Cubot is a Chinese smartphone brand that mainly focuses on budget-oriented devices. It tries to offer trendy specs and features in an affordable price range. The brand has now announced a budget device with a five-camera array at the back. Let’s learn more about the new Cubot X30, along with its specs, features, expected price, and availability in Nepal.
Cubot X30 Overview
Design and Display
Cubot X30 comes with a 6.4-inch Full View display with an FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2310 pixels. The circular cutout, that houses the front camera, is on the top left corner of the screen. The screen to body ratio on this phone is said to be at 90%. The back panel shows-off the Sunrise design. Cubot has included a layer of 2.5D glass on the back for added protection. It also makes the device feel premium. Cubot X30 is available in three different colors – Blue, Black, and Gradient Green. The rectangular camera module houses the five cameras and an LED flash.
Performance and Memory
Cubot X30 features MediaTek Helio P60 chipset. The SoC is based on TSMC 12nm and features four Cortex A73 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz, alongside four Cortex A53 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz. It was launched back in 2018 and its performance is comparable to that of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 660.
The device is available in two memory configurations. The base model features 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Similarly, the top model has 8GB of RAM paired with 256GB of storage. Users can expand storage using a microSD card but by doing so they won’t be able to use the second sim card.
As mentioned earlier, the device features five cameras. The primary camera uses Samsung’s 48MP S5KGM1 lens. Similarly, there is a 16MP sensor for ultra-wide-angle shots. The smartphone also has a dedicated macro (5MP) and depth sensor(2MP).
The fifth sensor is the 0.3MP photosensitive lens. On the front, there is a 32MP camera for selfies.
Battery and Others
Cubot X30 is fueled by a decent 4,200mAh battery with support for 10W fast charging. For security, there is a side-mounted capacitive fingerprint sensor. Users can also use the face unlock feature to unlock the phone.
The device ships with stock Android 10. X30 also features dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC for contactless payment.
Cubot X30 Specifications:
Body: 157.05 x 76.44 x 8.5 mm; 212 gm
Display: 6.4-inches Full View panel; 90% screen to body ratio
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz / 5Ghz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/AGPS, USB Type-C, OTG
Battery: 4200mAh, 10W (5V, 2A) charging
Cubot X30 Price in Nepal and Availability
Cubot X30 will go on sale starting from July 27 through Aliexpress, where its price is $148.99 for 6/128GB and $178.99 for 8/256GB. Sadly, there is no delivery option for Nepal. However, we expect the price of Cubot X30 in Nepal to start at NPR 20,000 for 6/128GB version, if it launches here in the future.
Realme’s number series has always been popular for the value for money they are. But if we look back at the last-gen Realme 5 Pro, it was lacking some way or the other behind the likes of Redmi’s and their own X-series of lineups. This time though, the company has brought a good number of changes including a 90Hz display. But, are those changes enough to make the Realme 6 Pro competitive in the current market? Let’s find out in this Realme 6 Pro Review!
Realme 6 Pro Specifications:
Display: 6.6-inch Ultra Smooth 90Hz LCD Display
Resolution: FHD+(2400 x 1080 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Connectivity: Wifi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, Type-C
Battery: 4300mAh with 30W Flash Charge
Sensors: Magnetic induction, light, proximity, gyro
Color Options: Lightning Blue, Lightning Orange
Design:
This time Realme has opted for a glass body rather than plastic, which is an upgrade we are definitely glad to have. The back and the front both are protected by Gorilla Glass 5 which has stood up well during my usage. The cameras are placed in the same old fashioned Realme style but it’s nothing to complain much.
Something interesting is going around at the back as it forms an ‘s’ when tilted in certain angles which looks cool. The only complaint there is with the phone is a bit heavy and boxy which might create some difficulty if you are used to a compact device. Otherwise, it’s all good with the design on the Realme 6 Pro.
Realme also claims to have 3 layers of waterproofing on this phone. But since it doesn’t have any official IP rating on it, I did not take chances and would advise you to do the same. However, what we can say is, the phone can take on a few minor splashes, which for this feature is good enough for its price.
Also, the protruding rear cameras create a noticeable bump when placed on a flat surface. So, the use of the case that comes inside the box is highly recommended.
Security:
There is a power button on the right side which doubles as a fingerprint sensor. And I am very satisfied with its performance – it’s swift, accurate and gets the job done. You can program it to work with a slight touch or a press from the settings and therefore can have it the way you want. Additionally, there is the face unlock option as well which is fast like with other Realme phones.
Display:
At the front, the Realme 6 Pro features a 6.6-inches IPS LCD display with a taller 20:9 aspect ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate. The quality of the panel is good like any other LCD at this price. Also, the higher refresh rate display makes for swift display experience. But It will be fair to say that one might miss the deep blacks of an AMOLED panel.
Even in Realme India’s own survey, people voted for an OLED display as the most important feature among other things, in a smartphone worth INR. 15,000.
Well, that’s a never-ending debate: Do you want a Super AMOLED 60Hz panel or the IPS 90Hz panel.
On a different note, a big change from its predecessor in terms of the display definitely has to be the dual punch holes. Although this implementation does not look very good, since there are two different focal length cameras upfront, it’s okay! Keeping that aside, one minor inconvenience about the display is that I found myself wishing for more brightness when using it in a well-lit outdoor environment.
Performance:
One of the most significant changes the Realme 6 Pro brings is the internals. While the Realme 5 Pro had the Snapdragon 712, this one features the new Snapdragon 720G. And needless to say, the 720G is a better SoC overall – be it in performance or energy efficiency. The chipset works well while you game, multitask, and during normal usage. Apps launch impressively fast and so is navigating through the phone.
Games like PUBG and COD can be cranked up to high settings with HD graphics and played with only a few stutters here and there. Thankfully, the phone does not heat while gaming either. It does get a little warm when gaming for a long time, but nothing that might raise concerns, so that’s really nice!
Testing it out against the Poco X2 which has the Snapdragon 730G to see which chipset works better. I found that both chipsets do the job almost equally well. Multitasking tests between the phones resulted in a neck to neck outcome. And even playing games feels no different in both of these phones, which makes sense as these chipsets are very similar in architecture. Although benchmarks show that the 720G wins both in CPU and GPU performance. In real life, however, both chipsets do a similar job. But, since the 720G is a recent offering from Qualcomm, it supports the latest Bluetooth 5.1 and Dual-frequency GNSS GPS.
