OneUI in the current scene, is arguably the best Android skin. Its latest iteration, the One UI 7 speaks volumes on this. But just because the UI is good, doesn’t mean it will work the same across every Samsung smartphone. For this exact reason, I tested the OneUI 7 on a midrange and a flagship Samsung phone. And I’ll be sharing my experience with everything in this One UI 7 review.
One UI 7 Review on a Midrange and a Flagship Samsung Phone
So let me reveal the phones I have tested the One UI 7 on, which are none other than the newly launched Samsung Galaxy A56 and Samsung Galaxy S25. The former is a midrange or let’s say premium midrange and the latter is a flagship device.
Similarities
User Interface, Animation, and Icons
The One UI 7 feels almost identical on both of these phones. Be it the notification bar or the Bubbly App icons, it’s hard to find the difference. Likewise, the brightness and volume sliders are bundled, which is quite similar to iOS. Meanwhile, the toggles don’t come with labels any more, providing more space in the process. And this new notification panel is something that I adore much about One UI 7 and the battery icon looking similar to the iPhone is also acceptable. And as for the animation, it’s imminent that a flagship phone would feel snappier than a midrange guy.
Left:- S25 Right:- A56
Vertical App Drawer, Finally!
One thing I really didn’t like about the One UI was its app drawer. It didn’t let me choose the vertical mode, which I’m more fond of. Now finally on the latest iteration, you can do that. Just hit the sort option after clicking the three-dot menu and choose “Alphabetical Order” and voila!
Now Bar
Both the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy S25 enjoy the new Now Bar, a pill-shaped bar, that can show ongoing and live activities. I wouldn’t call it a copy of Apple Dynamic Island though, it’s similar but also different. It only shows on the lock screen while playing music, recording voice, or charging the phone. Overall, this add-on the One UI 7 is a welcome addition.
What’s Different?
Now let’s address the difference between One UI 7 on a flagship phone and a midrange Samsung phone. Apart from chipset, design, display, and performance, a company would also differentiate on the software side for sure. And here’s what I have found so far.
Lockscreen Customizations
Long pressing the lock screen, you can access the customization menu, and here’s where the differentiation begins. S25 allowed me to change the lock screen elements like the clock, add frame, and add cool effects while on the A56, I could only tamper with the clock font and add widgets. No fancy effects, frames, or AI suggestions on this midrange guy.
Left:- S25 Right:- A56
AI features
And the next cut-off is on the AI features. The flagship Galaxy S25 enjoys Galaxy AI features such as Call Assist, Wiriting Assist, and much more. On the contrary, the Galaxy A56 is confined to a few basic AI features. Thankfully, the magic eraser and Portrait studio feature are present. Actually, Samsung terms it Intelligent Features on the A56 while it’s Galaxy AI on the flagship S25. So, you know, there is that. By the way, you can have a look at the screenshots below to find the AI features on both devices.
AI Features
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AI Features on S25
AI Features on A56
One UI 7 Review on a Midrange and a Flagship Samsung Phone: Conclusion
In conclusion, One UI 7 stands out as one of the most refined Android ROMs available. It’s ell-polished, well-optimized, and entirely ad-free, delivering an impressively smooth experience. The redesigned notification panel and enhanced lock screen customization add to its appeal, though the latter is fully realized only on the flagship S25, while the A56 misses out. That said, the core UI elements and overall user experience remain consistent across devices.
Of course, hardware plays a role—flagship chips make the interface feel even snappier, while lower midrange Samsung devices running One UI 7 may not feel as fluid. Still, Samsung’s commitment to providing an ad-free, well-optimized software experience remains a strong suit, and the latest iteration continues this legacy.
Ultimately, the experience across midrange and flagship Samsung devices remains largely similar, apart from Galaxy AI features and certain lock screen customizations exclusive to high-end models.
Macbooks have kinda been the go-to ultrabooks for anyone serious about snappy performance and long-lasting endurance not to mention their top-notch chassis and ridiculously optimized macOS. But despite the recent price drops and bang-for-buck offerings like the Macbook Air M4 (review coming soon), there’s still something missing: a sub-700-dollar ultrabook. Sure, you can still get the M1 Air (2024 review) here in Nepal for around that 1 lakh mark, but that guy is almost 5 years old at this point. So, what are your options?
Well, I found this guy when searching for a Macbook competitor under 1 lakh rupees (<750 USD). It’s the Asus Zenbook 14 (Q415MA) with Intel’s Core Ultra 5 Meteor Lake chipset for just NPR 86,999 (~630 USD)! Here’s a quick overview:
Asus Zenbook 14 (Q415) review: Specifications
Dimensions, Weight: 312.4mm x 220.1mm x 14.9mm (W x D x H), 1.28 kg
Seeing the spec sheet for the first time had me thinking somewhere along the lines of:
The display looks wonderful, the chipset is an apt performer for the price, and the large 75Wh battery looks promising but …
That RAM, that underwhelming 8GB of soldered LPDDR5 memory, might just be the one thing holding it back. And let’s just say, I kinda called it even before my first stroke on the keyboard.
