Ever since its spin-off as an independent company, Poco has been disappointing its fans by releasing rebranded phones. This time the company has launched a new mid-range device, dubbed Poco M2 Pro. While it’s still largely based on the existing Redmi Note 9 Pro, the company has managed to bring tiny changes to some of its features for the better. So, let’s take a look new Poco M2 Pro, along with the specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
Poco M2 Pro Overview
Design and Display
From the front, you can mistake the Poco M2 Pro for Redmi Note 9 Pro. Both feature a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD display. There is a centrally placed circular cutout on the top of the screen. It houses the front-facing camera. The screen has a 20:9 aspect ratio. M2 Pro has curved edges, which the company claims make the device more resistant to accidental drops and physical damage.
On the back, the device features a symmetrical design. The four cameras are enclosed inside the square camera module. It’s similar to what we saw in the Redmi Note 9 Pro. The back panel sports a two-tone design and is available in three different colors – “Two Shades of Black”, “Green and Greener”, and “Out of The Blue”. Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protects the front, back, and even the camera module.
Performance
Poco M2 Pro features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 720G. Talking about its performance, it lags behind MediaTek’s Helio G90T by a slight margin. However, it is based on more advanced 8nm architecture. It makes it more thermal and battery efficient. Since it’s a gaming-focused chipset, it comes with Qualcomm’s Elite Gaming Features.
SD 720G comes with Adreno 618 GPU, which supports features like Game Jank Reducer and Game Fast Loader. Poco M2 Pro comes with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB internal storage. You can expand the storage to up to 512GB by slotting a microSD card in the dedicated card slot.
Camera
Poco M2 Pro flaunts a 48MP quad-camera array at the back. The brand claims that the 48MP primary camera can outperform the 64MP sensor that is on the Realme 6 Pro. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, 5MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. This native camera app comes with Pro Color mode, which is essentially Poco’s answer to Dazzle mode on Realme phones.
Users can even shoot in RAW format. In terms of video, you can record them in the cinematic 21:9 video frame. It also supports Focus Peaking, Exposure verification, AE/AF Lock, and, Smooth Video Zoom. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera, that comes with its own Night Mode.
Battery and Others
Poco M2 Pro is fueled by a massive 5,000mAh battery. It comes with a 33W fast charger inside the box. It can charge the device from 0 to 50% inside 30 minutes and a full charge in around 90 minutes. On a single charge, the device boasts a standby time of up to 24 days. It has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. Similarly, M2 Pro comes equipped with Z-Shocker Haptics, with support for up to 120 different haptic effects.
Connectivity: Wifi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, Type-C, 2×2 WiFi MIMO
Battery: 5000mAh with 33W charging
Poco M2 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability
Poco M2 Pro will go on sale in India starting from 14th July. Its price is INR 13,999 for 4/64GB, INR 14,999 for 6/64GB, and INR 16,999 for the 6/128GB variant. Even though there is no official distributor of Poco products in Nepal, we expect the M2 Pro to be available in Nepal via unofficial channels with a starting price of NPR 23,000.
The 2020 model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro is already available for pre-booking in Nepal. Thus, it was only a matter of time before the 2019 MacBook Pro 13 models received a price drop. And it has finally happened.
MacBook Pro 13-inch 2019 Overview
The 2019 MacBook Pro 13 is still a powerful machine. It comes with a quad-core 8th-gen Intel Core i5 Coffee Lake processors. Also, it has the OLED Touch-bar, a much-revered feature once. Still, it’s a good thing to have.
With the Macbook Pro 2020 edition price starting at over 2 lakhs, the Macbook Pro 2019 is an excellent option if you are looking for a premium design, excellent display, great battery endurance, and reliable performance.
However, this MacBook Pro still has its flawed Butterfly keyboard. It took one whole year for Apple to realize that the Butterfly keyboard has annoyed many. However, it did come with new material, to minimize the flaws. That being said, the new magic keyboard in the 2020 edition is much better.
In terms of ports, it has 2 USB-C ports, hence you will need to invest in a dongle to plug a bunch of different peripherals. In terms of display, it has a 13-inch IPS panel with True Tone Retina, allowing it to automatically adapt its color temperature for your eyes.
Specifications:
Display: 13-inch Retina Display (2560 x 1600 pixels); 227 PPI
CPU: 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-gen Intel Core i5 (configurable), or 2.4GHz quad-core 8th gen Core i5 (configurable)
The base model of the Macbook Pro 2019 13-inch now costs Rs. 1,65,000 with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD. Similarly, the one with 256 GB of storage costs Rs. 1,78,000. The mid-2019 models of the MacBook Pro 13 have also received a price drop in Nepal. The 256 GB variant costs Rs. 2,25,000 whereas the 512 GB one costs Rs. 2,38,000. You redeem these offers from evostore.
13-inch Macbook Pro Model
Old Price
Price in Nepal
1.4GHz quad-core 8th gen Intel Core i5 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz, 8GB LPDDR3 RAM @2133MHz, 128GB SSD, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, Touch Bar
Rs. 188,500
Rs. 1,65,000
1.4GHz quad-core 8th gen Intel Core i5 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz, 8GB LPDDR3 RAM @2133MHz, 256GB SSD, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, Touch Bar
Rs. 217,500
Rs. 1,78,000
2.4GHz quad-core 8th gen Intel Core i5 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz, 8GB LPDDR3 RAM @2133MHz, 256GB SSD, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, Touch Bar
Rs. 255,000
Rs. 2,25,000
2.4GHz quad-core 8th gen Intel Core i5 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz, 8GB LPDDR3 RAM @2133MHz, 512GB SSD, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, Touch Bar
As a tech enthusiast or just a regular consumer, it is utterly crushing to discover how Android tablets have become a niche product. Like… how did we get to this point? A big form-factor with so many possibilities should’ve been a slam dunk. Yet, the industry is almost completely saturated by Apple’s iPad while a handful of manufacturers like Samsung, Huawei, and Lenovo are still breathing life into the Android tablet business. However, the latest Tab S6 Lite may just be what it takes to, at the very least, make a dent against Apple’s iPad in the entry-level market. So, let’s find out if the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite can actually prove a better worth than Apple’s iPad in this review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Specifications:
Body: 9.63 x 6.07 x 0.28 inches; 465 gm
Display: 10.4-inches TFT LCD panel; 224PPI
Resolution: WUXGA+ (2000 x 1200 pixels); 5:3 aspect ratio
Storage: 64/128GB (expandable using a micro SD card)
Software & UI: Android 10 with Samsung’s OneUI 2 on top
Rear Camera: 8MP f/1.9 lens
Front Camera: 5MP f/2.0 lens
Security: Face-unlock
Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, dual speakers by AKG, Dolby Atmos
Connectivity: Nano-SIM (LTE variant only), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BDS, USB Type-C
Battery: 7,040mAh with 15W fast charging
Colors: Angora Blue, Chiffon Pink, Oxford Gray
Price in Nepal: Rs. 53,000 (4/64GB)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Review:
Overview
Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, as the name suggests, is a stripped-down version of the standard Tab S6 which costs almost twice as much. Starting at $349 in the international market, it is only a couple of bucks costlier than the iPad 10.2 (2019). Thankfully, Samsung has thrown in an S-Pen free of cost inside the box, thus changing the value proposition altogether. That’s a pretty clever move I’d say.