Moving on, supporting the performance is either 6 or 8GB of RAM. The phone comes with 64 or 128GB UFS 2.1 internal storage but if that does not seem enough for you, you get a dedicated MicroSD card slot for expansion too!
Software and UI:
While we are still on performance, the new Realme UI based on Android 10 on the 6 Pro seems much better than last year’s ColorOS in terms of looks although the functionality is not much different. The good thing is you can customize the icons to the way you like. The notification shade pulls down to the bottom with a quick swipe down from the home screen like Samsung’s which is another thing that’s good about it.
Having said that, this is a pretty heavy UI but Realme’s optimization seems good this time as the phone does not feel laggy or anything like that. In fact, the 90Hz refresh rate of the screen makes for even faster smartphone experience.
Cameras:
Back Cameras:
Moving on, another upgrade here is the cameras. Honestly, getting the same quad-camera setup every time in every new phone of Realme has been pretty boring. Thankfully, the company is passed that, and with the 6 Pro, we have a few notable changes. For instance, there’s no depth sensor anymore and instead, we get a 12MP Telephoto lens. This makes the Realme 6 Pro the cheapest phone with a zoom lens.
A macro lens is still there, which, well, I have never valued so much on a smartphone. They look washed out and bland. But if you are someone who is into macro images, make sure you are in a very lit condition to get useable images. Also, the software-based portrait images are not that bad. Actually, it is good enough to prove that phones don’t need a gimmicky physical sensor for depth effect. Though sometimes it does miss out on proper edge detection in difficult areas, you can give it the benefit of the doubt!
Realme 6 Pro Macro and Portrait Images
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The 12MP Telephoto lens works quite well too. It can go up to 2x optical zoom and the images are quite nice and detailed. Even the 5X zoom is not that bad provided there is enough light! You can go up to 20x digitally as well.
Realme 6 pro Normal and 2x Telephoto Images
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2x Zoom Image
Normal Image
The primary 64MP images are impressive too. Realme has always stood out when it comes to camera optimization, especially the color aspect and this phone shares the same story. Additionally, the HDR ability is decent and detail- preservation is done well.
Realme 6 Pro Daytime Images
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Wide-angle images look decent, although it has inferior details and dynamic range than the primary sensor. But one thing that might bug you is that the normal, wide-angle, and telephoto images all have slight color shifts.
Realme 6 Pro Wide- Angle Images
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I also did a slight camera comparison between the Poco X2 and Realme 6 Pro too and found HDR function and portrait images to be better in the Realme 6 Pro while the Poco X2 has slightly better details.
Realme 6 Pro VS Poco X2 Normal and Portrait Images
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Realme 6 Pro
Poco X2
Realme 6 Pro
Poco X2
Realme 6 pro
Poco X2
Realme 6 Pro
Poco X2
Front Cameras:
For selfies, there are two cameras at the front, and no, the second one isn’t a depth sensor thankfully! It’s got a primary 16MP snapper and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor. The primary lens does a very good job. HDR in selfies works well here. However, in portrait images, the HDR seems to be a little off when compared to the primary selfie images.
Realme 6 Pro selfies
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Normal
Portrait
Wide-angle selfie images are not as good as the primary ones in terms of quality, but they serve the purpose nonetheless. This lens comes handy while taking group selfies.
Realme 6 Pro Normal and Wide-angle selfie
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Normal selfie
Wide-angle selfie
Nighttime images are very ordinary and with the dedicated night mode turned on, exposure and details are improved by a little. There is also something called a tripod mode, which takes a very long exposure shot and the final output is very impressive. But for this feature to work best, you will have to use a tripod as the name implies, because even the slightest movement might result in blurry images.
Realme 6 Pro Normal Night, Night mode and Tripod mode Images
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Normal Night Image
Night Mode Image
Normal Night Image
Tripod Mode
Videos:
In terms of videos, as the SD 720G limits the phone to 4k 30 fps, that is what you get here. They are stabilized in 1080p resolution in both 30 and 60 fps. The 4k option, however, is void of any kind of stabilization and comes out shaky if you are vlogging or in motion.
You cannot switch videos from normal to wide-angle in the same video, which I think Realme could add in its future update. Also, in 1080p @30 fps, you don’t have the option to natively zoom to 2x or 5x and it is limited to 1080p @60fps and the 4k @30fps option.
Battery:
The battery life is another good thing about the phone. You get a 4,300 mAh battery that gives good endurance. It can last you a little more than a day when used in native 60Hz while 90Hz consumes the battery a bit more.
Even if the battery died in the middle of the day, it wouldn’t worry you because of the 30-Watt VOOC 4.0 charger you get inside the box that fills the battery from 0-100% within an hour! Talking of other things, the single speaker at the bottom is a decent but nothing extra-ordinary. You also have Dolby Atmos support which is a nice thing to have on a phone of this price.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Realme 6 Pro is a stellar phone for the price, no doubts about that. But, with more and more phones cluttering the same price range, hardware has hardly become a good mode for differentiation! We have the Poco X2 (Read review) that comes for the exact price with almost similar features.
But what Realme is good at is its camera optimization and that reflects in their offerings. And the choice to go for a telephoto lens at the rear and a wide-angle- lens upfront is a very clever move and we hope other companies will adopt this as well!
Hence, because of having a slightly advanced camera setup and equally good performance, the 6 Pro looks like a better deal overall. So, if you are looking for a good mid-range phone in 2020, the Realme 6 Pro is one of the most competitive options currently out there!
Realme 6 Pro Review: Pros and Cons
Pros:
90Hz Fast & accurate In-display fingerprint scanner
Vivo’s gaming sub-brand iQOO has unveiled Super FlashCharge 120W. It was actually supposed to debut during the MWC. However, due to the current scenario, this technology was unveiled yesterday via a press conference in China.
iQOO Super FlashCharge 120W Overview
Currently, the fastest charging phone that people can buy is the Oppo Find X (or the Oppo Find X Lamborghini Edition to be exact), Oppo Reno Ace, and Oppo Ace2. All of these support “65W SuperVOOC Flash Charge 2.0”. Similarly, its offshoot Realme’s X50 Pro 5G also comes with a 65W fast charging which is called “SuperDart Flash Charge” instead.
Now, Xiaomi did announce a 100W charging system. But, it is not yet available commercially. However, the rumor is that iQOO is launching a gaming device in August which will sport the iQOO 120W fast charging feature.