Display
14″ WUXGA OLED 16:10 display (anti-glare finish)
60Hz refresh rate, 100% sRGB, 99% DCI-P3 color gamut
350 nits brightness, 550 nits HDR peak
Let’s start this review off with one of the primary highlights of this Zenbook. The Zenbook 14 Q415 is one of the very few if not the only ultrabook (right now) to offer a gorgeous OLED screen for under 1 lakh rupees! The resolution and refresh rate aren’t anything to write home about but the vibrancy and the brightness are what really sell it for me.
It looked stunning from the get-go with poppy colors and a slight spice of added saturation alongside a glossy finish. Watching the newest episode of Solo Levelling was such a treat that I began craving a movie or two, especially with those above-average pair of speakers. The tall 16:10 ratio with thin bezels gives it that hint of premium often missing in affordable ultrabooks, say the Swift Go (review) or similar.
Thanks to all that, the multimedia experience on the Zenbook is awesome and if you want to play around, there’s touch support too.
The screen goes all the way back (180°) when you want to share something with your colleagues or just use it flat on the table but I am not really an avid touch user (on laptops) so it doesn’t feel like a big deal to me
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Design and build
312.4mm x 220.1mm x 14.9mm (W x D x H)
1.28 kg
Housing that beauty of a screen is a premium-feeling metal body that’s a rare find in the segment. The chassis is solid with no deck flex at all but that display seems to wobble at times. My unit also makes a very slight creaking noise when I try to use the touchscreen but this might be an isolated incident and your mileage may vary! Regardless, for the price the build quality is top-notch!
Oh, the Zenbook 14 is also super lightweight and easy to lug around.
It’s only a hair heavier than my Macbook Air but I’d give in those few extra grams for a larger screen any day of the week. It’s also pretty sturdy with a MIL-STD-810H rating against extreme temperatures, drops, and vibrations, and has sustainability in mind too. The Zenbook uses 50% post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR) with fully recyclable packaging.
The Zenbook also wins in the keyboard department for me.
Keyboard and Trackpad
Full-size keys without Numpad, 1.4mm travel
Multi-level white backlight
Precision trackpad
Now, this is probably a controversial take but I prefer the Zenbook’s keyboard over a Macbook Air’s. The key travel in a modern Macbook Air is just so short (1mm) that you don’t get the same punch as munching down on a Zenbook. Don’t get me wrong, the Macbook still feels way more polished in terms of fit, feel, and finish but the feedback part is just better on my Zenbook Q415MA.
Well, I wish I could say the same thing about this trackpad though. It’s still a league above most trackpads in Windows’ ultrabooks with a smooth glass-like coating and decent clicks. But can’t match Macbooks man, they are just that good when it comes to touchpads. Again, not exactly a fair comparison when you compare an 85k-ish Zenbook to something at least 40-50% more expensive. Under the 1 lakh segment, it’s probably one of the best trackpads out there.
Performance
Intel Core Ultra 5 125H (28W base power)
14 cores / 18 threads, 4.5 GHz max turbo frequency
8GB LPDDR5X RAM, 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD
And that goes for the processor too! The Core Ultra 5 125H is a balanced fusion of power and efficiency with its mixed cores and newer fab process that you find in ultrabooks around the 1 to 1.25 lakh mark.
There are a total of 14 cores, only 4 of which are heavy-lifting P cores (@ up to 4.5GHz) while the majority are efficiency cores (@ up to 3.6GHz)…. There’s also something new here: Low-Power Efficiency or LPE cores that kick in during lightweight tasks like video streaming, web browsing, and background processes.
CPU Benchmark
I must say, I am impressed! The single-threaded performance is snappy and quick while I was also getting awesome battery life on the regular. The benchmark scores are also not too bad on short & bursty tests but there’s a slight catch which I’ll get to in a minute.
Normal usage is totally a breeze and I’d say the Zenbook doesn’t heat or make a ton of noise when jotting down scripts on the couch at all..but..there’s one MAJOR problem.
The elephant in the room
The 8GB RAM is just not enough for any more-than-casual user in 2025! Don’t get me wrong, the Zenbook is a piece of art when all I wanna do I watch a movie on its OLED screen, or type out a few quick articles in Microsoft Word but it falls apart QUICKLY once you start to do more.
And ‘more’ here isn’t even that much by today’s standards. Anything more than 15 chrome tabs will slow the entire system down and trying to multitask becomes a frustrating experience. Same thing with games.