Accentuating the appeal by delivering where it matters? Genius!
Whereas retailing for $329, you’ll have to throw in an additional $99 for the Apple Pencil in case of the iPad 10.2. Anyway, it comes in two variants: WiFi-only, and LTE. And our unit is of the 64GB WiFi-only configuration.
Design
Premium build with glass front & metal back
The back is resistant to scratches as well
Fairly lightweight, thin, and therefore easily carryable
Starting with the design, there’s nothing “lite” about the device. Unlike many other tablets in this price segment, the Tab S6 Lite has a strikingly premium build. With a glass front and metal back & frames, it is a surprisingly lavish gadget to hold for the price. More importantly, the back doesn’t scratch which is another point in the bank.
And it’s fairly lightweight too with an excellently balanced weight-distribution. At just 465 grams, you won’t have a problem holding it in your hand for long either. In terms of thickness, the Tab S6 Lite is quite thin as well, measuring 7mm. Yet, the more premium Tab S6 has it beat despite featuring a larger display and a battery of the same size. The chamfered edges further add to the tablet’s portability.
Though its no-button front may have you fooled as a traditional design, the bezels are sufficiently minimal to cram in a big display, while also leaving adequate space to place your fingers when holding the device. Moving on, all the button resides on the top right which includes the power button and volume rockers – when holding the tab in portrait orientation.
Similarly, you’ll find the memory card slot down below using which you can expand its memory up to 1TB. Calling attention to the top of the tablet, there is the treasured 3.5mm headphone jack and a speaker grille, while another one resides on its bottom alongside a USB Type-C port. Tab S6 Lite has a dual-camera setup, one at the front and one at the back.
No camera bump!
The back camera on the top left corner is practically flat, which means there will be no wobble when placing it on a table or other surfaces. Likewise, the S-Pen stylus magnetically attaches on the right (but more on that later). You can also buy a separate Book Cover accessory that magnetically folds around the tablet and also provides a separate compartment for the S-Pen.
Unfortunately, that’s about it when it comes to additional accessories. No official keyboard support, though you can always go down the Bluetooth route for pairing external keyboard and mouse. Finally, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is available in 3 color variants: “Oxford Gray”, “Angora Blue” and the one I have with me is called “Chiffon Pink”.
Display
10.4″ TFT LCD panel with 5:3 aspect ratio
A noticeably less sharpness of 224 pixels per inch (PPI)
Getting to the display, it has a 10.4” TFT LCD panel with 81.6% screen-to-body ratio and an abysmal 224PPI. Its 1200 x 2000 WUXGA+ resolution has a 5:3 aspect ratio and that is close to the common 16:9. What this means, is that you won’t encounter those distracting black bars when streaming videos on YouTube, Netflix, or other platforms; provided that the content itself is of the same aspect ratio.
But when looking closely, you can most definitely see the app’s icons and text lose sharpness. I mean, I repeatedly rubbed my eyes doubting something’s gotten inside, just to realize it’s the fault in the display itself. On the contrary, Tab S6 Lite’s closest competitor – the iPad 10.2 (2019) has a higher 1620 x 2160 resolution and a sharper 264PPI display.
Yeah, the TFT panel certainly is nowhere near as colorful and vibrant as Samsung’s AMOLED displays either. Notorious for their slow response time and a poor viewing angle, this becomes apparent here too. Samsung is famous for its display technologies but sadly, the Tab S6 Lite feels like an underachievement from the company’s end.
Samsung should’ve gone with an AMOLED panel instead!
I watched the newest teaser for Zack Snyder’s Justice League and as expected, the dark areas on the video where Diana discovers Darkseid’s mural doesn’t get dark enough. Later on, you can notice the lava on the ground turn sufficiently red which is nice. But what further let me down is that you can’t edit the color tone of the screen like we can and have in so many Samsung smartphones.
Testing out colors & contrast
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Maybe that’s the limitation of the panel itself – its 98% sRGB color spectrum probably isn’t wide enough to allow any meddling around. Brightness wasn’t an issue for me on the Tab S6 Lite albeit this statement comes mostly from an indoor usage experience. However, you’ll observe some difficulty in visibility when heading out, even with brightness cranked to the max.
Also, although the display would register swipes and clicks fast enough, I could feel some friction build up on my fingers. Yet, that’s not a problem when using the stylus. Mind you, I haven’t applied any screen protector on this review unit. And because it’s not an AMOLED panel, there is no Always-on-Display (AoD) available either. All in all, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s display is just about average and the AMOLED panel is dearly missed.
Performance & Memory
Exynos 9611 (10nm) SoC paired with 4GB of RAM
Is fine for lightweight tasks but visibly struggles in heavy apps
Either 64 or 128GB of internal storage with expandability
In the performance side of things, the Tab S6 Lite is powered by the same 10nm Exynos 9611 SoC that we’ve seen in multiple mid-range smartphones from Samsung like the Galaxy A51, M31, M30s, etc. While it’s a decent chipset in itself, the A10 Fusion on the iPad 10.2 is streets ahead. Pair this with the fact that Android for tablets is just not as optimized and well designed as Apple’s iPadOS, then you’re in for a disappointing ride.
Though Google’s apparent abandonment of Android tablets in favor of its own Chrome OS sounds downright hopeless, Samsung’s take on the “OneUI for tablet” gig definitely deserves some praise for keeping the platform alive.
I mean, there are still a lot of quality-of-life improvements that can be made. For instance: in portrait orientation, when navigating the recent apps section, all the apps are arranged in small rectangular tabs and you can see the lack of motivation in making use of the large screen real-estate. When you have just one or two apps running in the background, the unutilized space screams unmotivated design.