In the press conference, an iQOO executive briefed about how this technology works and also showed a little demo of it. For this technology to work, battery cells will have to be lined up in a new array format. In this arrangement, 20V current at 6A is converted to 12V current at 10A. Here, the current is split into two equal circuits at 5A/12V and it charges two 2000mAh battery cells. Thanks to all this, a 4000mAh battery can go from 0% to 50% in just 5 minutes, 80% in 10 minutes, and 100% in just 15 minutes.
However, this fast charging feature will require smartphone makers to think of a better cooling system. Without an extra layer of graphite and a better internal cooling system, a phone charging at 120W will most definitely catch fire.
Oppo to one-up Vivo in fast-charging department
Oppo has been consistently developing fast-charging technology for more than a year now. Right now, the company boasts the fastest charging phones in its arsenal as I discussed earlier. However, it will soon be usurped by the aforementioned iQOO gaming device. Still, Oppo is not one to back down.
The company teased even faster 125W charging through its Twitter handle. However, Oppo will be disclosing the technology in its entirety on July 15th. Likewise, Realme will also be making use of the 125W charging technology which the company will reveal on July 16th. We already know how the iQOO Super FlashCharge 120W works. And we are hoping that we will soon learn the details about Oppo & Realme’s new technology then. You can watch iQOO’s Super FlashCharge 120W charging speed demonstration in all its glory by clicking right here.
This year, Lenovo will step in the smartphone market with its first gaming phone under the Legion series. Available leaks have given enough reasons for the smartphone gaming community to get hyped. However, it won’t be the only stand-out Android device from the company this year. According to rumors, Lenovo is working on a tablet that doubles as a secondary screen. So, let’s check out all the rumors and leaks surrounding the upcoming Lenovo Yoga X.
Lenovo Yoga X Rumors Roundup
Let’s be honest, there isn’t a lot going on the Android tablet market segment. The tablet market is dominated by Apple’s iPad lineup. However, Android tablets aren’t entirely dead. Brands like Samsung and Huawei are still launching new tablets. Similarly, Huawei’s sub-brand Honor also has its own lineup of tablets.
The leaks about the Lenovo Yoga X comes from two tipsters – Evan Blass and Till Kottmann. They discovered documents that outline the basic concept of the upcoming Yoga X. The documents label the tablet as “Android Tablet/AUX Dual Display Hybrid Wireframe“. Evan Blass shared some of the mockup designs of the tablet on his Patreon page.
Rumored Features
Yoga X will be an Android tablet. But users will be able to use it as a secondary tablet as well. For the latter, it will come with a micro-HDMI cable. When the tablet discovers a connection, it will lock the tablet functionality securely via the user’s pin or password. It will also pause the ongoing media and the display will be overlayed with the content of the connected device. However, Yoga X will retain its brightness and volume levels. These settings can be checked at any time by touching anywhere on the screen. Even though the OS will be locked, users will be able to toggle these settings.
A trick from Apple’s book?
Though the idea looks promising, it isn’t an entirely new concept. Apple has already included a Sidecar feature on the iPad, that pretty much does the same.
The sidecar allows you to use your iPad as a secondary Mac display. However, it is limited to select Mac and iPad models. It’s a wireless process but results in faster battery drain as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Handoff need to be on throughout the process. Similarly, both the device must be connected to the same iCloud account.
Lenovo Yoga X Expected Launch and Availability
There is no information about the launch date and availability of the Lenovo Yoga X. However, it could launch later this year.
Android Tablet model
Expected Launch
Lenovo Yoga X
Late 2020
First, we heard rumors about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 lineup to feature a 120Hz AMOLED screen. And now there is Lenovo Yoga X that doubles as a secondary screen. Are these tablets slowly closing gaps between Android tabs and iPads? Let us know your opinion in the comments section below.
Also, check out our review of Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite
In recent times, the Nepali TV market has been flooding with smart TVs. These TVs are slowly replacing traditional TVs. Distributors and sellers boast about the specs and smart features that their TVs offer. However, in most cases, these specs hardly make a difference as most of the smart TVs fail to deliver a smooth software experience. To avoid that, CG has now announced the arrival of Nepal’s first Google-certified Android TVs. Google Certification means that you won’t miss out on the authentic Android experience in these TVs. Read along to know more about the specs, features, price, and availability of Google Certified Android TV in Nepal.
Smart TV vs Google Certified Android TV
Smart TV
Before you decide to buy a Google Certified Android TV, you need to know what the certification actually means and why you would want to buy a TV with a certification from Google.
Basically, Smart TV is a term used to describe TVs any TVs that can connect to the internet. Most people use it for streaming content from platforms such as Youtube, and Netflix. The manufacturers can adopt any OS and user interface. Samsung has Tizen OS, Huawei is working on Harmony OS and Xiaomi has MIUI TV. Some even tweak Android designed for smartphones and tablets to use it on the TV. As a result, different TVs have a different feel to it. It’s also the reason for many budget smart TV being buggy and sluggish. Some don’t support a wide range of apps. Even if a TV comes with Play Store, it doesn’t guarantee that all the apps will be compatible with the TV.
Android TV
This is what Google wants to fix with the certification. To put it in simple terms, Google Certification is an attempt from Google to standardize Android experience in Smart TVs. Unlike other so-called Android TVs available in the market, Google Certified TVs feature Android specifically designed for TVs. The official Android TV has existed since 2014. The latest version is Android TV 10.
All Google-certified Android TVs come with some common features. It includes Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Play Store. The latter is full of apps and services designed to run on a TV. If your TV misses out on any of these, chances are it isn’t running on Google’s Android TV platform.
Features of Google Certified Android TV
Smoother User Interface
Better Software support
Comes with Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Play Store
Huge library of compatible apps
Pricier than normal smart TVs
CG Google Certified Android TV Price in Nepal
CG has launched altogether 6 different models of A-series and B-series of Android TV. All the TVs run on Android TV 9.0 and are certified from Google. So, they come with the in-built Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Play Store. Other similarities include the quad-core processor, Dolby Digital sound, and Bluetooth support. However, they come in different sizes and different screen resolutions.