Gaming
An ultrabook without any discrete graphics is not exactly a gaming beast, but the new Intel Arc graphics do promise anywhere from 30-50% gains over Iris Xe. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with our Zenbook over here. Due to its RAM limitation, the iGPU on the Zenbook 14 Q415MA loses the ‘Arc’ branding and has boring regular ‘Intel Graphics’. The benchmark scores are praiseworthy but the real-world gaming experience leaves a lot to be desired.
GPU (ARC exclusive to 16GB configs)
I only wanted to play two FPS shooters on this thing: Valorant and CS2… and I am disappointed; partly due to the 8GB RAM but also because of the terrible thermals. On paper, the Zenbook pulled a respectable 170ish FPS average on 1080p Low on Valo but the chassis boiled up. I measured over 50 degrees on some parts of the chassis and HWMonitor reported OVER 100 degrees internally for the CPU. Those are crazzzy high numbers and it’s clear that this Zenbook is not designed for any sustained heavy workload. With that message clearly conveyed to me, I decided not to push the Zenbook any harder in this regard.
Cooling and Fan Noise
But how’s the heat doing normal people stuff like watching videos or college assignments? Quite Alright actually. The Zenbook gets warm if you use it while charging but besides that, I wouldn’t worry about getting uncomfortable during typical usage. Fan noise is also not going to be a problem for casual users but it’ll spin up quite a bit under load.
Battery
75 Watt-hour battery
65W power adapter (USB-C)
The battery life is awesome though and I was getting a full workday on a single charge consistently through the week. I also ran our typical endurance benchmark which runs a local 1080p video on a loop at 150 nits of brightness and the Zenbook 14 Q415 achieved an awesome 16 hours! This is where the new Low Power Efficiency cores shine because a similar ultrabook with an older 13th-generation processor would struggle to cross 11-12 hours.
Quite not MacBook level of endurance, for that you’d have to look for Intel’s newer Lunar Lake architecture but more than a notable improvement from older generations.
Webcam
HD (720p) camera
Physical privacy shutter
Although I love the privacy shutter implementation here, the webcam itself is just a 720p sensor and struggles a bit with noise and clarity especially if you are not in a sufficiently lit setting. But the Windows Hello Facial Recognition is a nice addition that you’ll surely appreciate. The Zenbook skips out on a fingerprint sensor which would be faster but having your device unlock just by looking at it feels just as sci-fi as it did back in 2017 when I used the iPhone X for the first time.
Asus Zenbook 14 2024 (Q415) review: Conclusion
Is the Zenbook Q415 jack of all trades that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a laptop under 1 lakh? Maybe not! But it’s the perfect little machine for a student or office guy who’s just there to Netflix and chill after a long day of work. It keeps cool and quiet during a typical office day and lasts surprisingly long too. Quite handy to carry around, and feels premium to use as well. That’s a combo you just won’t get under 1 lakh in too many cases!
Vivo has quietly launched the Y19e a new model aimed at the affordable market. The original Y19 came out in 2019, and the Y19s debuted in 2024 which shows a significant gap between the two. Now the company is introducing a 4G version under the name Y19e. Let’s dive into the Vivo Y19e including its specifications and the expected price in Nepal.
Vivo Y19e Overview
Design and Display
Vivo seems to be lazing out in terms of design for its budget phone. I mean the new Y19e looks almost identical to the Vivo Y29s 5G, which itself resembled the Vivo Y04 4G. The design features flat edges and a sleek finish which isn’t particularly exciting but certainly looks modern. The color options include a Gold variant with a shimmery finish and Majestic Green. It measures 167.3 x 76.95 x 8.19mm and weighs about 199 grams. For durability the phone is rated with an IP64 certification for water and dust resistance, which is great for a budget device. Furthermore, it has a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button for added convenience.
The front of the phone features a 6.74-inch display with HD+ resolution. The display supports a 90Hz refresh rate which offers a smoother experience than typical budget phones. With a pixel density of 260 PPI it’s not the sharpest but is decent for everyday use. The wet touch support is a nice bonus and the waterdrop notch houses the front camera.
Performance and Battery
Under the hood, the Vivo Y19e is powered by the UniSoC T7225 chipset. It has two ARM Cortex A75 cores running up to 1.8 GHz for better performance and six Cortex A55 cores for efficiency. This gives the device a balanced performance, though it’s still an entry-level chipset. For graphics, it comes with the ARM Mali G52 MP1. The phone runs on FunTouch OS 14 based on Android 14 which should provide a clean and responsive user interface.
The Y19e comes with 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of internal storage. On top of that, you can expand it by up to 2TB via a dedicated microSD slot. In terms of battery, the device houses a 5,500 mAh battery and 15W wired fast charging support. For a budget device this battery capacity and charging speed are quite impressive.