Android for tablets isn’t that great, tbh
Maybe Samsung could’ve gone with an accordion-esque approach for a much better visual experience. Also, some menus on the tablet have you tiresomely move around the screen to perform the task. Similarly, even though the minimalistic volume panel is a great implementation for smartphones, it is damningly annoying on a large screen device. And of course, it is summoned on the upper portion of the screen making you unnecessarily work for such a feeble task. Samsung is a major player in the Android tablet market and I hope the company keeps working on the software aspect as well in its future venture.
Anyway, the octa-core Exynos 9611 CPU has been paired with 4GB of RAM and either 64 or 128GB of base storage. For what it’s worth, I was surprised to see how well it performed in areas expected from a tablet. Web browsing, watching videos on YouTube, taking notes, making video calls, doodling, etc. don’t break a sweat – but not simultaneously. The 4GB of RAM can’t seem to handle switching between the apps, especially when you throw some heavy apps or games in the mix.
Gaming
Though navigating around the tablet itself is met with slight sluggishness here and there, it is when using the split-screen functionality that the inability of Exynos 9611 becomes vivid. The floating screen itself is great, but having two apps share the screen and resizing them is thoroughly laggy and not instant. I also tried playing a couple of games like Asphalt 9, Call of Duty: Mobile, and MLBB on the Tab S6 Lite.
While the latter ran flawlessly, I was quite shocked to observe some stutters on Asphalt 9. I mean, there’s a noticeable drop in framerate when performing drifts, or knocking out your opponent. Likewise, CoD runs pretty well under medium graphics but it will lag when pushing the graphics settings to “High”.
And it’s not just about the inferiority of the Exynos 9611 alone either. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, like every other Android tablet, is also a victim of unoptimized apps as I discovered during my review. Even leaving rookie and less popular apps aside, some of the most prominent ones like Twitter, Instagram, etc. don’t fully utilize the screen space, especially when using the tablet in landscape mode.
S-Pen
A lightweight, battery-free stylus comes inside the box
Has a 0.7mm rubber tip and 4096 pressure levels
I’ve already praised Samsung’s ingenuity of bundling an S-Pen inside the box. Admittedly, it does come short of a lot of things we’ve come to expect from a traditional stylus in the company’s premium “Note” series of smartphones. This S-Pen is battery-free and doesn’t support those fancy air gestures either since it doesn’t have a gyroscope underneath. And I couldn’t be happier. I can honestly say I’ve rarely used those features and Samsung once again deserves the credit for nailing its basic use-case, while simultaneously bringing down the cost of production.
The S-Pen has a flat side for a better grip and this is also how it magnetically attaches to the side of the tablet – with an oh-so-satisfying click. There’s also a button on the side of the stylus to trigger S-Pen shortcuts which double as an eraser when doodling as well. However, depending on how you hold the pen in your hand, it may or may not be easily reachable. For me, I would have to slightly adjust my index finger to the top to access the button.
But like I said earlier, it is the basics where this S-Pen shines bright. Weighing just a little over 7 grams, this lightweight stylus is great for writing or creating art projects. Thankfully, its 0.7mm pen tip is made of rubber and as a result, doesn’t slide off of the screen when writing. It is also pressure sensitive with 4096 pressure levels which means the line you’re drawing will vary in thickness and darkness depending on how hard you press it against the screen.
Noticeable input latency
Here, the input latency is admirably low, though you can notice it when quickly writing or drawing stuff. Let me show you in slow-motion.
Yet, my biggest issue with it was how terrible the palm-rejection feature is.
Full disclaimer, I’m no professional artist but I tried my hands with sketching the Samurai Champloo trio on Infinite Painter (the latest beta-release of Krita was a little overwhelming for this amateur). Thanks to the lackluster palm-rejection, I would have to constantly erase-out abrupt lines throughout the canvas.
You already know how the Android ecosystem lacks pro-level sketching software like “Procreate”, so allow me to skip that chapter altogether. Besides drawing, you can take notes, create live messages, annotate a screen capture, etc. using the stylus. I was also quite impressed with its “Handwriting to Text” feature which works accurately even on my wildly cursive font. Additionally, the Tab S6 Lite also comes really handy in case you have to demonstrate something in writing during a live video meet with the call recipients.
Cameras
An 8MP sensor at the back, & a 5MP one on the front
Jumping to the cameras, the Tab S6 Lite has an 8MP sensor at the back and a 5MP lens on the front. Right off the bat, it’s okay to not expect a stellar camera setup on a tablet. Both lenses are comparable to a good webcam instead. The images from the 8MP sensor are sharp, at times overexposed, and a little undersaturated. Nevertheless, you can get good looking shots provided that the ambient lighting is sufficient.
Back Camera - Sample
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Similarly, the front camera brings in that weird “ultra-detail” trait we’ve seen in Samsung’s smartphones where you can see the pores on your skin. And since the Tab S6 Lite is void of a physical fingerprint scanner, I opted for the face unlock as my go-to biometric option for getting into the device.
Front Camera - Sample
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This only works like 80% of the time and takes a second or more to unlock. Having said that, the cameras on this tablet are perfectly fine for making video calls on Google Duo, Zoom, Messenger, etc. So in the end, it serves its purpose I guess.
Audio
Stereo speakers tuned by AKG with Dolby Atmos Surround Sound
A 3.5mm headphone jack for wired audio output
Okay, the audio quality on the Tab S6 Lite blew me away. There are two speakers on the top and bottom, tuned by Samsung’s own AKG which also delivers Dolby Atmos Surround Sound. And you know what, they work like a charm. You do get a nice depth effect with clear and bass-rich audio, and the volume can get pretty loud as well.
I’d even go as far as to say that these speakers can render your low-tier speaker system redundant. Also, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack on top of the tablet whose audio output is equally awesome.
Battery
7040mAh battery with 15W fast charging
The battery life on the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is incredible too. With its 7040mAh cell, it lasted me nearly two days, which consisted of watching YouTube videos, taking notes, creating doodles, and mild gaming now and then. In terms of charging, the 15W charger can fill up the tablet’s battery in under 3 hours.
Final Words
Let’s wrap up this review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. It is undoubtedly an excellent starter tablet for artists, students, and even for enterprise customers. With the free S-Pen, it makes a strong case against the entry-level iPad and for inexpensive Android tablets. It does sacrifice a quality display and the performance certainly could’ve been better. However, it is an excellent product for the price. But if you’re someone who has little to no use of the S-Pen, you should opt for the Tab S5e instead which has an AMOLED display and even better audio system.