CG 75″ 4K UHD Android TV (CG75A1)
75″ A+ Panel
4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160)
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Quad-Core Processor
2GB RAM + 16GB internal storage
2 x USB, 3x HDMI v2.0, LAN port, PC Input
2 x 8W Speakers
1-year Warranty
Price: Rs. 2,50,190
CG 43″ FHD Smart Android TV (CG43B1)
43″ Panel
FHD resolution (1920 x 1080)
Quad-Core Processor
1.5GB RAM + 8GB eMMC storage
9ms response time
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
2 x USB 2.0, 2x HDMI v1.4,
2 x 8 W Speakers
3 Years Warranty
Price: Rs. 45,290
CG 32″ HD Smart Android TV (CG32B1)
32″ Panel
HD resolution (1280 x 720)
Quad-Core Processor
1.5GB RAM + 8GB eMMC storage
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
2 x USB, 1x HDMI v1
Dolby Digital Sound
3 Years Warranty
Price: Rs. 25,590
CG 65″ 4K UHD Android TV (CG65A1)
65″ A+ Panel
4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160)
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Quad-Core Processor
2GB RAM + 16GB internal storage
2 x USB, 3x HDMI v2.0, LAN port, PC Input
2 x 10W Speakers
1-year Warranty
Price: Rs. 1,08,590
CG 55″ 4K UHD Android TV (CG55A1)
55″ A+ Panel
4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160)
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Quad-Core Processor
2GB RAM + 16GB internal storage
2 x USB, 3x HDMI v2.0, LAN port, PC Input
2 x 10W Speakers
3-year Warranty
Price: Rs. 68,890
CG 50″ 4K UHD Android TV (CG50A1)
50″ A+ Panel
4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160)
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Quad-Core Processor
2GB RAM + 16GB internal storage
2 x USB, 3x HDMI v2.0, LAN port, PC Input
2 x 10W Speakers
3-year Warranty
Price: Rs. 60,090
CG Google Certified Android TV Availability in Nepal
You can buy the newly launched Google Certified Android TV lineup from official CG showrooms all around the country. You can also order them online via CG official online store.
CG Android TV Price in Nepal [Summary]
CG TV Model
Size & Resolution
Price in Nepal
CG75A1
75-inches 4K UHD
Rs. 2,50,190
CG65A1
65-inches 4K UHD
Rs. 1,08,590
CG55A1
55-inches 4K UHD
Rs. 68,890
CG50A1
50-inches 4K UHD
Rs. 60,090
CG43B1
43-inches FHD
Rs. 45,290
CG32B1
32-inches HD
Rs. 25,590
Check out our review of ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector
According to a report by Reuters, Apple is now planning to move its manufacturing plant away from China. The report suggests that Apple is pushing Foxconn and other manufacturers to move out of China. As a result, Foxconn will be investing $1 billion dollars for plants in India.
We all know about the ongoing trade war between China and the US. Last year, the US banned Huawei and restricted US-based businesses from working with the Chinese brand. The inability to work with Google has impacted Huawei’s popularity outside of its home country. Since there has been no progress in the relation between the two continues, it is now affecting other brands, even the ones based in the US.
Apple, Foxconn, and China
Apple’s insecurity lies in the fact that most of its products are assembled in China. Take a look at the back of any iPhone and you will see the “Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China” tag. Apple products including the iPhones are assembled by Hon Hai Precision Industry. It’s a Taiwanese company, otherwise known as Foxconn. Though Foxconn has its presence outside of China, it is reported that China accounts for about 75% of Foxconn’s capacity. And it’s not just Foxconn. The majority of the industry-leading component manufacturers rely on China for production.
Why China?
There are several reasons why so many countries rely on China for manufacturing and production. The first reason is its population. China is the world’s most populated country. More population means more manpower. And more manpower leads to cheaper labor. Similarly, the enormous human resource also means that manufacturing is quick. Also, industries are flexible when it comes to scaling. Since most of the manufacturers are already here, it’s ideal for newer industries as raw and components are readily available there.
Apple’s insecurity
The rumors of Apple moving out of China first hit the internet last year when the US announced to hike traffic on China-made products to up to 25%. Though the traffic was said to be China’s responsibility, several economic analyses showed that it would eventually fall on the shoulder of American companies. So, it was logical for Apple to think of moving out of China.
The recent chain of events has now given more reasons to make the shift. Huawei is still on the US Entity List. Additionally, FCC has banned the implementation of technologies from Huawei and ZTE in the US networks. Similarly, India imposed a ban on nearly 60 different Chinese apps including Tiktok. And it’s reported that the US and Europe are also investigating the subject of the Chinese app helping the government collect data illegally.
Apple’s plans for India
It is reported that Foxconn will now expand its plants in India. As of now, it has two plants in India where it produces Apple and Xiaomi products, respectively. Foxconn is planning to invest $1 Billion dollars in the Sripreumbudur plant (Tamil Nadu, India), where it produces iPhone XR. The expansion will last for three overs and will result provide an additional 6,000 job opportunities to the locals. Similarly, Wistron Corporation also has plans for expansion in India. The company manufactures Apple products through its plant in Bengaluru. Another rumor suggests that Apple will launch its first official offline store in India this year.
As of now, iPhones account for only a percent of India’s overall smartphone sales. This could change as Apple will start producing more models in India, making them cheaper than ever. We will have to wait to see if the “Boycott China” movement has any impact on the sales of Chinese smartphones in the country.
Back in June, India announced the Electronic Manufacturing Scheme with visions to make it a center of a manufacturing hub. It looks like the scheme is already bearing fruits for the country. In addition to Apple, Samsung is also looking to expanding its production in India. All this news will be music to the ears of Indian youths who are campaigning against the use of Chinese products. It will also aid the Make in India initiative.
Check out our list of best iPhone SE 2020 alternatives
Vivo’s V-series is all about innovation at a mid-range price tag. The V11 Pro brought an in-display fingerprint scanner in a midrange price segment, and the V15 Pro had the pop-up selfie camera. This year’s Vivo V19 brings quad cameras and dual punch-hole display. However, there are some things that I like about it, and a some things that I wish Vivo improved in the next iteration of V-series. Without further ado, let’s get into this review of the Vivo V19.
Vivo V19 Specifications:
Body: 6.28 x 2.95 x 0.33 inches; 186.5 gm
Display: 6.44-inches E3 Super AMOLED panel; 409PPI; HDR10
Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Connectivity: Dual Nano-SIM, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BDS, USB Type-C
Battery: 4500mAh with 33W Vivo FlashCharge 2.0
Colors: Gleam Black, Sleek Silver
Price in Nepal: Rs. 49,999 (8/128GB)
Vivo V19 Review:
Design
Glass front, glass back, and plastic frame
The design of Vivo phones doesn’t usually disappoint and this one shares the same story. It’s a glass back that looks nice and has a good grip as well. The feeling on the hands is satisfying too. However, it has a plastic frame surrounding it which might bring about some durability issues in the long run. However, during my use, there has been no issue.
