Samsung’s Galaxy S10 and S10+ were announced more than a year ago in Nepal. And now Samsung is offering a big discount on these models. With the latest flagship phones costing over 1 lakh in Nepal, the older flagship phones like S10 would still be a great option if you are looking for stellar cameras, top quality AMOLED screen, and good performance.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Overview
The Galaxy S10 is the primary phone in the S10 lineup. It features a 6.1″ Dynamic AMOLED display, on which a punch-hole camera rests at the top-right corner. It has a triple camera setup at the back, comprising of a 12MP primary lens, a 16MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 13MP 2X optical zoom lens. The front houses a single 10MP selfie camera.
This phone is powered by the Exynos 9820 chipset and backed by 8 GB of DDR4X RAM. It comes in a single storage variant of 128 GB (UFS 2.1) and has a 3400 mAh battery. The phone also features 15W wired & wireless fast charging, and reverse wireless charging as well.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 now has a price tag of Rs. 74,999 in Nepal for the only 128 GB variant and is available in three colors – Prism Blue, Prism Black, and Prism White.
Specifications:
Design: Glass body with an aluminum frame, IP68 Dust and Water Resistant
Display: 6.1″ Dynamic AMOLED screen with Quad-HD+ resolution (1440 x 3040 pixels), Infinity-O display, HDR10+, Gorilla Glass 6
OS: Android 10 with One UI 2.1 on top (received July security update)
Battery: 3400 mAh, 15W wired fast charging
Samsung Galaxy S10 Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]
The new offer price of Samsung Galaxy S10 in Nepal for the 8GB, 128GB memory variant is Rs. 74,999. You can purchase it from your nearest retail shops or from Samsung Nepal’s online shop.
Model Name
Old Price
New Price in Nepal
Samsung Galaxy S10 (128GB)
Rs. 84,899
Rs. 74,999
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Overview
The S10 Plus shares most of the specs and features with the S10. It also has the same triple camera setup at the back. This one is also powered by the same Exynos 9820 chipset and has the same RAM configurations.
The difference in them lies in the screen size. The Galaxy S10 Plus features a slightly bigger display of 6.4″. Also, the front camera is a dual setup of a 10 MP primary and an 8 MP depth sensor. In addition, the battery is bigger, at 4100 mAh. And it also has the same 15W Fast Charging technology.
Specifications:
Design: Glass body with an aluminum frame, IP68 Dust and Water Resistant
Display: 6.4″ Dynamic AMOLED screen with Quad-HD+ resolution (1440 x 3040 pixels), HDR10+, Gorilla Glass 6
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]
The official new price of Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus in Nepal for the 8GB, 128GB memory variant is Rs. 89,999. The higher-end 512GB variant carries a price tag of Rs.99,999. It is available for purchase from your nearest retail shops or from Samsung Nepal’s online shop.
Gaming phones are huge these days. And with mobile gaming expected to grow even more, gaming smartphones will improve along with it. Asus, Razer, and Xiaomi already have a couple of devices solely catering to the mobile gaming community. And now Asus has added a new device to their arsenal which might just be the best of the lot. The new Asus ROG Phone 3 with its fantastic specs is just the device one might wanna get if they are serious about playing games on smartphones. Let’s dive deeper into the specs and the unofficial price of Asus ROG Phone 3 in Nepal.
Asus ROG Phone 3 Overview
The Asus ROG Phone 3 sports a 6.59-inch OLED HDR color-calibrated screen. It has a super-fast 144Hz refresh rate with a response time of 1ms. The display comes with a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection. Furthermore, it also has a TUV Low Blue light solution and Flicker Reduction certified technology.
A gaming smartphone will most probably not be used for photography extensively. But still, this device has a great camera setup. On the back, there’s a triple camera array with a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary sensor. It further includes a 13MP sensor and a 5MP tertiary macro sensor. Upfront, the selfie camera is a 24MP sensor. On the whole, the camera setup is a drastic upgrade over the ROG Phone II.
Under the hood, the device is powered by the Snapdragon 865+ chipset which supports 5G too. You can configure the ROG Phone 3 with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. It also sports a huge 6000mAh battery.
Well, with these specs the phone will breeze through your day-to-day tasks such as web browsing and calls. However, a gaming phone stands out from the rest due to its gaming-specific features. These features allow users to take their gaming to the next level. One of the coolest features in this device is the side-mounted USB-C port. There’s one in the bottom too but the side-mounted one is for when you play games in landscape mode while plugged in.
The AirTrigger touch sensors also receive some upgrades in this iteration. They support swipe gestures for secondary commands. And they are now dual-partitioned. That means the sensors actually emulate physical L1/L2 and R1/R2 buttons. Overall, users will have more freedom while customizing the controls.
For better cooling, the device has a GameCool 3 heat dissipating system. It has a redesigned copper 3D vapor chamber and a larger graphite film. Moreover, the device also comes clip-on AeroActive Cooler 3. It has a kickstand and a built-in fan.
Gaming Accessories
As with always, the phone comes with a whole lot of side accessories. Which of course will cost you a bit extra. Firstly, there’s a TwinView Dock 3 which adds another display for multitasking. Then there’s a mobile dock 2, ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad, Neon Aero Case, and a Lightning Armor Case. Finally, there’s the ROG Clip that allows you to connect the device to PS4, Xbox, or Stadia controller.
Asus ROG Phone 3 Specifications:
Design: Glass body front and back, Aluminum frame
Display: 6.59″ AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels); HDR10+; 144Hz refresh rate, 270Hz touch sampling rate
Rear Camera: Triple, 64 MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture & PDAF + 13 MP Ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.4 aperture + 5MP macro lens with f/2.0 aperture
The Asus Rog Phone 3 is available in India from August 6 at INR 49,999 & INR57,999 for the 8/128GB & 12/256GB respectively. The Asus ROG Phone 3 is available unofficially in Nepal for a price of Rs. 88,000 for the 8/128GB and Rs. 99,000 for the 12/256GB variant.