Watch our video review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Review: Pros & Cons
Pros:
Excellent design and fairly lightweight build
The stylus is included for free inside the box itself
Great battery life which can easily last for two days
Amazing audio quality from both speakers & 3.5mm audio jack
Decent camera performance
Cons:
A mediocre TFT LCD panel with abysmal sharpness
Palm-rejection feature of the stylus needs some work
There is a perceptible input latency from the S-Pen as well
Exynos 9611 isn’t the best of chipsets for a tablet of this price
Budget phones these days are a bit tricky these days. Spend a little more and you can go home with a much better performing device, but you can always go down the money-saving route for at least a decent starter smartphone. And one such phone in today’s market is the Nokia C2. Launched as the successor to the Nokia C1, it does bring some sizeable upgrades. Still, is it worth the price or should you invest some more for a better phone? Let’s find out in this review of the Nokia C2.
Nokia C2 Specifications:
Body: 6.09 x 2.98 x 0.35 inches; 161 gm
Display: 5.7-inches IPS LCD panel; 282PPI
Resolution: HD+ (1440 x 720 pixels); 18:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Unisoc SoC (28nm)
CPU: Quad-core @1.4GHz
GPU: N/A
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 16GB eMMC 5.1 (expandable using a micro SD card)
Software & UI: Android 9.0 Pie (Go edition)
Rear Camera: 5MP f/2.2 lens; LED flash
Front Camera: 5MP lens
Security: Face-unlock
Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, mono speaker
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/AGPS, Micro USB 2.0
Battery: 2800mAh with 5W charging
Colors: Cyan, Black
Price in Nepal: Rs. 9,299 (1/16GB)
Nokia C2 Review:
Design
Polycarbonate body (kinda looks premium)
Immune to smudges and fingerprints
Starting with the design, the Nokia C2 may fool one’s eyes as the phone looks like it has a matte finish at the back; which couldn’t be farther from the truth. Made of polycarbonate material, the phone has a uni-tone design with two color options: Cyan & Black and as you can see, I have the Black variant. The phone is easy on the hands and also has curved edges for that “soft” undertone.
Yet, what’s really exciting is how repellent the back panel is, to fingerprints or smudges. And it’s not slippery either. You do get a plastic cover inside the box, but as things stand, you most likely won’t be needing them.
Moreover, there’s the power button and volume rockers at the right, and a dedicated Google Assistant trigger on the left. These are made of plastic, but are clicky enough and get their job done. And if you’re someone who can make do without the dedicated Assistant button, you can remap it using a third-party app like “Button Mapper.”
Similarly, you’ll find a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top, and the micro USB data/charging port at the bottom. The single-camera setup alongside an LED flash is placed in a vertical module on the top-center position with a minimal bump. You can also see the “Nokia” naming etched sideways in the center, while the speaker grill resides on the bottom left corner.
Display
5.7-inches IPS LCD panel
A little weird 18:9 aspect ratio
Getting to the display, Nokia C2 has a traditional bezel-esque design all around. While the ones on the side are pretty nominal, the same cannot be said for the ones on the top and bottom. Measuring 5.7-inches, this IPS LCD panel comes with an HD+ resolution and an 18:9 aspect ratio. Its sharpness doesn’t bring any complaints either, so that’s great.
At the top, there’s an LED flash (yup, a front-facing flashlight), microphone, and the selfie camera followed by yet another Nokia branding. Now, talking about the core display itself, its color reproduction is fine and so is the viewing angle.
Nokia C2 can get pretty bright as well, though not enough to maintain visibility under direct sunlight. The display panel is great for the price. However, I did encounter some trouble with its aspect ratio. Admittedly, many apps and games have been optimized to play nice with it, but not all of them.
The one I noticed during my review of the Nokia C2 was on “Clash Royale”, where the bottom menu inside the game has this janky layout. Furthermore, playing YouTube videos was also a drab since the most common 16:9 videos would adjust to the screen with massive black bars on the side.
Pair this with those big bezels at the top and bottom, then the viewing experience becomes a little unsettling. Had the screen been an OLED or AMOLED panel, this wouldn’t necessarily have been a problem. But since it’s not the case, you’ll just have to get used to it.
Cameras
Two 5MP lenses (one at the front, one at the back)
Cameras
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Front
Rear
In terms of cameras, the Nokia C2 has a combo of 5MP sensors; one at the front, and one at the back. Unlike some costlier phones from the company, these aren’t Zeiss optics, which is to be expected. Featuring a bare minimum set of features, the cameras on the Nokia C2 are nothing to write home about. Both cameras have abysmal color accuracy, with images looking lifeless and desaturated at most time.
Back Camera
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Here, the rear camera has a faintly better color reproduction of the two, provided that the subject’s color spectrum isn’t dynamic. Images aren’t that sharp either and get grainy at the slightest degrade in lighting conditions. But with enough patience and well-lit surrounding, it can deliver workable photos for taking notes and such. You can also turn on HDR, though all it does is amp up the brightness a little with an unnoticeable bump in color grading.
Front Camera
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Moving on, the front-facing camera performs similarly as well. The images are desaturated and grainy. More annoyingly, the camera suffers from lens flare when shifting from an underlit environment to one with more ambient light. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, it works just fine for video-calling purposes.
Performance & Memory
28nm Unisoc chipset with quad-core CPUs @1.4GHz
1GB of RAM with 16GB of internal storage
Runs on Android 9.0 Pie (Go edition)
On to the performance end of things, the Nokia C2 is powered by a quad-core Unisoc SoC, clocked at 1.4GHz. This is paired with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. In terms of software, the phone runs on Android 9.0 Pie (Go edition). Yeah, this one’s a bummer since we’re well on our way into Android 11 and it’s not even on its closest predecessor.
At the time of writing this review, the phone has received May’s security patch. More importantly, because C2 isn’t under the Android One program like many other Nokia phones, I doubt it’s going to get to Android 11.
All things considered, the performance of this phone is quite admirable, I must say. Yes, you gotta work with the lite-est app possible but if that isn’t an issue for you, the Nokia C2 will serve you well. With just a gigabyte of RAM (that too with about 500MB available for actual usage), multitasking was a far-fetched idea, to begin with.
So, I toggled on the “Don’t keep activities” settings inside developer options and also turned off system animations while I was at it.
And yeah, these tweaks definitely helped improved the phone’s performance by a noticeable margin. Browsing through social media apps like Facebook Lite, YouTube Go, Instagram, etc. are well within reach.
Gaming
You can even play some undemanding games like Candy Crush, Redungeon, etc. I also tried out Subway Surfer and Clash Royale but they were a bit jittery, albeit playable. Surprisingly, the face-unlock is quite fast, taking about a second or to get you to the home screen. I remember how slow it was on the much expensive Nokia 2.3. And seeing how the company has improved upon it is a nice thing to see.