Additionally, the buttons have a plasticky feel to it and don’t give that satisfactory feedback. Moreover, the camera bump at the back is a pretty large one that might get scratched if not taken care of, so be sure to slap in a good phone case. You get one inside the box too which might work for a few months. Mine is working pretty well till now.
Buttons & Ports
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Volume rockers, Power button
Speaker, Type-C, Headphone Jack
Overall, there is nothing much to go on about the design. There is nothing great about it yet it’s not bad either. So, I am pretty content with it.
Display
6.44-inch E3 Super AMOLED panel
1200 nits brightness (max); HDR10
What can certainly be labeled good on this device is its display. It is a 6.44-inch AMOLED panel with excellent quality. And the best thing about it is that it can get really really bright. Being an AMOLED display, it has the Always-on Display and dark mode too. About the latter, Vivo does not make the entire theme dark. It’s partially dark only unlike what Samsung does.
Keeping the nitpicking aside, you really get a good quality panel in the V19 and anyone who requires a good display experience, will certainly like V19’s display. One thing, however, is that the dual punch holes are kind of weird looking and slightly bigger as well. And because it’s on the right side making the notifications push towards the left, it kind of makes me have an OCD. But again, to each their own I guess.
While we are talking about the display, let’s talk about its in-display fingerprint sensor too. It is really fast, accurate, and only when your hands get wet, it fails to recognize your print. Otherwise, I’ve no complaints about it.
Performance
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 SoC (10nm)
8GB RAM with either 128 or 256GB of expandable internal storage
Alright, let’s move to the performance side of things. It features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 712, which is used on phones half the price. So performance-wise, the V19 seems utterly overpriced, especially considering that its competitors have much better chipset offerings.
However talking about real-life performance, SD 712 is still a decent chipset. Hence, when doing normal tasks like browsing the internet, using WhatsApp, and the likes, you won’t feel a hint of lag in it. Similarly, multitasking is not a problem either, all thanks to the onboard 8GB RAM
Gaming
Gaming performance, however, has exceeded my expectations because Vivo has optimized the popular games like PUBG and COD to run well. The highest you can go in PUBG is HD graphics and High frame rates and up to ultra-frame rates when you set the graphics to smooth or balanced. I got a decent 40fps lag-free experience in smooth graphics and ultra-frame rate on the Vivo V19.
However, with the superior Adreno 618 GPU of the SD 730, you will definitely notice better graphics quality on the A71 or the Mi Note 10 Lite, as compared to Vivo V19.
In my review time with the Vivo V19, I also found the dedicated ultra-game mode to be useful, which made for an immersive gaming experience. Additionally, there’s also a feature in the game mode that helps you train to distinguish which side the footsteps are approaching or which side gunshots are being fired from, etc. So, if you are a PUBG player, you might like what Vivo is offering here.
Similarly, other games like COD run considerably well too. The Vivo V19 can go upto “Very High” settings and run equally well.
Overall, I like what Vivo has done with the game mode and optimization in certain games in order to match the competition. But I cannot help but think that this optimization would have been so much better if the company had opted for a slightly better chipset (SD 730G or SD765G). That would have given Vivo such an edge in performance.
Okay, let’s get to the camera performance of the device. There’s a quad-camera at the back that comprises of a 48MP primary camera, the 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 2MP depth, and a 2MP macro lens. At the front, there is a 32MP primary and an 8MP secondary ultra-wide-angle lens.
Normal Images
About the performance of the primary back camera, I would say it’s really good, actually as good as the Galaxy A71. What’s different in the pictures among the two is the color tone as Vivo seems to have a yellow tone in its images.
Normal - Comparison
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Vivo V19
Galaxy A71
Vivo V19
Galaxy A71
Also, many times, it tends to saturate the images a little bit more, but most of the time you get good results. Take the example of some of these samples I shot.
Normal
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They have a good dynamic range, pleasing colors, and ample details, all of which work together to give us nice pictures.
Wideangle Images
Ultra-wide-angle images are satisfactory too. They are almost on par with the A71 except for the slightly better colors and a wider field of view on the A71.
Wideangle
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Regular
Wideangle
Vivo V19
Galaxy A71
Vivo V19
Galaxy A71
Portrait Images
Even portraits from the V19 are nice. The subject focus is adequate on it just like the A71. It’s just that the A71 manages to maintain colors in the background a little better. But Vivo is very close to the competition too.
Portrait - Comparison
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Galaxy A71
Galaxy A71
Vivo V19
Vivo V19
Plus what you get in Vivo are various lighting effects that you can apply to make your portraits look even better. I even put up a picture on my Instagram account a few days ago using the monochrome background effect.
Monochrome Effect
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I think it looked really cool. Likewise, if you are someone who likes to edit their pictures a lot, there are various inbuilt filters and effects too.
Selfie Images
Even selfies from the V19 are good-looking but I found them to be beautified by a little, even in the normal mode. And despite your skin looking a bit smoothened, the selfies look pleasing nonetheless.
Selfie, Wideangle Selfie
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Selfie
Wideangle Selfie
Wideangle Selfie
AR Sticker
AR Sticker
However, the Galaxy A71 selfies do a better task in maintaining the background exposure. Whereas as you can see, the V19 seems to solely focus on the subject only.
Selfie - Comparison
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Vivo V19
Galaxy A71
Vivo V19
Galaxy A71
The quality of the V19 selfie is on par with the A71 though. You get a lot of filters and sticker options too if you are into that kind of stuff.
Nighttime Images
Vivo V19 also has a dedicated night mode. It does brighten up the images, but the process generates a lot of grains.
Nighttime
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Normal Nighttime
Night Mode
Similarly, light flares also get a little overblown when using Night Mode. However, at the end of the day, it’s a pretty decent implementation I’d say.
Videos
For videos, you get the options to shoot up to 4k 30fps. However, the 4k videos as well as the 1080P 60fps are not stable. Hence, the EIS works only in 1080P 30fps videos. The colors and details look good on all the resolutions though. You also have something called an ultra-steady mode that stabilizes your videos a little, but that option is only there in the 1080p 30 fps option.
Overall, the cameras on the V19 have good performance. However, given the price, it would have been so much better, if the company had given a Telephoto lens and Optical image stabilization instead of the macro lens here, as the macro lens hardly performs well.
Camera UI
On a different note, one complaint I have with Vivo is that the camera UI is a bit messed up here. For someone who is not used to this interface, it can get a bit difficult to operate. For instance, you have to click on the lens option to shoot wide-angle images and if you want to get back to the normal mode, you have to cross it which I feel is a bit more complicated. Similarly, there are two options for clicking portrait images which could be made simpler.