Camera and Additional Features
In terms of cameras, the Vivo Y19e features a 13MP main camera with an f/2.2 aperture along with a secondary 0.08MP camera. For selfies you will get a 5MP front camera with an f/2.2 aperture that will handle basic selfie needs.
For connectivity, the Y19e supports Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring reliable and fast connections with other devices. The phone also comes with AI Erase and AI Photo Enhance features, which can be useful for improving photo quality.
Storage: 64GB eMMC 5.1 (expandable via microSD up to 2TB)
OS/UI: FunTouch OS 14 based on Android 14
Rear Camera: 13MP main camera, 0.08MP secondary camera
Front Camera: 5MP
Battery: 5,500 mAh, 15W fast charging
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
Color Options: Gold (shimmery finish), Majestic Green
Vivo Y19e 4G Availability and Price in Nepal
The Vivo Y19e 4G is currently priced at INR 7,999 in India. When it arrives in Nepal, we can expect the price to be around NPR 13,000, making it an affordable option in the entry-level segment.
Honor 400 Lite is an upcoming model of the Honor 400 Series. Despite its announcement date being far away, a European online retailer has leaked the official images and a price tag as well. Here in this article, we’ll discuss what we know about the Honor $00 Lit so far, alongside its leaked specs.
Honor 400 Lite Rumors
Design and Display
As aforementioned, now we know what the Honor 400 Lite looks like. It will bear a dual camera on the front with a pill-shaped cutout, similar to the one on the HOnor X8b. The bezels are also minimal, providing a larger display area. While the reader side houses an iPhone-like camera module with Honor branding on the bottom. Likewise, the color options include Black, Aqua Blue, and Gray/Silver shades. Speculations are hinting toward an OLED display and a 120Hz refresh rate.
Performance
Under the hood, the Honor 400 Lite is likely to get a Dimensity 7025 SoC as per the previous listing. This 6nm fabbed chip consists of 2x Cortex-A78 cores at 2.5GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0GHz. Handling the graphics here is IMG BXM-8-256 GPU here. Meanwhile, it is sure to come in 8/256GB trim. And booting the Honor 400 Lite will be MagicOS9 built on top of Android 15.
Camera, Battery, and Others
Getting to the optics, we might get to see a 108MP main camera. While the other camera might be a 5MP ultrawide or a useless depth/macro setup. Likewise, it is likely to feature a Si-Ca battery with higher density. Connectivity features will include, 5G, WiFi 5, Bluetooth, GPS, and a USB Type-C port.
As of now, there is no exact info regarding the launch and availability details of the Honor 400 Lite. Keep watching this space and we’ll keep you updated as soon as the info becomes available.
Samsung’s latest midrange phone: the Galaxy A56 is now available for pre-booking in Nepal. The phone introduces a redesigned rear camera setup and improved features while maintaining many of the key aspects from the previous model. This article will discuss everything about the latest Samsung Galaxy A56, including its expected price in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy A56 Overview
Design & Display
The front design of the Galaxy A56 remains largely unchanged compared to the Galaxy A55. However, the back sees a significant redesign with a pill-shaped triple-camera module. The camera rings are inspired by those found on the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Z Fold 6. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A56 is also IP67-rated for dust and water protection.
The Galaxy A56 features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, slightly larger than its predecessor’s 6.6-inch screen. It offers a peak brightness of 1,200 nits, an upgrade from the A55, while maintaining the 120Hz refresh rate.
Powered by the Exynos 1580 chipset, the Galaxy A56 provides 37% higher efficiency and a 37% faster GPU compared to the Exynos 1480 in the A55. Just like the Galaxy A36, the A55 also features Android 15 with One UI 7 skin on top. According to Samsung, the A56 will receive a total of 6 years of OS updates.
And talking about the latest OneUI 7, the latest software update brings a redesigned lock screen with a cleaner layout, improved shortcuts, and a Now Bar for quick access to activities. The update improves visuals with brighter, more vibrant app icons and more colorful, uniform widgets.
New features include AI writing tools for better text assistance, advanced camera settings, a Knox Matrix dashboard for improved security, a vertical app drawer for easier navigation, and notification filters to manage alerts. Additionally, users get automatic call transcription after recording, more customization options, and a reorganized camera app with refined controls.
The battery capacity remains at 5,000mAh, the same as the A55. However, the A56 now supports 45W fast charging, an upgrade from the previous 25W. Samsung has also claimed that A56 can be fully charged in 1 hr 6 minutes.
Cameras
The rear camera setup includes a 50MP primary sensor with OIS, a 5MP macro camera, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The front camera has been upgraded to 32MP, offering HDR and 4K video recording. Meanwhile, this phone also retains the under-display optical fingerprint from the A55.