Battery & Audio
A 2800mAh battery with 5W charging
Has a 3.5mm headphone jack & a speaker at the back
I’ve been consistently impressed with battery endurance from Nokia smartphones in the past like the Nokia 2.3. And was glad to discover that the C2 keeps the tradition alive. Even though a 2800mAh cell sounds small on paper, it really is an all-day phone as the company advertises. With hours of binging YouTube videos and with a few web browsing and gaming here and there in low-medium brightness, the Nokia C2 can net out 5-6 hours of screen on time.
Oh, and did I mention the battery is user-removable? However, charging the phone is a pain as the 5W charger that you get inside the box took me about 2 hours and 52 minutes to charge the phone from 0 to 100%.
Audio-wise, there’s the aforementioned speaker at the back of the phone and it’s alright at low volume (especially in the vocal, lo-fi, and acoustic genre) but gets all kinds of muffled when raising it to the max.
You also get an earphone inside the box, which unlike the speaker, sounds great. Comfort can be an issue though, since the all-plastic earpiece can be difficult to put on for a long time to some, including me.
Conclusion
Wrapping it all up, in all fairness, I believe the Nokia C2 is a reasonably well-performing smartphone for the price. It is well-built, has an excellent battery life, runs on stock Android, and the core performance is satisfactory too. Ideal for first-time smartphone users like school-level students or the elderly, this phone can assist in your regular everyday tasks. Sure, you can spend a little more on a better device; but I believe the Nokia C2 will retain a better price-to-productivity ratio.
Last week, Vivo launched its latest premium midrange phone — Vivo V19 in Nepal. And today, Vivo had released a new smartphone called “Vivo Y30” in the Nepali market. It is a midrange phone carrying an affordable price tag and will compete against the likes of Galaxy M21 and Redmi Note 9.
Vivo Y30 Overview
Design and Display
Vivo Y30 comes with a 6.47-inch LCD screen. The capacitive multi-touch panel has a resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels (HD+) and an aspect ratio of 19:5:9. The Ultra O screen has a tiny circular cutout on the top left corner of the screen that houses the front camera. Similarly, the screen to body ratio on this one is 90.7%. Vivo has included an Eye Protection feature to help protect users from the effects of harmful blue rays.
On the back, we can see the rectangular camera module and a capacitive fingerprint sensor. Interestingly, the 3D design rear panel comes in three color options – Emerald Black, Dazzle Blue, and Moonstone White. While the former two differ only in color, the latter has a different pattern altogether.
Performance and Memory
The smartphone isn’t as pretty on the inside as it is from outside. Vivo has included MediaTek Helio P35which is a weak chipset for a phone that costs over Rs.20,000. PowerVR GE8320 GPU will take care of the graphics. Users can choose between 4GB of RAM, and either 64GB and 128GB of storage respectively.
For better performance, Vivo has integrated Vivo Process Guardian technology into its Multi-Turbo 3.0. It uses Center turbo to schedule core system resources for maximum speed and AI turbo for decisions. The Process Guardian will be able to predict abnormalities caused by third-party apps in advance, therefore preventing them from happening in the first place.
For gamers, Vivo also has an Ultra Game Mode that allows screen recording while playing games, and disable auto-brightness with Brightness Lock feature.
Camera
Vivo Y30 has a quad-camera setup at the back with a 13MP primary camera. There is an 8MP camera (120-degree FOV) that lets you take wide-angle shots and a 2MP camera (2cm) for macro photography. It also has a 2MP depth sensor for the bokeh (background blur) in portrait shots.
Battery and Others
Vivo Y30 features a massive 5,000mAh battery which the company claims can last up to 9 hours of gaming (brightness at 150cd/m2) and 137 hours of music via earphones (w/ airplane mode). Sadly, there is no fast charging capability but does support 5W reverse charging. Frankly, I would swap the latter with fast charging any day of the week, but for some reason, Vivo has decided to ditch one for another.
Other features include the iManager that will keep your phone optimized through a series of automated processes such as scanning, cleaning up storage, and so on. Similarly, you can reflect upon your usage pattern using Screen Time that records the time you spent on each app. Jovi Events will keep you updated with any upcoming sports events.
ROM: 64GB/128GB; expandable via microSD slot (dedicated slot)
Back Cameras:
– 13MP primary camera with f/2.2 aperture
– 8MP 120° ultra-wide sensor with 2.05cm
– 2MP macro camera with 2.4 aperture
– 2MP Portrait sensor with 2.4 aperture
Connectivity: Wi-Fi(2.4GHz / 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C, OTG, GPS
Battery: 5,000mAh with 5W reverse charging (5V / 1A)
Colors: Emerald Black, Dazzle Blue, Moonstone White
Vivo Y30 Price in Nepal and Availability
The official price of Vivo Y30 in Nepal for the 4/128GB model is Rs. 25,999. Similarly, the 4/64GB variant costs Rs. 23,499. It is available for purchase from the nearest mobile stores all over Nepal.
This year, Samsung has launched quite a few smartphones under the M-series. In fact, smartphones like Galaxy M21 and M31 rank among the best mid-range devices. And now, reports have surfaced indicating that Samsung is working on a more premium Galaxy M41. So, let’s take a look at all the rumors and leaks surrounding Samsung Galaxy M41, along with its specs, features, expected price, and launch.
Samsung Galaxy M41 Rumors Roundup
M41 or M51?
Earlier it was reported that Samsung will dump the Galaxy M41 and work on the new Galaxy M51. If you remember, there was no M50, to begin with. Thus, Galaxy M51 was supposed to be the natural successor to the M40. There were also rumors that Samsung was planning to use AMOLED screens from a Chinese manufacturer and Samsung had to drop the plan after the supplied screen failed to pass the standard tests.
However, all the rumors seem to be false as Samsung Galaxy M41 has already passed through 3C certification.
Leaked Renders
Rumors about the upcoming Galaxy M41 have been on the internet since last year. However, it was only in March this year that we got a look at what the device may look like. A reliable tipster, OnLeaks, partnered with Pigtou to reveal the design of the device.
According to Pigtou, the device will feature a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display. It will sport a circular cutout on the top left corner of the screen to house the front-facing camera. Despite having an AMOLED display, the fingerprint sensor is mounted on the back of the device. Consistent with the recent Galaxy devices, Galaxy M41 will feature a rectangular camera module.
Performance
Back in August, it was said that the device would feature a new chipset in the form of Exynos 9630. However, looking at the recent trends, Galaxy M41 is more likely to feature the same-old Exynos 9611 SoC instead. This particular chipset has made its way into numerous Galaxy smartphones this year, including Galaxy M31 and A51. Like the A51, it will be available with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The device will feature a dedicated microSD card for storage expansion.