Model Name
Price in Nepal (unofficial)
Asus ROG Phone 3 (8/128GB)
NPR. 88,000
Asus ROG Phone 3 (12/256GB)
NPR. 99,000
Check out our impression video of the new OnePlus Nord!
After months of anticipation and speculations, Lenovo finally pulled the curtains off of its first gaming smartphone which has been aptly named the “Legion Phone Duel”. With the ever-surging portable gaming scene in the industry, it was only a matter of time that the company wanted to cash-in on this market. So let’s take a look at what the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel is packing, and its expected price, availability if and when it launches in Nepal.
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel Overview
The essence of “Legion”
First of all, the name. Legion is the company’s long-running lineup of gaming products like PCs, laptops, monitors, etc. Though Lenovo still sells smartphones under its own brand even after the acquisition of Motorola way back in 2014, they’ve not been made with many triumphs. And it’s only logical that they’re borrowing from the success of the “Legion” name to kick off its gaming smartphone venture. After all, other gaming hardware manufacturers like ASUS, Razer found success in this market by doing the same.
But yeah… “Lenovo Legion Phone Duel” definitely doesn’t roll off the tongue and thus is a mouthful at 8 syllables. Interestingly, it goes by a different name in the Chinese market: Lenovo Legion Phone Pro. Naming aside, this smartphone rightfully looks to shake up the whole “gaming-specific smartphone” atmosphere; with its wild design and an insane spec-sheet.
A radical design, even for a gaming smartphone
As we’ve seen throughout the years, gaming phones tend to have a flapper aesthetics with a non-subtle and aggressive look. Because of such design practice only, they’ve managed to confine themselves into a niche group of the market while packing on par (if not better) hardware compared to the general flagship devices. However, the Legion Phone Duel is hoping to take it a step further.
Take a look at this thing. Available in either “Vengeance Red” or “Blazing Blue”, each one has a slightly different rear panel. Though both of them have the “Stylish Outside” and “Savage Inside” lasered on either side (that’s also the slogan of Legion brand by the way), the panel itself has a varying aesthetics. The red one has a calmer stripey look whereas the blue color option goes full-on gamer-mode with vertical lines and an arrowhead of sorts converging to the center of the device.
Giving a choice
So, why did Lenovo go on to manufacture such contrasting variants of the same device? I think the company has been clever enough to address the past complaints gaming phones, in general, have received on their extreme design language. While it’s not completely what we’d call “normal”, the Vengeance Red alternative at least tries to somewhat blend into the standard smartphone design norm.
Aside from this, the center of the phone holds the programmable multi-color LED underneath the classic Legion “Y” logo. Yup, how can a phone be worthy of the gaming title if it doesn’t feature a glowing component, amirite? On its right is the dual rear-camera setup while the top gets interesting as it features the world’s first side-mounted front-facing camera. Even though pop-up lenses have been around for a while, this sort of implementation is the first of its kind.
Side-mounted pop-up camera
What this also goes on to reflect is where Lenovo’s priorities lie. It’s a gaming phone and it is only natural that gamers would like to stream what they’re playing as well. And the side-facing front camera is the perfect position for this (though its housing is a little wide for holding a single lens).
The motor looks quite sturdy too; at least on the paper. According to the company, this 20MP motorized camera has a life of 400,000 pop-ups which is about 100 pop-ups every day for a little under 11 years. Furthermore, the motor retracts in just half a second to protect against any damage in case of any fall.
Incredible audio
Coming to the front, the display is treated with minimal bezels on all four sides but more importantly, you are getting dual front-firing stereo speakers tuned by Dirac Audio. They’re wide enough to be immune to complete blockage from the user’s hand but Lenovo has ensured a terrific audio experience with a “90° holographic sound field phase” using Audio MIMO technology.
The dual 0.6mm amp/65mm stereo speaker system has a large 1.4cc acoustic chambers. It also has a 4x mic array for noise reduction though unfortunately doesn’t feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. And to prevent those god-awful feedback noises, the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel packs in DHS (In-depth Howling Suppression) technology.
Normalizing 144Hz displays
The appeal of high refresh rate displays on smartphones has been borrowed from desktops and laptops. And at this point are pretty much a necessity on a 2020 phone. While 90Hz or 120Hz remains the dominant standard on phones available right now, they’ve already been met with a successor in the form of 144Hz. The Legion Phone Duel brags the very same technology; although it’s not the first to do so as there are already a couple of 144Hz smartphones. Like the iQOO Neo3 5G, iQOO Z1, Nubia Red Magic 5G, etc.
What a high refresh rate does is result in the smoother viewing experience and reduced latency as the pixels on the screen are being refreshed more often than they do on a standard 60Hz panel. And there are already quite many games that support 144Hz like Vainglory, Injustice 2, Oddmar, etc.
But for a gaming phone, the touch sampling rate is equally important. It basically refers to how fast the display can scan and register your touch input. Therefore, the Legion Phone Duel comes with an impressive 240Hz touch sampling rate though it is overshadowed by the new ASUS ROG Phone III with its 270Hz or upcoming Nubia Red Magic 5S’ 320Hz.
It also has dual ultrasonic trigger buttons. These can be customized to launch various in-game actions to ease the gaming experience. Likewise, it comes with a dual X-axis linear vibration motor called “U-Engine” and 3D motion sensors that offer immersive haptic feedback, especially when gaming.