Samsung Galaxy A56 Price in Nepal and Availability
The Galaxy A56 starts at NPR 65,999 for the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant and NPR 70,999 for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant. It is available for pre-booking from our affiliate partner Hukut stores. Meanwhile, customers can pre-order the Galaxy A56 5G and get the Galaxy Fit 3 (worth NPR 7,999) for just NPR 3,999.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
Price in Nepal (Official)
8GB + 256GB
NPR 65,999
12GB + 256GB
NPR 70,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Galaxy A55 5G
Fujifilm is set to release its latest camera, the GFX100RF, featuring a 102 MP medium format sensor. This model continues Fujifilm’s push into the high-end camera market. This article will discuss everything about the upcoming Fujifilm GFX100RF, including its expected price in Nepal, specifications, and availability.
Fujifilm GFX100RF Overview
Design and Build
The Fujifilm GFX100RF features a classic design with a metal body available in black or silver, paired with a black leather covering. It offers a sleek and durable design, maintaining the look that Fujifilm users are familiar with.
Lens
The camera comes with a 35 mm f/4 lens, which is equivalent to 28 mm f/3.2 in 35 mm. The lens has ten elements in eight groups, including two aspherical lenses. It also offers a close focusing distance of 20 cm (7.9 inches) from the lens’ front element.
Manual Control
The GFX100RF includes manual controls such as an aperture ring and dedicated dials for shutter speed and ISO. This allows for greater flexibility and control over settings during shooting.
Unique Features
The camera has several unique features, including an aspect ratio dial that ranges from a 1:1 square to a 65:25 panorama. It also comes with a digital teleconverter, allowing you to simulate focal lengths of 45 mm, 63 mm, or 80 mm. The leaf shutter provides a quieter operation compared to traditional shutters.
The camera is equipped with a high-resolution electronic viewfinder with 5.76 million dots. The 3.15-inch tilting touchscreen provides a 3:2 aspect ratio for easy framing and control. It supports 4K video recording at 30 fps. For connectivity, the camera includes Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 4.2, and a 10 Gbps USB-C port.
Fujifilm GFX100RF Specifications
Sensor: 102 MP medium format sensor
Lens: 35 mm f/4 lens (equivalent to 28 mm f/3.2 in 35 mm)
Aperture: f/4
Focus: 20 cm (7.9 in) minimum focusing distance
Manual Control: Aperture ring, dials for shutter speed and ISO
Aspect Ratio Dial: 1:1 square to 65:25 panorama
Digital Teleconverter: 45 mm, 63 mm, 80 mm focal lengths
Shutter: Leaf shutter
Viewfinder: 5.76 million dot high-resolution electronic viewfinder
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 4.2, 10 Gbps USB-C port
Fujifilm GFX100RF Price in Nepal and Availability
The Fujifilm GFX100RF will launch at $4,899 in the U.S. The camera is expected to be priced in Nepal starting at NPR 630,000 for the base variant. This price estimate includes additional taxes and import fees that usually apply to foreign products in Nepal.
Motorola is gearing up to launch the Edge 60 Fusion soon. Ahead of the official announcement, an image of the phone leaked a week ago, giving us a sneak peek at its design and colors. And now, the latest rumors are hinting at an IP69 rating and curved display. The Edge 60 Fusion will follow in the footsteps of the Edge 50 Fusion, so let’s dive into what we know so far.
Motorola Edge 60 Fusion rumor roundup
The Edge lives this time too
A teaser video has popped up on the Flipkart app, hinting at the upcoming launch of the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion in India. While the exact name isn’t mentioned, the tagline “MotoEdgeLegacy” pretty much seals the deal confirming that Motorola is continuing the Edge series, and will soon be available on Flipkart. Unfortunately, the video doesn’t spill any other beans about the phone, but we’re sure the wait won’t be too long.
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motorola edge 60 fusion teaser flipkart
Design and Display
The Motorola Edge 60 Fusion’s design has been teased by tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks). It looks quite similar to its predecessor with a sleek vegan leather finish. However, this time the camera island has a squarish shape that houses three cameras, plus a circular LED Flash, unlike the dual-camera setup on the Edge 50 Fusion. It will come in Light Blue, Light Blue, and Light Purple shades. In terms of ingress protection, it will bear an IP68 and IP69 rating.
On the front, the phone boasts slim bezels, a slightly thicker chin, and a centered hole-punch camera at the top. The display is curved and as per the latest news, it will stretch at 6.7 inches with a 144Hz refresh rate and 10-bit colors.
Rest
While the official chipset details are still under wraps, we suspect the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion will likely power the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 based on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 carried by the Edge Fusion 50.
Moreover, the phone will likely come in an 8GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration. As for battery life, we’re expecting a beefy 5,500 mAh battery with an 80W TurboPower charger.