Camera
Though the initial renders reveal a triple camera setup, Galaxy M41 will likely a feature quad-camera setup on the back. The primary camera will make use of the 64MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1 sensor. It will be accompanied by a 12MP ultra-wide sensor. Similarly, the device will also have a depth sensor and a macro sensor, both of 5MP.
Battery
As depicted in the 3C certification, the upcoming M41 will be fueled by a massive 6,800mAh battery. The battery has been listed with a model number of EB-BM415BY. The battery will be manufactured by Ningde Amperex Technology.
There is no official information about the release date of Samsung Galaxy M41 as of now. However, the certification listing suggests that it could be right around the corner.
The MacBook Pro 13-inch is here and finally, the highly disliked Butterfly keyboards are gone for good. The first official MacBook Pro of 2020 comes with some necessary upgrades in terms of the storage and keyboard. However, apart from that, not a lot has changed. So, let’s dive into what this new 13-inch MacBook Pro 2020 brings to the table and get to know about its specifications and its price in Nepal. Currently, in Nepal, it is only available for pre-booking, however, it will go on sale soon.
13-inch MacBook Pro 2020 Overview
First of all, allow me to start with the keyboard upgrade. Cause that’s one of the major upgrades with this one. We saw the 16-inch MacBook Pro last year with the Magic Keyboard. And that trend has continued into this year’s models too. The Magic Keyboard comes with a stable scissor mechanism beneath each key. That spells for optimized key travel i.e. shorter travel time and a low profile. As a result, users will have a comfortable and precise typing experience.
Another major upgrade in this year’s MacBook Pro is the bump in storage. The base model now comes with 256GB SSD, up from 128GB of the past models, and goes up to 4TB. Furthermore, the RAM options available are from 8GB to 32GB. And that’s about it for the upgrades.
Other specifications include a 13.3-inch retina display with 2560 x 1600 pixels resolution. The brightness tops at 500 nits and the technology used here is the True Tone display. As for the chipset, users can choose between 8th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 and 10th Gen Intel Core i5/i7.
Not much of a performance upgrade
The use of an 8th Gen Intel chipset in the base variant has visibly upset many. Well, that and getting a 13-inch model instead of a 14-inch one, but whatever. Maybe in the future. Anyway, coming back to the chipset, the 8th Gen Intel chip in the base variant is not actually a bad thing. One only needs that improved GPU and processing power if they are to do graphic-intensive tasks (I’d suggest you go for last year’s 16-inch model for that!). So, you see if you’re to do your regular tasks like browsing and coding, maybe you do not need that extra bump in the processor. After all, a 10th Gen Intel processor will increase the price of the already expensive MacBook Pro even more. However, as MacBook Pro is usually targeted at creators, I can see where all this complaint is coming from.
Moving on, connectivity-wise, you get up to 4 Thunderbolt 3 Type-C Ports, Bluetooth 5.0, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s your regular Touch Bar, 720p camera, Touch ID, stereo speakers, T2 security chips, and it runs on the latest macOS Catalina.
Specifications:
Display: 13-inch Retina Display (2560 x 1600 pixels); 227 PPI
CPU: 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-gen Intel Core i5 (configurable), or 2GHz quad-core 10th gen Core i5 (configurable)
GPU: Intel Iris Plus 645, or Intel Iris Plus
RAM: 8GB @2133MHz LPDDR3 (up to 16GB), or 16GB @3733MHz LPDDR4X (up to 32GB)
Are you thinking of pursuing a career as a content creator? Do photography and cinematography intrigue you? There are a lot of options in the market and this might even overwhelm you, at times. However, if you are a hobbyist or are starting out, chances are you don’t have a lot of cash to spend. At such you need to find the perfect balance between price and features that you need. To help you out, we have curated a list of the best budget DSLR and Mirrorless cameras that you can buy in Nepal.
There are a lot of things to consider when buying a camera. First of all, you need to clear about what you will be using the camera for. If you are interested in vlogging, you would be better off with a compact and handy camera. You can completely ignore the megapixel factor and pay attention to the resolution and frame rate that the camera can shoot in. Similarly, if you are into photography you will need to take megapixels into account as well. Ask any professional photographer and they will tell you how useless features like built-in flash can be. So keep this in mind, when you choose your next camera.
Best Budget Cameras To Buy in Nepal [Summary 2020]
The first camera on our list is the Canon EOS M50. Since it’s a mirrorless camera it is both lightweight and compact compared to DSLRs with a similar set of specs. It uses a 24MP APS-C sensor with a crop factor of 1.6X. This camera can shoot 4K UHD videos at 24fps. Similarly, you can shoot FHD and HD videos at 60fps and 120fps respectively. Shoot in FHD or HD mode and you can make use of the Dual Pixel Auto Focus. Sadly, you will have to rely on Contrast Detection autofocus for 4K video. The articulating touch screen will help you shoot at both high and low angles.
Sony A6100 is the successor of Sony A6100. It comes with a 24.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor. It’s also an APS-C sensor with a crop factor of 1.5X. It is capable of shooting 4K videos at 30fps, however, you need to shoot at 25fps if you want to utilize the full size of the sensor. It comes with a touchscreen and an EFV (Electronic View Finder). Compared to Canon EOS M50, it offers better Autofocus, better backup and you will have a wide range of lenses to choose from.
16MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS sensor | 4k @ 30fps / FHD @ 60fps | Articulating touch screen | 1200mAh battery | 415gm
Panasonic Lumix DMC comes with a 16.8MP sensor. It’s a Micro Four Third camera which makes it twice as small as a full-frame sensor. It is capable of shooting 4K videos at 30fps and FHD videos at 60fps. You can even shoot 4K photos in three different modes. Panasonic’s Depth-Form-Defocus Auto Focus allows continuous autofocus up to 6 fps. It has a bigger 1200mAh battery. It is equipped with an OLED viewfinder and a fully articulating touch LCD panel. However, it is a bit heavier.
Canon EOS 750D comes with a 24MP CMOS sensor with a built-in low-pass filter. The image processing is handled by the DIGIC processor. There is no 4K recording. At maximum, you will only be able to shoot FHD videos at 30fps. So, this camera will suit you better if you are more into photography. You will be able to take good pictures out of the camera. But, in case, you need to tweak things, the camera lets you capture 14-bit RAW mages.
