Note 4G in order to differentiate it from the M3.
The biggest change is in the design. In fact, from the back, the Redmi Note 4G looks nothing like any previous device from the company. The textured “Star Man” (machine-translated) looks something out of Realme’s design page. The latter happens to be Redmi’s biggest competition in the market.
On the front, there is an FHD+ IPS LCD screen with a diagonal size of 6.53-inch. It has a waterdrop notch on the top to house the selfie camera. Redmi is claiming a screen-to-body ratio of 90.34%.
Performance and Memory
Redmi Note 9 4G is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC. It has a maximum clock speed of 2.0GHz. The graphics are handled by Adreno 610 GPU. It is available in three RAM options – 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB. Also, one can choose between 128GB and 256GB of internal storage. The company is betting on the UFS 2.2 technology for faster read and write speed.
The phone flaunts a triple camera setup on the back. The 48MP primary camera and the 2MP depth sensor is the same that we saw in the Poco M3. However, Redmi has opted for an ultra-wide camera for the third sensor. It has a Field of View of 120-degree. In the Poco M3, there is a 2MP macro lens in its place. Using the rear cameras of the Redmi Note 4G, one can shoot 1080p videos at up to 30fps. On the front, there is an 8MP selfie camera. It is also capable of shooting 1080P videos at 30fps.
Rest of the specs
Redmi Note 9 4G is backed by a massive 6,000mAh battery. The phone also supports 18W fast charging. The fingerprint sensor is mounted on the side of the device. It also comes with dual stereo speakers. The phone ships with MIUI 12 based on Android 10.
Security: Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted), Face unlock
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/Beidou/Galileo
Battery: 6000mAh with 18W fast charging
Redmi Note 9 4G Price in Nepal and Availability
Redmi Note 9 4G will go on sale in China starting December 1, whose price starts at 999 Yuan. As of now, Redmi has no intention of making the device available outside of China. So, if and when it launches here, we expect the starting price of Redmi Note 9 4G in Nepal to be NPR 20,000.
Redmi Note 9 4G variant
Price (China)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
4/128GB
999 Yuan
NPR 20,000
6/128GB
1099 Yuan
NPR 22,000
8/128GB
1299 Yuan
NPR 25,000
8/256GB
1499 Yuan
NPR 28,000
Also, check out our unboxing and review of Redmi 9.
![OPPO F17 Pro - Design [2]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OPPO-F17-Pro-Design-2.jpg)
![OPPO F17 Pro - Design [1]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OPPO-F17-Pro-Design-1.jpg)