And the display panel itself is amazing too. The phone has a big 6.65-inches AMOLED display with wide DCI-P3 color coverage, in-display fingerprint scanner, and is TÜV eye-protection certified. Corning’s latest Gorilla Glass 6 protects both the front and the back of the device.
Top-of-the-line performance!
We’d be only fooling ourselves if we expected anything less than top-notch in the performance department. Lenovo is packing all the greatest hardware inside the Legion Phone Duel. You get the latest Snapdragon 865 Plus, up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Based on the same 7nm process node, the 865 Plus is an overclocked version of the standard 865.
Even though this chipset supports both sub-6GHz & mmWave 5G, Lenovo says this device won’t support the faster mmWave spectrum which is honestly a bummer to buyers where this technology is readily available. Having said that, it can achieve up to 2.52GB/s of download speeds in NSA mode and 2.12Gbps in SA mode, which is pretty good. The phone also supports WiFi 6 (ax) for a low-latency connection. Talking about benchmarks, Lenovo says the Legion Phone Duel managed to score a whopping 648,871 on AnTuTu v8 from the 16/512GB model.
Lenovo has added in a handy record that lets you quickly record, view, and share your gameplay with others. Additionally, users can tweak the hardware performance level under the “Lenovo Legion Realm” dashboard for in-depth control of system resources to get superior performance.
Like ASUS, Razer, and Xioami who have launched their gaming smartphones with extra accessories; the Legion Phone Duel also comes with detachable controllers and Legion-branded TWS earphones.
Innovative heat dissipation and 90W charging!
The one thing that Lenovo had promised from the very beginning on its gaming phone was a clever heat dissipation mechanism. It seems the company has delivered on its promise. The Legion Phone Duel features dual liquid-cooling and copper tubes with a large area of 45,767.32mm2. Similarly, its big 5000mAh battery is actually two separate 2500mAh cells that have been placed on either side of the motherboard.
With this, the most heat-generating component of any phone: the chipset, lies in the center of the Legion Phone Duel which is typically unreachable when you’re playing any game in landscape orientation. This is further helped by the fact that this phone is quite huge. So, yeah… I’m impressed. And about that 90W charging, it is important to note that it is possible only when simultaneously connecting two cables; on both charging ports found at the left and the bottom of the phone.
Lenovo calls it “Twin Turbo Power System” but depending upon region, you might get a 65W charger instead. Talking about the charging speed, under 90W, the phone can go from 0 to 50% in 10 minutes and to 100% in 30 minutes.
Decent cameras or no?
Now, gaming phones have never been known for their exceptional photography prowess. And the Legion Phone Duel looks to be no exception either. The dual rear camera setup consists of a 64MP primary lens and a 16MP ultrawide camera with 120° field-of-view. This primary lens is maxed out at 4K/30fps videos; which is a little surprising considering that the 865+ is well capable of handling 8K footages. The 4K recording is true for the 20MP front-facing pop-up camera too.
Battery: 5000mAh (2x 2500mAh) with 90W Twin Turbo Power System; 65W charger on some region
Colors: Vengeance Red, Blazing Blue
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel Price in Nepal and Availability
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel will launch on China starting August 5. Its price starts at ¥3,499 and goes up to ¥5,999. It will then shortly be available on Asia Pacific, EMEA, and Latin America. We expect the price of Lenovo Legion Phone Duel to start at around NPR 70,000 if and when it launches in Nepal.
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel Model
Price in China
Expected Price in Nepal
8/128GB
¥3,499
NPR 70,000
12/128GB
¥3,899
NPR 75,000
12/256GB
¥4,199
NPR 80,000
16/512GB
¥5,999
NPR 110,000
Check out our impressions video of the new OnePlus Nord!
Earlier this year, Samsung unveiled its second foldable smartphone – Galaxy Z Flip. And now, the company has improved the internals of the device and announced Galaxy Z Flip 5G. Check out the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Overview
The latest chipset
When the original Z Flip was unveiled, people complained about how the company failed to fit in the latest processor despite the hefty price tag. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is the solution that Samsung came up with. It packs in the latest Snapdragon 865+ chipset and is the first non-gaming smartphone to have the processor. It’s a generation ahead of the last year’s Snapdragon 855+ that was used in the original Z Flip.
While the new chipset has an obvious performance boost over its predecessor, it also makes the device 5G-ready. The device supports sub-6GHz 5G with Dynamic Spectrum Sharing. Similarly, the device also comes with Wi-Fi 6.
The Flex Mode
The new Galaxy Z Flip 5G also comes with some software tweaks for a better user experience. The major change is the inclusion of the improved Flex model. During the launch of the Z Flip, Samsung showed off how the device was capable of standing on its own. When the device is opened with the upper and lower half of the screen at 90-degree to each other, the lower half can support the weight of the upper half. When the new Z Flip 5G is on this free-standing mode, it will trigger the Flex Mode.
This splits the screen into two sections with 4-inch halves each. The upper half will view the content, whereas the bottom half will provide control options. It will be more useful while streaming Youtube content. The upper screen will be reserved for the video, while the lower screen will display descriptions and comments.
Samsung claims the inclusion of the new SoC and the 5G modem has not added any weight to the device. The 5G variant of the Z Flip is as compact as its 4G counterpart. To differentiate the two models, Samsung has added two new color options. The Z Flip 5G is now available in Mystic Gray and Mystic Bronze.