And it’s not just the camera UI, the overall interface of Funtouch OS is not perfect. For example, you have to drag down the taskbar twice to get to settings and as mentioned earlier dark mode is not “fully dark”.
But, Vivo has finally listened to complaints and put the quick toggle menu on the top. And the company’s digital assistant Jovi has been refined too. I really like the Smart Scene feature of it which gives you some of your health and usage stats like reminders to drink water or information on how much time you continuously use your phone, etc.
In the future, I hope Vivo focuses on the usability aspect of its UI more and optimizes better for its users to get a seamless experience.
Battery & Audio
4500mAh with 33W Vivo FlashCharge 2.0
3.5mm headphone jack, single bottom-firing speaker
Okay, now let’s get to its battery-life. It’s got a huge 4,500 mAh battery that is very enduring.
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Charging Brick
FlashCharge 2.0
During my review period, the Vivo V19 gave me more than a day’s backup on medium usage. This consisted of some gaming, a lot of social media, and making calls and chatting. So, I would rate the battery life with 8.5/10 points, which I consider to be good.
Charging is pretty fast here too. The phone comes with a 33- watt charger in the box that gets the battery full in slightly over one hour which is impressive. And the phone has a good standby time too with the Always-on Display on. The A71 on the other hand, or even my primary phone, the S20 does not give me such good standby time. So, I must say that Vivo has done a good job here.
Speaker Performance
I also like the speakers on the V19. It has a very balanced audio output.
Conclusion
Discounting the performance, the Vivo V19 is a decent mid-range smartphone. It has excellent cameras and there are fun things to play around with its camera. It has a bright & vibrant E3 AMOLED panel so content consumption’s excellent too.
You also get a 33W fast charger inside the box and the phone’s battery endurance is pretty good too. However, the Snapdragon 712 just doesn’t belong in a phone of this price. Likewise, Vivo’s Funtouch OS needs a lot more polishing.
Watch our video review of the Vivo V19!
Vivo V19 Review: Pros & Cons
Pros:
Vibrant AMOLED display with a fast optical fingerprint scanner
Optimized gaming performance with some nifty features
Great cameras alongside a few fun feature like AR stickers
Decent battery life and 33W fast charging
Cons:
Chipset selection should’ve been a lot better
Funtouch OS is still a little drag to get around
A telephoto zoom lens instead of macro would have been great
If the memories of my marketing classes serve me right, the marketing concept of, well… marketing, is a customer-first approach where a company thrives on understanding what the consumers actually want, and then operate accordingly. Back in 2013, a young company by the name of “OnePlus” landed on the smartphone industry with the aforementioned philosophy absolutely plastered into its first product, the OnePlus One. Anyway, this device was radical in every sense of the word. I mean, practically no company had been able to pull off such feat before! And maybe the new OnePlus Nord can work the magic again?
The Journey to OnePlus Nord
To compare, the flagship phones at the time like Samsung Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5S retailed for somewhere between $600 – $700 while OnePlus One started at just $299. Featuring Qualcomm’s the-then flagship SoC (Snapdragon 801), a gorgeous Sandstone back, and other amenities, this phone was an absolute steal for the price. However, getting your hands on one was as difficult as running Crysis on PC itself.
What I mean is, you couldn’t just walk into a store and buy an OnePlus One for yourself; no, no, no. Initially, there was this “invite-only” distribution system where the company would give out such invites via different contests.
Even though this system gained some traction for its unorthodox approach, it was a pain to own the phone. Having said that, it still managed to sell over 1 million units of OnePlus One by the end of 2014. This invite system would still continue for the next couple of devices in its pipeline but it finally entered the open-distribution model starting with the OnePlus 3.
OnePlus 3
That right there, challenging the norm, is how the OG OnePlus fans know the company by. The original OnePlus One was so successful that it spun off a whole new category of smartphones in the market, the “flagship killers”. And yeah, things have been running pretty smoothly for this newbie ever since; except not quite. While every succeeding phone has lived up to the OnePlus legacy in terms of build quality and performance, the gradual yet consistent price bump faced some pretty vocal criticisms from the fanbase.
Going all in!
Nevertheless, OnePlus went all-in on its latest ‘8’ series with the maxed-out OnePlus 8 Pro retailing for a buck shy of thousand dollars. In the past, it had always stayed out of cost-adding features. For instance, an official IP rating and wireless charging. But that changed with the OnePlus 8 Pro as the company fully gave in to the flagship market. Ah, what a ride! Despite the natural fact that this was a very probable reality from day one, many experienced a stirring sense of betrayal as OnePlus had turned into exactly what it strived to revolt from day one.
Be that as it may, it did manage to sizably adjust the price for the Indian market; which is the largest market for OnePlus. Also, it is the top premium smartphone maker in the country, finally ending the reign of Samsung and Apple. So, in the end, it was a necessary evil per se. Even with the comparatively low price, the OnePlus 8 series was unaffordable to the masses; seeing just how price-conscious the Indian market is.
Regardless of the expensiveness, these phones did manage to sell out within minutes of the flash sale in India. However, availability has been halted indefinitely since its reliance on the parent company OPPO for manufacturing needs were met with some trouble due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, OnePlus has reported less-than-exciting sales figures. Therefore, the need for an affordable device has been realized for a while considering the company has progressed into a prominent manufacturer of flagship smartphones, at a flagship price.
Enter, OnePlus Z/8 Lite/Nord!
Now, because it was fully committing to a complete premium phone and consequently couldn’t ignore its value-oriented roots either, rumors of an inexpensive smartphone in the works from OnePlus circulated the web right around the launch of OnePlus 8 series. We were even expecting the device to launch alongside the 8 series on April 14 but that was a no-show.
Known by the name “OnePlus Z” or “OnePlus 8 Lite” in its earliest stages, the phone had a lot of contradicting details to what we know now. First, the name. The company has since confirmed that the device is called “OnePlus Nord” instead. Nord? Doesn’t really slide off the tongue, now does it? But as expected, this naming convention does have sentimental meaning behind it. Carl Pei (Co-founder/Director, OnePlus) took it to twitter to explain how the Nord name “comes from the concept of true north”, reminding everyone to get on the right course.
Some people have been asking what the Nord name means. It comes from the concept of true north. We each have this inner compass that guides us. This product line reminds us to always search for our true north, and we hope it will keep reminding you of yours.