Nikon D5600 can be a good choice if you are thinking of getting into photography. It comes with a 24.2MP APS-C camera sensor. It is capable of taking 14bit raw photos, which provides many details to work on post-editing. The stereo mic and the articulating screen could come handy if you are into vlogging. Sadly, it doesn’t support 4K recording. It maxes out at Full HD video recording (up to 60fps).
Pros:
14-bit raw photos have many details to work in post-editing
Stereo mic, and articulating screen for vlogging
Wireless connectivity for Snap bridge app
Cons:
No 4K recording
Not recommended for video creators
Photos straight out of
Photos may not be best when straight out of the camera
The Redmi Note series are the most popular mid-range phones globally. They are even the highest selling devices in many parts of the world including Nepal. However, this year, competition like Samsung and Realme have equally good offerings with the Galaxy M31 and the Realme 6. So, with all the Note 9 Pro offers, can it still hold its crown as the mid-range king? Let’s find out in this review.
Design
During my time with the Note 9 Pro, I have been comparing it with the Samsung Galaxy M31 and the Realme 6. And the first thing that stands out with the Note 9 Pro is its design. It feels way more premium than the other two, thanks to its glass back. The frames are also well-built, although it’s plastic.
It has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that is at a comfortable position this time as opposed to the Note 8 pro which had the sensor right below the camera lens that led to a lot of accidental touches on the camera lens.
About the sensor, it’s very fast and accurate in functioning. At the back, we see a different looking camera arrangement with the square module which looks different and nice in my opinion. The front also houses the Gorilla Glass 5 protection and luckily, I haven’t had any scratches either.
Similarly, Note 9 Pro’s front looks aesthetically pleasing as well, thanks to its center-lying punch-hole cutout. The punch hole has a slightly bigger diameter than, say the Samsung Galaxy S20. But ultimately, it’s not that distracting or obstructive at all.
Display
The display here is a Full-HD IPS panel, and since the Realme 6 was launched like 2 months before this, I was most definitely expecting a 90Hz panel. Sadly, that’s not the case here. But in Xiaomi’s defense, they have included a quality IPS panel with a near AMOLED-level contrast and color reproduction. The touch response is quite fast with very little latency too.
This is also a pretty big phone with a 6.67-inch display. Besides the display itself, its form factor is quite big too. It is also quite heavy, weighing 207gms. So, using the Note 9 Pro for a long session might be troublesome for some. So, I think Xiaomi should look into it and make its upcoming devices a little bit light with a balanced weight-distribution and ergonomically comfortable as well.
Performance
Moving on to the performance side of things, the Snapdragon 720G on the Note 9 Pro has served me well. I got the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant because 64GB is kind of low for me and most people these days. So, though you can still upgrade the storage using a microSD card, my suggestion is you get the 128GB variant instead.
And I could see a lot of comments from smartphone enthusiasts that the SD 720G is not a proper upgrade from the Helio G90T found in its predecessor, the Redmi Note 8 Pro. Yes, the Helio G90T chipset has a slightly better benchmark score, but the SD720G is a much more balanced chipset. It is based on the 8nm architecture and thus offers much better thermal and battery efficiency compared to the G90T.
For example, playing games for 30 minutes on the Note 8 Pro heats the phone too fast, whereas the Note 9 Pro can maintain a moderate temperature throughout the gaming session. That being said, the better GPU on the Note 8 Pro means you can easily get about 60fps in PUBG at smooth graphics and extreme frame rates, whereas the max graphic setting you can achieve on the Note 9 Pro is “ultra” frame rates.
Besides, normal usage like multitasking, web browsing, and using social media apps have been decent so far, despite having installed over 30 apps. Obviously, if you are used to flagship devices, this one does feel a little slow when you are multitasking or browsing and scrolling heavy pages. But, since it is intended for budget-conscious buyers, they should feel this phone pretty fast.
Software
The Redmi Note 9 Pro runs on Android 10 with MIUI 11.0.7 on top, and I have recently received the May security update. And Well, the new MIUI 12 is also on the way, and that’s great too.
But I think Xiaomi is lagging in terms of providing regular security updates. Take the Note 8 Pro for instance. It’s been, like what 7-8 months since its launch, and it is still stuck on Android 9 Pie with the December security patch. And that is unacceptable in my opinion. I know this is not the case for Note 8 Pro owners on other parts of the world, but still.
And about the ad situation, fortunately, I have not received any ads in my unit even though it’s the Indian variant. But I have seen many reviewers from India complain about ads shown from Mi Browser and other pre-installed apps. So, I think it’s safe to conclude that ads on Xiaomi’s MIUI are country-specific.
Cameras
Back Camera
Like its predecessor, the Note 9 Pro has a gimmicky quad-camera setup. Gimmicky as in there is this macro lens and the depth sensor. Strangely, the primary camera here is an inferior 48MP Samsung GM2 sensor found on the much cheaper Redmi Note 8 from last year. Another weird thing is that the two-generation old Redmi Note 7 Pro had the-then flagship Sony IMX586 sensor. Similarly, the Note 8 Pro had the 64MP Samsung GW1 sensor, and now we’re getting a comparatively inferior GM2 sensor.
So, does it mean that earlier generation of Redmi Note devices had a better camera setup than the latest Note 9 Pro?
The thing is, with every iteration, Xiaomi is improving its camera optimization because computational photography is equally important like the core camera sensor itself. And that’s exactly where the Note 9 Pro excels at. Comparing the images from Note 8 Pro and the Note 9 Pro, I found that the latter has a much better dynamic range. Similarly, portraits and selfies look more pleasing on the Note 9 Pro as well.
Another improvement Xiaomi has made with Note 9 Pro’s camera optimization is saturation. Here, you get punchy and slightly oversaturated images, which is pretty ideal in terms of landscape photography. However, in other scenarios, the optimization feels overdone with unnatural colors. Comparing against the Galaxy M31, I found the primary lens’s performance to be pretty competitive. While the M31 has better colors and dynamic range, the Note 9 Pro excels in terms of details.
Primary Camera: Galaxy M31 Vs Note 9 Pro
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Galaxy M31
Note 9 Pro
Galaxy M31
Note 9 Pro
Getting to portraits, I found the M31 to have a better background blur with lively colors. However, the skin tone of the subject is better on the Note 9 Pro. So, Do let us know which one you prefer down in the comment section.
Portrait Comparison: Galaxy M31 Vs Note 9 Pro
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Galaxy M31 Portrait
Note 9 Pro Portrait
Galaxy M31 Portrait
Note 9 Pro Portrait
Moving on to the ultra-wide camera, I was pretty disappointed with it. Not only is it lacking in detail, but the dynamic range and colors are very inconsistent too. Galaxy M31, on the other hand, takes a much better ultra-wide-angle shot with a wider field of view and great dynamic range.