Rest of the specs
The rest of the specs remains pretty much unchanged. It includes the 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display. The device comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Similarly, the device features a 3,300mAh dual battery setup.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Specifications:
Body: Unfolded (73.6 x 167.3 x 7.2mm); Folded (73.6 x 87.4 x 17.4mm); 183 gm
Display: Main (6.7-inches Dynamic AMOLED panel); External (1.1-inches Super AMOLED “Cover Display” )
Resolution: Main (FHD+: 2636 x 1080 pixels; 21.9:9 aspect ratio); External (300 x 112 pixels)
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+; 7nm Mobile Platform
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, dual-band (2.4 & 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS, USB Type-C
Battery: 3,300 mAh battery with 15W fast charging; wireless & reverse-wireless charging
Colors: Mystic Gray, Mystic Bronze
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Price in Nepal and Availability
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will be available in the US starting from August 7 with a price tag of $1,499.99. It’s unlikely the device will ever make its way to the Nepali market. However, you could still find the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G in Nepal via unofficial channels with a price around NPR 2,05,000.
Smartphone model
Price
Availability
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
$1,499.99
August 7 (US)
Check out our impressions of the new OnePlus Nord!
Earlier this year, Samsung brought back the rather forgotten Core-model smartphone with the refresh of J2 Core – the J2 Core 2020. However, it won’t be the only Core device to launch this year. Samsung has quietly launched the Galaxy A01 Core in Indonesia. Like the J2 Core, it is a budget device with outdated design and specs. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Samsung Galaxy A01 Core in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy A01 Core Overview
Design and Display
Recent budget devices from Samsung like the Galaxy A11 have gone fancier with punch-hole design. In contrast, the Galaxy A01 Core bears an outdated design with thick bezels around the screen. It sports a 5.3-inch PLS TFT LCD screen with an HD+ resolution of 1480 x 720 pixels. Still, the chin on this one is slimmer than what we saw in the J2 Core. Also, Samsung has gotten rid of the branding from the front of the device.
On the back, Samsung has included a stripey-design in an otherwise boring plastic body. A pill-shaped camera module houses the rear camera and an LED flash.
Performance and Memory
The Galaxy A01 core with MediaTek’s MT6739 processor. It is a quad-core processor consisting of four ARM Cortex – A53 clocked at 1.5 GHz. It’s both outdated and underpowered. And the fact that the device comes with only 1GB of RAM makes it worse. It has 16GB of internal storage with an option to expand it up to 512GB via a microSD card.
Since the specs of the device aren’t that great, Samsung has decided to go with the Android 10 Go edition.
Camera and Battery
The Galaxy A01 Core features a single camera at the back. It is an 8MP camera with an aperture of f/2.2. It supports autofocus and can shoot FHD videos at 30fps. The 5MP selfie camera on the front has an aperture of f/2.4.
The Samsung Galaxy A01 Core is equipped with a 3,000mAh battery. It boasts a talk time of up to 17 hours (4G LTE). A01 Core can be charged using a micro USB charger.
Samsung Galaxy A01 Core Specifications:
Dimension: 141.7 x 67.5 x 8.6, 150 grams
Display: 5.3-inch PLS TFT LCD, 1480 x 720 pixels
Processor: MediaTek MT6739
Chipset: Quad-core (4 x 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex – A53)
GPU: Imagination Tech PowerVR GE8100
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 16GB (expandable up to 512GB)
Rear Camera: 8MP primary camera, f/2.2
Front Camera: 5MP camera, f/2.4
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/Glonass, micro USB port
OS: Android 10 (Go)
Colors: Blue, Black, Red
Samsung Galaxy A01 Core Price in Nepal and Availability
Samsung Galaxy A01 Core is now available in Indonesia, where its price is IDR 1,099,000. We expect the price of Samsung Galaxy A01 Core in Nepal to be around NPR 10,000.
HMD Global has the license to manufacture and sell smartphones under the Nokia brand. Similarly, it’s Flipkart that sells TV (exclusive to India) under the Nokia brand. And now, RichGo Technology, a Chinese company, has acquired the right to manufacture and sell earphones and other mobile accessories under the Nokia brand. For now, RichGo has launched three new wireless earphones – E1200, E3500, and E3200. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones.
Nokia Essential Wireless Headphones E1200
It is the only over-the-ear headphone in this lineup. The body is made up of anodized aluminum topped by a glossy finish. The inner ear pads have a layer of PU leather on top.
Talking about the specs, the headphone is equipped with a 40mm driver with an impedance of 32 Ohm. You can connect it to your device using the Bluetooth 5.0 connection within the 10m radius. You can even use a wired connection if you like. The headphone is powered by a 500mAh battery that can last up to 40 hours. Similarly, it will take about 3 hours to charge the device completely.
Nokia E1200 Specifications:
Speaker Dimension: 40mm, 32 Ohm
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
Sensitivity: 106dB (1kHz/1mW)
Connectivity: Bluetooth (HSP,AVRCP, A2DP), Wire
Music Time: 40hours
Battery capacity: 500mAh
Bluetooth Version: v5.0
Charging Time: 3 hours
Extra Features: Voice Assistant
Color: White, Black, Red
Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3200
The E3200 comes with a 6mm driver with an impedance of 16 Ohm. Each earbud comes with a 50mAh battery, while the case packs in a 360mAh battery. On a single charge, it can last for about 5 hours.
The case can bump the number to up to 17 hours. It comes with an Ambient mode that allows the user to hear the surrounding noise without having to remove the earbuds.
Nokia E3200 Specifications:
Speaker Dimension: 6mm, 16 Ohm
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
Sensitivity: 103dB (1kHz/1mW)
Connectivity: Bluetooth (HSP, HFP, AVRCP, A2DP)
Music Time: 5hours, 17 hours ( with charging case)
Extra Features: Voice Assistant, Ambient Sound Mode
Color: Green, Black, Pink
Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3500
The E3500 looks similar to the Apple AirPods Pro. However, the stem on it doesn’t extend as much. Each earbud has an impedance of 16 Ohm. The 48mAh battery on each bud can last up to 7 hours.