Motorola Edge 60 Fusion Specifications (Expected)
Design: Sleek vegan leather finish
Display: 6.7’’ FHD+ OLED, 144Hz refresh rate
Chipset: Likely Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 8GB
ROM: 256GB
Rear Camera
50 MP
13 MP Ultra-wide lens
Front Camera: 32 MP
Colors: Light Blue, Light Purple
Motorola Edge 60 Fusion availability
We have heard nothing from the company regarding the official launch of the Motorola 60 series. However, it might be launched soon in the Indian market.
Huawei has launched the Pura X, a new foldable smartphone that combines both book-style and clamshell designs. The device was recently announced in China alongside the Freebuds 6, which we have talked in a separate article. This article will discuss everything about the latest Huawei Pura X, including its expected price in Nepal, specifications and availability.
Huawei Pura X Overview
Display and Design
The Pura X features a 6.3-inch main display with a 16:10 ratio in portrait orientation. It uses LTPO OLED panels on both sides with a smooth 120 Hz refresh rate. The folding screen offers impressive brightness, reaching up to 2,500 nits at peak. Additionally, the cover panel includes a 3.5-inch square display for quick access to functions.
When unfolded, the device measures 143.2 mm in height and 91.7 mm in width. Folded dimensions reduce to 91.7 mm by 74.3 mm. The hinge uses a classic teardrop design with 1900 MPa-strong space-grade components for durability.
Camera Setup
The Pura X comes with a powerful camera system. The rear setup includes a 50 MP wide camera with f/1.6 aperture, RYYB sensor, and optical image stabilization. Furthermore, it has a 40 MP ultrawide camera with f/2.2 aperture and another RYYB sensor. There’s also an 8 MP telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom and OIS. The system includes a spectral image sensor first introduced in the Mate 70 Pro series. For selfies, a 10 MP front camera sits in a punch hole on the main screen.
Battery and Charging
The device houses a 4,720 mAh battery split into two cells. It supports 66W wired charging and 40W wireless charging. For heat management, the phone includes heat-dissipating elements with a graphite plate offering 2000 W/m.k thermal conductivity.
The Pura X runs on AOSP HarmonyOS 5.0 rather than HarmonyOS Next. The cover screen supports live wallpapers and customizable animations. Users can access the camera, messaging, health apps, calls, and music players without opening the phone. The device is designed for taking calls in the folded state, with the earpiece placed next to the LED flash. Satellite connectivity is also supported, though only with Chinese satellites and limited to certain memory models.
Colors: Black, White, Silver, Pattern Green, Pattern Red (Collector’s Edition)
Huawei Pura X Price in Nepal and Availability
The Huawei Pura X is set to go on sale in China starting March 21. The base version with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage costs CNY 7,499. The 12GB+512GB model is priced at CNY 7,999, while the 16GB+512GB version costs CNY 8,999. The top-tier model with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage is available for CNY 9,999. When the Pura X makes it to Nepal, it would start at no less than NPR 165,600 for the base model.
Huawei Pura X
Price in China (Official)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
12GB+256GB
CNY 7,499
NPR 165,600
12GB+512GB
CNY 7,999
NPR 176,800
16GB+512GB
CNY 8,999
NPR 198,400
16GB+1TB
CNY 9,999
NPR 220,800
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Huawei Mate 70 Pro+
Infinix has introduced the Note 50 Pro+ 5G, expanding its Note 50 series. The device targets the mid-range segment, offering features like a curved AMOLED display, fast charging, and a periscope telephoto camera. This article covers the specifications, pricing, and availability of the latest Infinix Note 50 Pro+ 5G.
Infinix Note 50 Pro+ 5G Overview
Display and Design
The Note 50 Pro+ 5G features a 6.78-inch AMOLED curved display with an FHD+ resolution. Additionally, it supports a 144Hz refresh rate and reaches a peak brightness of 1300 nits. On the design side of things, the Infinix Note 50 Pro+ 5G features a silver/white back with subtle stripes and a small blue-red accent.
Its prominent square camera module houses four lenses and a flash. The phone has a slim profile with flat edges and visible “Infinix” branding on the back. The design is clean and modern with a metallic finish that gives it a premium look.
Performance
Infinix has equipped the device with the Dimensity 8350 Ultimate processor. It comes with 12GB LPDDR5x RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage. Furthermore, users can expand the RAM virtually by up to 12GB.
Battery and Charging
The smartphone houses a 5,200 mAh battery. It supports 100W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging. In addition, Infinix has included the Cheetah X2 power management chip for better efficiency.
Cameras
The rear camera setup includes a 50MP Sony IMX896 sensor with OIS, an 8MP secondary lens, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens. It offers 3x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom. For selfies, the phone features a 32MP front camera.