Note 9 Pro Ultra-wide-angle Samples
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The areas where the Note 9 Pro is a clear winner is the night mode images. Although the normal night time images are pretty useless on both these phones, the Note 9 Pro’s dedicated night mode works better by offering good colors and light exposure in low-light photography.
Normal Vs Night Mode
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Normal
Night Mode
Normal
Night Mode
Normal
Night Mode
Selfies
Selfies share the same story. I found the Note 9 Pro’s selfies to be pale with average background colors, whereas the skin tone on the M31 is natural with an excellent background color. The portrait selfies are also better on the M31.
Galaxy M31 Vs Note 9 Pro Selfie Camera
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Galaxy M31
Note 9 Pro
Galaxy M31
Note 9 Pro
Galaxy M31
Note 9 Pro
Video Quality
Video is also another area where Note 9 Pro outperforms the competition. You can record videos at 4K/30fps, 1080P/60fps, 1080P/120fps, and even 720P at up to 960fps. It offers great stabilization in 1080P 30fps videos. Although the colors are a little inaccurate, I guess the stabilization makes up for it. Similarly, there is stabilization in ultra-wide-angle videos too at 1080P @30fps.
But despite having better video output, overall, in terms of camera, I think Xiaomi still needs to work on its optimization even though it’s gotten better over the years. And maybe they could have included the better Sony IMX686 sensor that’s present on the Poco X2. Because of these, I think the camera on the Note 9 Pro is acceptably moderate with a lot of room for improvements.
Audio Quality
The audio output here is pretty average too and it’s not as good as the Galaxy M31, but it should be sufficient for watching movies and stuff. Sadly, the quality from the 3.5mm headphone jack is also pretty mediocre. Here too, the M31 outperforms it with a loud and pleasing sound.
Battery
The big 5020mAh battery on the Redmi Note 9 Pro provides excellent endurance. That’s mainly thanks to the aforementioned energy-efficient chipset. As a result, the battery life on the Note 9 Pro is much better compared to the Helio G90T-powered Redmi Note 8 Pro.
Regrettably, you only get an 18W fast charging in here; which takes around 2 hours and 15 minutes to fully charge the phone from 0 to 100%. So, I think Xiaomi should have given a 30 or 33W charging like the Note 9 Pro Max because waiting for over 2 hours surely isn’t that easy.
Conclusion
To wrap things up, I’d say the Redmi Note 9 Pro is a pretty decent budget phone. It offers good overall performance in all departments, unlike its closest competitors like Realme 6 (Read review) or Samsung Galaxy M31 (Read review). To recall, the Realme 6 had a smoother 90Hz display but its camera was fairly average only. Similarly, you probably know what I’m gonna say about the M31 – yup, its performance is quite incomparable.
So, in my opinion, the Redmi Note 9 Pro gives you much better performance in practically every aspect of a smartphone. However, if you want consistently better camera performance, I think you should be leaning more towards the Galaxy M31, or if you have a little bit of spare cash, getting the Poco X2 or the Realme 6 Pro is no brainer.
When Xiaomi spun-off Poco as an independent brand earlier this year, people speculated that it was a move to clear the budget-friendly tag and make the brand stand as a premium brand. We saw Xioami launch Mi 10 Pro for over a thousand dollars. And now, the company is targetting the premium TV market segment with a new Mi TV Master series. Read along to know more about the Mi Master TV, along with its specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
Mi Master TV Overview
Design and Display
Xiaomi Mi Master TV features a 65-inch 4K UHD display. It is the first TV from the manufacturer to feature an OLED panel. The brightness can go from near-zero nit to 1,000 nits (peak brightness). It has a contrast ratio of 1000000:1 and supports 1.07 billion colors. The TV covers 98.5% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Mi Master TV sports a 120Hz panel with support for multiple HDR formats like HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision.
The Mi Master TV has a metallic body. Thanks to the 4mm thin bezels, the TV boast screen to body ratio of 98.8%. The body rests on a glass base of a width of 248mm. You can even hang it on the wall if you like. It comes with a metal remote with support for voice control.
Performance
Similarly, the Mi Master TV comes with MediaTek MT9650 chipset. It is a quad-core chipset with four Cortex-A73 cores. The graphics are handled by Mali G52 GPU. It is equipped with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The TV runs on Xiaomi’s MIUI TV OS. It will come with Game Center and Mi App store pre-installed. You can also use your TV to control other IoT devices.
There is an independent APU neural network that is capable of upscaling low-resolution content to up to 4K UHD. It utilizes over 20 different picture algorithms for high-speed motion compensation, noise reduction, and scene recognition. The company claims that it can recognize and perform frame by frame adjustment to five major scenes.
For gamers, the TV has a dedicated Professional Game Mode, which when activated, will reduce the latency. Xiaomi claims that the response time can go as low as 1ms. To avoid problems caused by incompatible refresh rates such as screen tearing, the device supports variable refresh rate (40Hz – 120Hz).
Sound
For 3D panoramic sound experience, Xiaomi has included a 9-unit speaker system that translates to 65W combined output. There is a 12.5W treble unit alongside a full-frequency unit on the left and right sides each. Similarly, the surround channel features two full-frequency units of 10W.
Additionally, Xiaomi has included a 20W subwoofer, which is accompanied by two passive radiators. The TV supports Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD audio.
Connectivity and Interfaces
Xiaomi Mi Master TV supports dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz and 5GHz) and Bluetooth 5.0. Similarly, MIUI TV supports Milan Protocol for wireless projection displays. It is also compatible with popular projection protocols AirPlay and MiraCast.
The TV has three HDMI ports, one ethernet port ane two USB ports. Users can also opt for an optical port.
Sound: – 2 x 12.5 treble units + 2 full frequency unit
– 2 x 10W full frequency units
– 1 x 20W subwoofer unit + 2 passive radiators
– Dolby Audio, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD
OS: MIUI TV
Processor: Quad-core Mediatek processor with ARM Cortex – A73
GPU: Mali G52 MC1
Storage: 3GB RAM, 32GB Memory
HDR: Yes (HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG)
Power: 500W
Wireless Connectivity: WiFi (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0
I/O Ports: 3x HDMI, 2x USB, 1x LAN , 1x AV, 1x ATV/DTMB, 1 x optical fibre (Optional)
Mi Master TV Price in Nepal and Availability
The Xiaomi Mi Master TV is now available in China, where its price is 12,999 Yuan. If it launches here, we expect the price of Mi Master TV in Nepal to be around NPR 2,25,000.
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