The 360mAh battery on the case can boost it up to 25 hours. Each bud weighs 5g, while the case is heavier at 34g. The E3500 comes with IPX5 protection against water splash.
Extra Features: Voice Assistant, Ambient Sound Mode
Color: White, Black, Blue
Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones Price and Availability
As of now, the product page under RichGo’s website hasn’t revealed the official pricing of the Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones. Because of the limitation of the license, these earphones by RichGo will only be available in Asia.
Wireless Earphones
Availability
Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones
Select Asian markets (Soon)
Check out our list of best Wireless Earbuds (by mobile brands)
For years, OnePlus has established itself has the manufacturer of value-oriented smartphones that ace out on performance. And on each new iteration of products, the company’s pricing has gradually deviated from what it originally stood for. The recent OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro may have been the last straw. However, for quite some time now, we’ve been expecting a cheaper mid-range device from OnePlus. And finally, Oneplus has launched the OnePlus Nord and it is officially available for purchase in Nepal too, albeit at a slightly higher price.
OnePlus Nord Overview
The OnePlus Nord is a low-cost premium midrange alternative to the 8 series; that drastically cuts costs while retaining the signature OnePlus performance standard. So, basically, OnePlus is going back to its roots. Launching a great smartphone at an affordable price. Maybe the company will soon retain its “Flagship Killer” crown too. And it is just a start, the company will be launching a new series of affordable smartphones.
Design and Display
Earlier rumors had suggested that the device will have either a 6.4 or 6.5-inches display. Well, it’s somewhere in the middle. The actual screen size of the device is of 6.44-inches. It is a Fluid AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. And there is a pill-shaped punch-hole cutout on the top left for the dual selfie cameras. The OnePlus Nord is the first device from the company to sport dual selfie cams. The punch-hole design seems similar to that of the Huawei P40.
It has a flat-screen and both the front and the back is protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The back very much resembles the OnePlus 8. In all honesty, the glossy back really looks great on this device. Now, the device does not have an official IP rating. However, it is more than capable of surviving a few splashes and crashes.
The phone is the first one from the company to not feature a flagship processor. But hey, they had to cut some corners right. Still, the device offers a decent processor in the form of Snapdragon 765G. For a mid-range smartphone, this processor should be more than capable of delivering good performance. And it supports 5G too. Furthermore, considering the battery of this device, this power-conserving processor fits perfectly.
The OnePlus Nord will be available in three RAM variants. 6GB, 8GB, and 12GB are the offered RAM options. Similarly, there are three options for the memory too: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. These are LPDDR4X RAM and UFS2.1 storage. .
Camera
OnePlus is known for offering a very good camera setup and the Nord doesn’t disappoint either. On the back, there is a quad-camera setup arranged vertically. The primary lens is a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor. It is similar to that of the OnePlus 8. Similarly, the rear-cam setup is completed by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. It is sad to see that there’s no telephoto lens in this one.
On the front, the device sports dual selfie cameras. The primary lens is 32MP and the secondary is an 8MP ultra-wide lens.
Battery and Others
Getting to the batteries, OnePlus Nord packs in a 4115mAh cell. And it supports Wrap Charge 30T. On the software side of things, the device runs on the Android 10 based OxygenOS 10.5.
The official price of OnePlus Nord is set at Rs. 53,999. This price is for the 8/128GB memory variant. Similarly, the high-end 12/256GB variant costs Rs. 63,999.
Model Name
Price in Nepal
OnePlus Nord (8/128GB)
NPR. 53,999
OnePlus Nord (12/256GB)
NRP. 63,999
Check out our unboxing and review of OnePlus Nord here:
Last year, Xiaomi’s sub-brand Redmi released its own TWS earbuds – the Redmi AirDots. These earbuds were well received by the public because of what it offered for a budget price. And now, the company has launched its true successor – the Redmi AirDots 2. Check out the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Redmi AirDots 2 in Nepal.
Redmi AirDots 2 Overview
Design and Build
When it comes to design, AirDots 2 offers nothing new. For some reason, the company has kept the design unaltered in both Redmi AirDots and AirDots 2. It follows a minimalistic design. The buds are round with silicone tips that go into the ear. Redmi will be providing three silicone tips altogether.
The earbuds also weigh the same at 4.1 grams each. Likewise, the design of the charging case has also remained unchanged.
Features
The driver inside the earbuds is also untouched. We get the same 7.2mm sound driver that we saw in the original AirDots. Redmi claims that they have fine-tuned the driver for medium and high frequencies. The new Bluetooth 5.0 adapter supports XiaoAI Voice Assistant. It can be activated by tapping twice on either of the earbuds.
The new chip also ensures a faster and smoother connection. Redmi claims that the data transfer speed has now been doubled. AirDots 2 also supports DSP Intelligent Noise Reduction technology which will reduce background noises while you are on call for a clearer sound.
These features are similar to what Redmi AirDots S offers. However, it has a dedicated low latency mode which is yet to be confirmed in the AirDots 2.
Battery and Charging
Redmi hasn’t disclosed the capacities of the battery included in the earbuds and the charging case. But it has promised up to four hours of continuous playback on a single charge. The charging case can boost it up to 12 hours.
Redmi AirDots 2 Specifications:
Weight: 4.1 gram (Each earbud)
Driver: 7.2mm
Wearing type: In-Ear
Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth)
Battery Backup: 4 hours (up to 12 hours with charging case)
Redmi AirDots 2 is available in China through the company’s crowdfunding campaign at a price tag of 79 Yuan. Once the campaign ends, it will have a retail price tag of 99 Yuan. We expect the price of Redmi AirDots 2 in Nepal to be around Rs. 3000 when it launches here.