The Note 50 Pro+ 5G has an in-display fingerprint scanner, JBL dual speakers, and an X-axis linear motor. Moreover, it includes Bio-Active Halo AI lighting and runs Android 15 with XOS 15. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, an IR blaster, and a USB-C port. Additionally, the device carries an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance.
So this is the new Nothing Phone (3a) that I’ve got in for review today. And like every other Nothing phone… ever… this guy has also created a lot of buzz in the tech community.
There’s a new camera, a quirky new button that I have so much to talk about, and a few other upgrades over last year’s Nothing Phone (2a) (review). And if you think about it, all that stuff makes it a pretty balanced phone under NPR 50,000 right now. At least on paper.
But you know how they say “the devil is in the details”, right?
So instead of rushing this review… I took my time… and waited for the first software update to drop to get a proper idea about the Phone (3a). And after daily-driving it for all this time, I’ve actually found a bunch of interesting stuff that you must know before you buy one of these. So… stick around till the end for all the details.
Nothing Phone (3a) review: Specifications
Design and Build: 163.52 x 77.5 x 8.35 mm, 201 gm, IP64 rating
Alright. As always, I wanna start my review of the Nothing Phone (3a) with the positives first.
And I knew I was gonna love its design just by looking at it. Nothing is one of the few smartphone brands that knows how to make phones that aren’t boring to look at, and the Phone (3a) keeps that energy alive just fine. With a few useful upgrades.
Design
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So while its frames are still all-plastic, Nothing has upgraded the back panel to glass for a better hands-on feel this time. And it now has a better IP rating too. IP64 vs IP54. Which means although you’ll still need to be extra careful taking it out in the rain or to the swimming pool, the Phone (3a) is completely sealed against dust.
And of course, how can I forget Nothing’s funky Glyph lights? This is such a cool visual element that it’s always the first thing I check out every time I get to use a new Nothing phone.
Is there a new sound effect when I want to create a custom ringtone?
Does its progress bar work with more third-party apps now? I wanna know!
Other than the pure “coolness” of it all, I also love how genuinely useful its “Essential Notifications” feature is. Which basically keeps me from being distracted by all the unnecessary notifications by only lighting up when I receive a notification from select apps that I have pre-programmed. So cool!
But we had all this on older Nothing phones as well. If I remember correctly, my one issue with the Glyph Interface was that its progress bar only worked with a couple of apps like Uber, Zomato, and Google Calendar. And a year later… I’m a little sad to see that Nothing still hasn’t made any progress on that front.
The Essential Key
Instead, the Phone (3a) has a fancy new button called “Essential Key” that sits ri…ght below the power button. I know you’re probably wondering about accidental presses, but I must say that once the muscle memory kicked in, it really wasn’t much of a problem for me.
And I kinda like to think of it as this mishmash between a note-taking app and a voice recorder… but on steroids.
Thanks to artificial intelligence. So I can single-press it to take a screenshot, long-press to attach a voice memo, and double-press to enter the “Essential Space” itself where all my memories and ideas rest.
And no, you can’t remap this button to do something else, by the way.
The AI then comes in and analyzes everything — by extracting texts from an image or transcribing and summarizing my recordings if needed — to generate useful insights or action points.
That’s the plan, at least.
But I feel like Essential Space is pretty half-baked right now. And for an AI product, it simply doesn’t feel all that “intelligent” to me… you know? Don’t get me wrong, it works perfectly fine for organizing my screenshots, voice notes, and stuff, although I expected a bit… more.
A naturally unintelligent artificial intelligence
For example, there was this one time when I recorded a memo asking it to remind me to buy some flowers for my mom. Sounds simple enough, right? But instead of following up with a “what time?” or “when?”, the Phone (3a) randomly decided to set the reminder at 10 in the morning the next day.
If I asked Google’s Gemini to do the same, it’s actually intelligent enough to ask some follow-up questions before getting the job done.
Then there’s also the big “privacy-shaped question mark” since a…ll this AI processing is happening on the cloud. Not locally ‘cause the Phone (3a)’s neural processor is just not that powerful enough. I guess I can definitely see Nothing’s full vision for the Essential Space being a lot more intuitive and a lot more on-device in the future but… it isn’t quite there yet.
Anyway, the Phone (3a)’s display feels quite familiar to me. I’m looking at a big 6.77-inch AMOLED display with slightly thick (but uniform) bezels like always, a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, excellent colors, high-frequency PWM dimming, and pretty much everything else I’d expect from a midrange phone these days.
I did notice that it looked a bit warm by default, but I easily fixed it by adjusting the color temperature slider.
Display
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I also love typing on this thing because of the fast touch response and sharp haptics. Whereas I found its stereo speakers to be louder and with a bit more oomph compared to the Phone (2a) as well.