Similarly, the preliminary renders of the device also hinted at a single punch-hole cut-out for the front camera and triple rear-facing lenses. Like the name, this has now been debunked as well. Finally, in the performance department, the alleged OnePlus Z was rumored to feature MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000 SoC which is a high-end chipset with an integrated 5G modem. Yet, like everything else, this turned out to be false too.
And if you ask me, that was for the better. Even though it’s a great chipset, MediaTek is notorious for not releasing the source code of its SoCs as Qualcomm. This would mean a restriction in custom ROM development which is so popular in the OnePlus community.
What is the OnePlus Nord?
With the past out of the way, let us now talk about everything we know about the OnePlus Nord. This includes details that have been confirmed either by the company itself. Or those that corroborate to what OnePlus has subtly hinted in its different promos.
In terms of performance, the OnePlus Nord will be a mid-range device, unlike anything we’ve seen from this Chinese OEM in years. If you remember the OnePlus X, it was a one-time experimental mid-range offering back in 2015. But OnePlus has since attested that the Nord is in no way its successor, and will be a “new beginning” altogether; thus spin-off a whole new lineup of mid-range devices. What this means is that the Nord will only be the first entry in the said product line. So, expect a lot of non-flagship phones from OnePlus in the coming days.
The chipset in use is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G. Announced in late 2019, it has been the number one pick for manufacturers in their mid-range offerings. It is based on a much efficient 7nm process and has an integrated 5G modem as well. Seems like a perfect choice, doesn’t it? Not quite when you consider the fact that this SoC already has an overclocked successor – the Snapdragon 768G which brings higher clock speed in both CPU & GPU. Yeah… packing in already-outdated hardware doesn’t seem like the kind of #NewBeginnings OnePlus is hoping for.
A sub-$500 price tag
What’s even more astounding is the fact that sub $500 smartphones with the flagship Snapdragon 865 already exist. Oh, yes; that’s the vague price reveal of the upcoming OnePlus Nord – under $500. With all the promos its pumping out regularly, the company is confident that the phone comes “at a pretty great price.” But in the end, it’s us, the consumers who get to decide if that’s really the case at all.
Here, take the iQOO Neo3 5G for instance. It boasts Snapdragon 865, 144Hz display, 44W FlashCharge, UFS 3.1 – all at a starting price of just $385. Admittedly, its display is an inferior IPS panel though that is somewhat complemented with the HDR10 certification. You see what I’m getting at, right? So, keep this mind as we further discover what the OnePlus Nord is packing.
Flagship-level Cameras?
Since a flagship-grade performance is out of the equation, the company is betting on the next best thing instead – the cameras. The phone is set to have quad-cameras at the back with OIS, and dual front camera setup. Though the official word on the specifications of the lenses remains a mystery, we believe the phone comes with 2018’s 48MP Sony IMX586, followed by an 8MP ultrawide lens, a 2MP macro camera, and finally a 5MP depth sensor at the back.
At the front, OnePlus Nord will have two cameras: 32MP primary sensor, and an 8MP ultra-wide lens. To make matters interesting, Carl Pei revealed to TechRadar that OnePlus Nord is looking to bring “a flagship-level camera to the mid-range price.”
Now that’s an ambitious claim right there. To be honest, OnePlus smartphones have never been known for their exceptional camera prowess. Sure, they are excellent for their price but even the latest OnePlus 8 Pro doesn’t fare well in the camera test compared to similarly priced flagships like Xiaomi’s Mi 10 Pro. Consequently, it becomes a little difficult to digest the aforementioned affirmation. It is also pretty obvious that the phone won’t come with a telephoto lens since OnePlus hesitated to ship it in even on the standard OnePlus 8.
Once again, there are plenty of mid-range phones with zoom lenses. Realme 6 Pro is a sub-$250 that has a 2x telephoto camera, directly contradicts the case against a zoom lens on affordable smartphones. Maybe the OnePlus Nord will be able to stand out against other mid-range smartphones. But I’m pretty sure it won’t be giving flagship phones a run for their money.
As promised: A Fluid Display!
Moving on, the phone is confirmed to have a 90Hz Fluid AMOLED display. The smooth refresh rate was always a given as it aligns with Mr. Pei’s statement during the Indian launch event of OnePlus 7T & OnePlus TV about how every future OnePlus smartphone will come with the Fluid display technology.
Credit: Evan Blass (@evleaks)
Additionally, a new leak from Evan Blass showcasing an alleged presentation slide of the device indicates a 6.44” FHD+ display with 20:9 aspect ratio, the sharpness of 406PPI, and optical in-display fingerprint scanner. The slide in question is part of the unique AR launch event OnePlus is holding on July 21st. But more on that later.
Other Stuff
Getting to the memory side of things, it looks like the OnePlus Nord is coming in either 8 or 12GB of LPDDR4x RAM with 128 or 256GB of internal storage. Here, 12GB RAM definitely invites some speculations and even questions the leak’s integrity; seeing how the Nord is a mid-range device. The image also discloses NFC and Bluetooth 5.1 integration, alongside a rather small 4115mAh battery with Warp Charging 30T support. The latter once again refutes the earliest leaks that suggest a slightly larger 4300mAh battery instead. Additionally, the OnePlus Nord will come in three color options: Gray Ash, Gray Onyx, and Blue Marble.
Now let’s talk about that AR launch, shall we? In a world’s first, participants are required to download the “OnePlus Nord AR App” from Play Store or App Store using which they can experience the AR-infused launch event. You can also buy yourself an INR 99 launch invite with “assured gift for everyone”. This is not the first time OnePlus has something like this; as the company also showcased the OnePlus 2 in the world’s first VR product launch.
Too much hype?
With all the public excitement of an economical OnePlus phone and how the company is “going back to its roots”, the hype surrounding the Nord is unreal! And like every other commercial organization, OnePlus has been clever enough to capitalize on it.
Releasing docu-series with trailers just like the movies, a separate private Instagram account for the product (which has since gone public), adhering to the meme-culture, and accepting its pre-orders without fully revealing the specs or the final MRP of the Nord – all feel similar to the guerilla marketing for the OnePlus One, at least in theory.
However, in a way, many people feel the whole thing is unnecessarily flamboyant. Something this vague and extensive wasn’t even a part of marketing for the OnePlus 8 series. And it isn’t wrong to say that the price-reveal (or lack thereof) is only what’s keeping the hype alive. OnePlus has confirmed that the Nord will be exclusive to India and multiple European countries. I’ve already discussed how price-sensitive the Indian market so there’s that.