The ongoing pandemic has practically redefined normalcy to everyone. Even though many countries are now easing the lockdown to revitalize the economy, mass gatherings of people in settings like parks, restaurants, concerts, and cinema halls are still prohibited. While you can’t do anything about some of them, you can bring the theatre experience to your home. And that’s exactly what we have today. The ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector is an ultraportable of its kind, with an emphasis on media consumption and the ability to easily transport it wherever you’d like. Let’s discover more in this review of ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector.
ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector Specifications:
Body: 4.3W x 1.1H x 4.1D-inches; 300 grams
Display System: 0.2″ DLP
Light Source: LED
Lens: f/1.7 (f=7.5mm)
Resolution: FWVGA (854 x 480 pixels); 16:9 aspect ratio
Compatibilty: Max – 1920 x 1080 pixels | Min – 640 x 480 pixels
Brightness: 120 LED lumens / 50 ANSI lumens
Display Size: 24 – 100 inches / 0.6 – 2.54 meters
Throw Distance: 2.1 – 8.7 feet / 0.6 – 2.7 meters
Throw Ratio: 1.2:1
Keystone: Vertical (+/-40°)
Light Source Life: 30,000 hours
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 120,000:1
Color Depth: 1.07B Color (10-bit RGB)
Audio: 2W JBL speaker
Battery: 5000mAh cell; Up to 2.5 hours endurance
Ports: 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x HDMI 1.4 (w/ HDCP 1.4), 1x Micro USB
Price: $177.99 (International) | Rs. 35,000
ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector Review:
Design
Small, sleek, pocketable, and fashionable
Boasts a unique smart stand to easily place it on a surface
No on-board controls on the projector itself
Take a look at this thing. So sleek, so small – it can comfortably fit inside an average-sized pocket. Kinda reminds me of Sony’s Minidisc Walkman. Remember those? Anyway, the M1 Mini has a squarish form-factor measuring 4.1-inches in height, 4.3-inches in width, and 1.06-inches in depth when placing it in a standing position.
At just 0.3 kilograms, its lightweight build further adds to pocketability, while the curved edges complement its gentle design. The top of the projector features a colorful replaceable plate with three options provided inside the box. And the one I’ve installed right now is this grey variant which seamlessly blends into the all-around color-scheme of the device.
Design
1 of 4
Front
Power Switch, IR Receiver
Micro USB, USB Type-A
Projection Lens, IR Receiver
You can also see a “ViewSonic” branding inside a grey circular disc sitting atop the projection lens. It’s purely decorative and doesn’t serve any other function in the process. On the right is the speaker grille followed by a Micro USB port for power & recharge, and a USB 2.0 Type-A port. Similarly, the bottom left corner houses a metal bar where you can latch the lanyard cable for an easier carry.
There’s a power toggle button, a reset pin, led indicators, and an IR receiver at the back. Additionally, M1 Mini has an HDMI 1.4 (with HDCP 1.4) input port on the right. Furthermore, the front left corner of the projector is where you’d find the plastic-made focus ring to adjust focus. It rotates in a 360º angle and I had no problem operating it.
An Innovative Smart Stand
ViewSonic has placed it just far enough so that your finger doesn’t get in the way of the lens residing right on its side. Next to the lens, is a front-facing IR receiver and a vent for letting out air.
Finally, let’s talk about the belle of the ball: the Smart Stand.
While the majority of portable palmtop projectors employ a “tripod” mechanism for adjusting their elevation, the M1 Mini has a clever built-in stand. Stretching alongside the front and right side of the device, this hinged stand completely covers the lens when not in use.
The front portion of the stand has “ViewSonic” naming etched into it as well. Capable of bending 90º on either side, you can pivot the stand below the projector to aim the projection to fit your frame. On the contrary, swaying the stand above lets you freely place the device on its four rubber feet at the bottom of the device. All in all, the company has really nailed the design of the M1 Mini.
Remote
Battery-operated and the only way to get around the device
Inadequate controls for media playback (fast forward/backward)
Now, that was about the physical design of the projector itself. Notice the sorry lack of onboard controls? Well, no need to worry as the ViewSonic M1 Mini ships with this small remote powered by a CR2032 battery. It’s got the basic control buttons like power, home, 4-side navigation with an OK button in the middle, settings, and return.
One thing to note here is that the power button doesn’t necessarily turn off the device. Rather, it puts it on standby mode which means the M1 Mini is still consuming some power during this time. To completely shut it off, you’re gonna have to reach out to the power switch on the projector itself.
Moreover, the remote is fairly responsive too. Provided that you’re pointing at the IR receivers on either side, it’ll work just fine. ViewSonic says the effective range between the remote control and the device is within 8m/26ft which is no problem at all for an average-sized room.
Display & UI
A minimal FWVGA resolution with support up to FHD
Has a pretty low brightness of 50 ANSI lumens
LED light source with 30,000 hours of rated lifespan
Coming to the display side of things, the ViewSonic M1 Mini is a lamp-free projector with an LED light source, a 0.2” DLP chip, and a rated brightness of 120 LED lumens/50 ANSI lumens. In terms of pixel-count, it has a native FWVGA resolution of 854 by 480 pixels at 16:9 aspect ratio; with support for VGA (640×480) to Full-HD (1920×1080) videos. Obviously, the M1 Mini downscales such high-res content to fit into its inherent resolution.
Similarly, its LED light source has a rated lifespan of 30,000 hours. To put it into perspective, that’s about 20.5 years with 4 hours of everyday use. Moving on, this is a short-throw projector with a throw ratio of 1.2:1 and a throw distance of 0.64 to 2.66 meters. What it means is that the ViewSonic M1 Mini casts a big projection even though the surface and the lens are quite close.
On top of this, it has a fixed optical zoom.
Thus, you’ll have to physically shift the position of the projector to adjust the image size. Likewise, it has a 10-bit RGB color depth, a dynamic contrast ratio of 120,000:1, and 125% Rec. 709 color space. Here, the image size it can project ranges between 24 to 100 inches. Additionally, the M1 Mini has a ±40º vertical keystone for adjusting the alignment of the image on the screen.
User Interface
Now, let’s move on to the user interface. On average, it takes about 10–12 seconds to get to the home-screen after turning the projector on. You’re greeted with a simple UI with 5 menus: Photo, Music, Movie, HDMI, and Settings. There’s a battery-level indicator on the top-right and the ViewSonic icon on the top-left corner of the screen. You can navigate around them using the left-right keys on the remote. In the same way, pressing the up or down key will open a dialogue prompt to turn off the “Auto V Keystone” feature.
Entering the settings is made easy with its dedicated button. Under the first option, you can change the display settings like color mode, brightness, etc. For some reason, I was locked out of changing this under v1.01 firmware. So, I tried upgrading it to the latest one (v1.03). Thankfully, it worked.
Under the second option from the top, you can change language, keystone value, rearrange the projection orientation, etc. Here, the latter refers to how and where you’d be placing the M1 Mini. You can set it under 4 options: front table, front ceiling, rear table, and rear ceiling.
Performance
Multiple color modes including an option for customization
A few color inaccuracies and doesn’t get bright enough
Some problems on video playback regarding audio/video codecs
With all that out of the way, allow me to finally talk about how the image from the ViewSonic M1 Mini actually looks. Right off the bat, it’s not the brightest star in the sky made evident with the feeble 50 ANSI lumens. Having said that, it gets plenty bright provided there is little to zero ambient light. You can mess around with brightness, saturation, etc. under display settings in “User” mode, though such values are set in stone for other in-built presets.
During my review, I placed the ViewSonic M1 Mini projector exactly 1.1 meters away from the frame. And the projector generated exactly 40” image (diagonally) as advertised. In an environment with sufficient lighting, I found that the “Brightest” color mode worked best, with light source level bumped to full (100%). If that’s not the case, you can toggle on the eco level instead, which operates it under 70% brightness instead. Also, the “TV” & “Movie” modes are optimized for sports and movie contents respectively.
: Video
I went about watching different kinds of movies on the M1 Mini under various display settings via a USB flash drive. Disappointingly, it can only play media files from a thumb drive and the lack of a document processor feels like a major missed opportunity. Anyhoo, first, I played season 1 episode 2 “Cut Man” of Marvel’s Daredevil. The brightest mode worked as advertised and images were quite sharp with decent saturation level as well. Although, they do degrade as you move the projector further away from the screen.
Even in this minimal test setting, I could notice some wild color inaccuracies and oversaturation under TV mode. I first witnessed it during the show’s intro, where even though everything is supposed to be of red hue, the color red has more of a pinkish tone to it. This setting also slightly oversaturates green as seen clearly in the esteemed hallway fight scene in the same episode.
Besides, the “Movie” mode gives off slightly warmer images. But hey, if you don’t prefer any of these, you can always tweak the display settings under “User” mode. ViewSonic M1 Mini supports different video formats like AVI, MP4, TS, TSP, MKV, MOV, MPG, DAT, VOB, RM, and RMVB. However, I discovered that the audio and video codec of the file plays a part incompatibility as well. The aforementioned episode of Daredevil was of MKV file format with AVC video and AAC-LC audio codec.
A little bit of complication
Then, I tried playing the pilot episode of Community I had, which was of MKV file format as well. But for some reason, I got an “Unsupported Format” message. It wasn’t a corrupted file and played just fine on my laptop and phone. So, I looked them up on MediaInfo. I found out that this file had HEVC video and AAC-LC SBR audio codec. Then, I checked the “Horse Girl” video file I had whose audio wouldn’t play in the projector. While it was encoded using the compatible AVC video codec, turns out, its “E-AC-3 JOC” audio stream wasn’t supported.
With all these findings from my review, I can conclude that the ViewSonic M1 Mini projector is only capable of playing the most basic of video files with similar encodings. Furthermore, it doesn’t support soft-coded subtitles either, though video files hardcoded subtitles work just fine. Also, in case your file has more than one audio tracks, it’ll play the first one encoded, with no option to toggle between them.
: Audio
In the audio department, you get a 2W mono JBL speaker on the left side of ViewSonic M1 Mini. Music files and videos get loud enough for an average classroom, bedroom, or small office space; provided that there is pin-drop silence. Though you obviously won’t get a dynamic audio output, it is good enough for the price. The vocals & instruments are clear and pleasing to hear. This projector supports MP3, WMA, M4A, and AAC music formats.
Yet, I tried playing a superior FLAC file and it worked with no hiccup; even though it’s not listed in the official product description. You also get a view of the file’s metadata like album art, title, artist name, bit rate, etc. on the right side while the music plays.
: Photo
Getting to photos, you can use the M1 Mini as an image viewer too. It’ll display the images in a slideshow, reminiscent of those old videos people used to edit on Windows Movie Maker. It only supports 4 file formats: JPG, JPEG, BMP, and PNG. This lack of GIF & TIFF file support is disappointing. On the other hand, images are fine with decent details and contrast when mirroring your computer’s screen or giving presentations using an HDMI cable.