Therefore, to deliver on its promises and live up to the hype, India is where OnePlus has to nail the price. I’m not downplaying the importance of the European market but that’s just how things are. So, are you excited about the OnePlus Nord? What do you think is the ideal pricing? Don’t forget to comment down below!
When TCL announced the TCL 10 series back in CES 2020, it came out as a shock to most people as TCL wasn’t a name that you would normally relate with smartphones. However, its decision to not renew its contract with Blackberry hinted that the company was serious about making smartphones under its own name. Now after three months of the launch, TCL is expanding the lineup with two new smartphones – TCL 10 Plus and TCL 10 SE. So, let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of TCL 10 Plus and TCL 10 SE.
TCL 10 SE Overview
The TCL 10 SE looks to be the entry point to the TCL 10 series. It is the only smartphone in the lineup to feature a MediaTek processor. The triple camera setup also looks inferior compared to its siblings.
Design and Display
TCL 10 SE features a 6.52-inch LCD screen. The panel sports an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. The display features a waterdrop style notch on the top and thick chin on the bottom.
The rear panel looks familiar with the horizontally aligned cameras. It also has a fingerprint sensor mounted on the back. Just below the mount, TCL has stamped its branding.
Performance and Memory
Like mentioned earlier, TCL 10 SE is the only device in the TCL 10 lineup to feature a MediaTek processor. While the rest of the lineup is powered by either SD 675 or SD 765G, TCL 10 SE comes equipped with Helio P22 chipset. Talking about memory, it features 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The latter can be expanded via a microSD card.
Camera, Battery, and Others
The triple camera setup is led by the 48MP primary camera. There is a 5MP sensor for taking ultra-wide shots. Similarly, there is a 2MP depth sensor for portrait shots. On the front, there is an 8MP selfie shooter.
The smartphone is fueled by a 4,000mAh battery with support for 15W charging. There is a capacitive fingerprint sensor for biometrics. Surprisingly, the device does support NFC.
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/GALILEO, USB 2.0 Type-C, NFC
Battery: 4000mAh battery, 15W fast charger
TCL 10 Plus Overview
TCL 10 Plus is placed higher in the lineup.
In fact, specs-wise it is even better than the TCL 10L.
Design and Display
The TCL 10 Plus comes with a 6.47-inch AMOLED display which features a waterdrop notch and a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The chin on this one is slimmer than the one in the TCL 10 SE. Since it has an AMOLED panel, the fingerprint sensor is integrated under the display.
On the back, we see the four-camera sensor arranged horizontally. Unlike the TCL 10 SE, it doesn’t have a noticeable bump. In its place, there is a strip in between the opposite side frames. The TCL logo is at its usual place.
Performance and Camera
Like the majority of the TCL 10 series, 10 Plus is equipped with Snapdragon 675 processor. It is not the latest processor but can still handle day to day activities. Users can choose between 6 and 8GB of RAM. Similarly, there are three options for internal storage – 64GB, 128GB, and 2526GB. It is user-expandable.
TCL 10 Plus features a quad-camera setup on the back. It has the same 48MP primary sensor as in the TCL 10 SE. There is an 8MP sensor for ultra-wide shots. Similarly, there are two 2MP sensors for macro shots and background blur in portraits, respectively. On the front, there is a 16MP sensor for taking selfies.
Battery and Others
The smartphone features a 4,500mAh battery. It supports Qualcomm’ s Quick Charge 3.0. There is an optical fingerprint sensor for biometrics. The device also supports NFC.
TCL 10 Plus Specifications:
Display: 6.47-inches “NXTVISION” AMOLED panel
Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels);
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665; 11nm Mobile Platform
TCL 10 SE and TCL 10 Plus are announced in Russia. However, there is no information about the price and when the device will land in the market. Yet, the announcement means that the launch isn’t that far from now.
Check out our long-term review of the Xiaomi Mi 10!
Vivo’s sub-brand IQOO has added a new device to its offerings. After weeks of teasing and leaks, the company has finally launched the IQOO Z1x 5G. And it is exactly like many expected it to be. It supports 5G, 33W fast charging, and runs on Snapdragon 765G processor. However, that’s not it. The device has many other eye-popping features. So, let’s just dive right into them.
IQOO Z1x 5G Overview
It has a decent 6.57-inch TFT LCD display with FHD+ resolution. The screen has an aspect ratio of 20:9 and a snappy 120Hz refresh rate. Furthermore, the display comes with a punch-hole on the top right corner and it houses the front camera.
On the back, it has a triple camera array with a 48MP primary sensor. The primary sensor comes with EIS. The camera array is completed by a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. As for the front camera, it is a 16MP selfie shooter.
Under the hood, the device runs on the Snapdragon 765G SoC. The available RAM variants are either a 6GB or an 8GB LPDDR4x RAM. And the storage options are 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB UFS 2.1 storage. The device has a huge 5000mAh battery that supports 33W fast-charging. Unfortunately, it is a downgrade from the 44W fast-charging available in the standard IQOO Z1.
The Vivo IQOO Z1x 5G is equipped with a good heat management system too. It has an 85mm cooling pipe along with a 1000 sq.mm graphite sheet. Additionally, it has a Cooling Turbo. It is a software feature that helps to further lower the temperature of the device.
The Vivo IQOO Z1x 5G is already on sale in the Chinese market. However, nothing much has been said about its global availability. As for the price, the base 6/64GB variant is priced at CNY 1,598 (~$230). Hence, we can expect the Vivo IQOO Z1x 5G to launch in Nepal for a starting price of Rs. 30000, if it launches. Similarly, the other variants 6/128GB, 8/128GB and 8/256GB cost CNY 1,798, CNY 1,998 and CNY 2,298 respectively.
The back panel shows-off the Sunrise design. Cubot has included a layer of 2.5D glass on the back for added protection. It also makes the device feel premium. Cubot X30 is available in three different colors – Blue, Black, and Gradient Green. The rectangular camera module houses the five cameras and an LED flash.
Realme also claims to have 3 layers of waterproofing on this phone. But since it doesn’t have any official IP rating on it, I did not take chances and would advise you to do the same. However, what we can say is, the phone can take on a few minor splashes, which for this feature is good enough for its price.
All Google-certified Android TVs come with some common features. It includes Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Play Store. The latter is full of apps and services designed to run on a TV. If your TV misses out on any of these, chances are it isn’t running on Google’s Android TV platform.
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![Vivo V19 - Display [1]](https://cdn.gadgetbytenepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Vivo-V19-Display-1.jpg)
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