Battery
5000mAh built-in battery; charges via Micro USB cable
Can take power from phones & power banks too
Time to talk battery life. The ViewSonic M1 Mini has a built-in 5000mAh battery. In my test, I got about 2 hours of endurance in normal & about 15 minutes more in eco mode. You get a big battery low icon in the middle of the screen when the charge is low and it won’t go unless you plug it into a power source or turn off the machine.
It takes about 2 hours to recharge the projector from 0 to 100% using a 5V/2A charger. You can also use a power bank or your smartphone to transfer the juice into the device.
Final Words
Wrapping it all up, the ViewSonic M1 Mini is a good-looking and a standout pocket projector, pun intended. Its unique stand makes adjusting the device easier. It also has a built-in battery and mono speaker which is great. The image projection, however, is of pretty low resolution and therefore is only feasible for a compact room. Having said that, there are a lot of other constraints as well; like limited I/O, no wireless connectivity, no on-board controls, and excessive heating. Yeah, this projector runs hot even after mere seconds of turning on the device.
Watch our video review of the ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector!
ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector Review: Pros & Cons
Pros:
Portable and good-looking design with a smart stand
The audio from the projector is decent for a compact room
Has a built-in battery and can take power from other devices
Easy to operate, decent display, and a long-lasting LED light source
Cons:
Doesn’t get bright enough for a little larger room
Can’t play different audio, video, or image formats
Very few I/O ports and no option for wireless connectivity
No onboard control & have to use the remote for everything
Minimal FWVGA resolution, therefore not the sharpest images
Over the past few years, streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime TV have been gaining momentum in the country. People looking to buy TV these days opt for smart TVs so that they can enjoy content from these streaming services. The problem with most of the TVs available in the market is that they are underpowered and the features are limited. A solution to this problem could be a discrete setup box (or streaming box). These boxes come with their own processor, software, and UI. Today, we will be taking a look at Apple TV 4K set-top box, along with its specs, features, price, and availability in Nepal.
Apple TV 4K Overview
Apple TV 4K is probably the most powerful setup box available in the Nepalese market today. It’s the fifth iteration of Apple’s TV lineup and was first launched in 2017.
Design and Ports
Talking about the design, Apple TV 4K can be mistaken for its predecessor as both are similar design and dimension wise. It’s a 3.9-inch square box with rounded corners. The box is 1.4-inches high and weighs around 425 grams. On the top, the logo confirms that it is indeed an Apple TV. There is an IR receiver on the front of the device that communicates with the Siri Remote. The ports are on the backside. With Apple TV 4K, you get a Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI 2.0a port, and power input.
Talking about the remote, it’s 4.88-inch in length and has a width of 1.5-inch. It is 0.25-inch thick and weighs around 45 grams. The buttons are concentrated in the middle of the remote.
Internal Specs and Software
Apple TV 4K features Apple’s A10X Fusion Chip. It’s a chipset based on the 64-bit architecture that has also been featured in Apple’s iPad lineup. Users can choose between 32GB and 64GB of internal storage. The box runs on Apple TV OS. Basically, it’s iOS with some modifications done to implement it on TV. It comes with its own App Store with TV-focused content. Other notable inclusions are Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV app, and Siri. Users can command Siri to perform different tasks using the dedicated button on the Siri button.
Apple TV 4K lets you stream HD and 4K contents. It also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision formats for deeper and realistic color. However, to make most of the box, you need to connect it to a compatible TV. Apple has made sure the user will have the best sound experience as well by including Dolby Atmos for 360-degree surround sound experience. In fact, it was the first streaming box to support both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision at the time of its launch.
You can stream 4K contents from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as well. However, 4K streaming on YouTube is not supported yet. Other than that, you can also enjoy Apple’s own streaming service, Apple TV+.
Other features
You can make Apple TV 4K the center of your smart home. The TV box lets you control all the HomeKit-enabled devices. If you love playing games on TV, the Apple TV 4K supports a variety of controllers including Sony’s DualShock 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless Controller. It also supports multiuser so that each user gets a personal experience.
Apple TV 4K Specifications:
TV Box Dimension: 3.9 x 3.9 x 1.4-inches, 425g
Siri Remote Dimension: 1.5 x 0.25 x 4.88-inch, 45g
Processor: A10X Fusion Chip (64-bit architecture)
Storage options: 32GB / 64GB
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz, 5GHz), MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, IR receiver
Ports: HDMI 2.0a, Gigabit Ethernet port, Power supply
Siri Remote: Bluetooth 4.0, IR transmitter, Accelerometer, and three-axis gyro, Lightning connector (for charging)
Accessibility: VoiceOver, Zoom, Reduce Motion, CC and SDH support, Audio Description, Siri and Dictation, Switch Control
Apple TV 4K Price in Nepal and Availability
Apple TV 4K is now available in Nepal with a price tag of NPR 26,500 for the 32GB model and NPR 32,500 for 64GB model. You can buy it from different Oliz Store outlets or through its official website.
Apple Set-top Box Model
Price in Nepal
Apple TV 4K (32GB)
Rs. 26,500
Apple TV 4K (64GB)
Rs. 32,500
Check out our review of the ViewSonic M1 Mini projector
![ViewSonic M1 Mini - Design [2]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ViewSonic-M1-Mini-Design-2.jpg)
![ViewSonic M1 Mini - Design [1]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ViewSonic-M1-Mini-Design-1.jpg)
![ViewSonic M1 Mini - Projection [1]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ViewSonic-M1-Mini-Projection-1.jpg)
![ViewSonic M1 Mini - Projection [2]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ViewSonic-M1-Mini-Projection-2.jpg)
![Apple TV 4K Price in Nepal [Updated: July 2020]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Apple-TV-4K-price-nepal.jpg "Apple TV 4K Price in Nepal [Updated: July 2020]")