Plus, the Phone (3a) can get much brighter too. Both in terms of full-screen brightness for clear visibility on sunny outdoors or when you’re watching HDR content.
Which reminds me. This guy has no trouble playing your local HDR videos (or ones on YouTube), but since Nothing refuses to pre-install Netflix on its phones, I don’t get HDR playback on Netflix.
The other thing you need to know is that Nothing has also swapped out Gorilla Glass 5 for an inferior Panda glass this time. And the fingerprint sensor still sits at the bottom of the display, making it difficult to reach for someone like me with small hands.
Performance and software
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4nm)
8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB storage (non-expandable)
Android 15 with Nothing OS 3.1 on top
3 years of OS and 6 years of security updates
Let’s talk performance now. So Nothing has gone with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip this time, and I’m not entirely sure if that was the right call because it’s barely an upgrade over the Phone (2a)’s Dimensity 7200 Pro.
No matter what benchmark you look at.
Nothing Phone (3a) - Benchmarks
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AnTuTu 10
Geekbench 6
I was at least expecting Nothing to jump to UFS 3.1 storage instead of the slower UFS 2.2 speeds but that didn’t come true either.
That being said, the Phone (3a) did manage better average fps and better 5% low fps when I played PUBG and Genshin Impact on these two. And since the new guy has an incredible 40% larger vapor chamber, I noticed how it stayed cooler than the (2a) by 2 – 3°C as well.
Of course, the Phone (3a) isn’t meant to be a gaming machine. And you should probably look into something like the POCO X7 Pro (review) or the newly launched iQOO Neo 10R if you’re a serious gamer.
But the thing is, you won’t be getting the clean, smooth, and fun software experience of Nothing OS 3.1 on those gaming beasts. You guys already know that this is one of my favorite Android skins, and with version 3.1, Nothing’s main focus was basically two things:
more customization options,
and better system stability overall.
Nothing OS 3.1 is incredible
So I can now customize the lockscreen with new clock styles and new widgets, I can change how the quick settings page looks, Nothing’s own “Gallery” app is a thing now, I can also group my apps into different categories like on iOS, and then there’s a bunch of other under-the-hood stuff. Like optimizing the camera app for slightly faster image processing, which is definitely something I’ve noticed in real-life usage.
I know it doesn’t have those fancy image editing or text-generating AI features that you find on every other phone these days, although the bottom line is that you’re gonna end up loving what Nothing has done with its latest software.
The Phone (3a) also has 3 more Android upgrades and 6 years of security updates to its name, so that’s just as exciting. That’s certainly not “Samsung” level of updates but I can live with 3+6 years of updates on a midrange phone.
Battery and charging
5,000 mAh battery (50W wired charging)
No power adapter inside the box
As for battery life, there isn’t much of an upgrade on the Phone (3a) since it has the same 5,000 mAh lithium-ion (not silicon-carbon) battery as the Phone (2a). Which gives me 7 – 8 hours of screen time on my regular usage… like the Phone (2a).
The charging speed has slightly gone up to 50W from 45W, but you still don’t get a charger inside the box, and the journey from 1 – 100% still takes a little over an hour.
Cameras
Triple camera setup at the back
(50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto zoom)
32MP selfie camera (hole-punch cutout)
It’s time to talk about the cameras now, and I just wanna say that I was quite excited to test the Phone (3a)’s cameras. Mostly because this is the first Nothing phone with a dedicated 2x telephoto lens.
Daytime images
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So I compared its cameras with the Phone (2a) and… yep. Its zoom shots are clearly better than the digital crop on the Phone (2a). Be it in terms of details or dynamic range. The Phone (3a) does tend to mess up the white balance sometimes… but yeah.
Great for portraits
A dedicated zoom lens means better portraits as well. And this guy takes much better portraits than the (2a) as expected. Once again, it’s got better details and the edge detection is more accurate too.
Portraits
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I especially like how well it renders the skin tones ‘cause the Phone (2a)’s portraits noticeably favor a contrasty look and a pinkish tint for some reason. What’s even more impressive is that I can even shoot 70mm and 100mm portraits from the Phone (3a) with minimal loss of details.
Selfies
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I’m also digging the selfies from the Phone (3a). Just like the portraits, it manages a more natural skin tone, the background exposure is well taken care of, plus it’s got a wider field of view too.
A bit of inconsistency
But when I got to the main camera, I found a lot of inconsistencies with the Phone (3a). It uses the same 50MP sensor as the one on the Phone (2a) as far as I can tell, although they have wildly different tuning.
So they both preserve a nice amount of details and the (3a) does have better dynamic range sometimes — but even so — I actually prefer what the Phone (2a) captured like… 60 – 70% of the time. Mostly because of how nice its colors and contrast are. The (3a) also likes to blow out the highlights from time to time whereas it simply fails to process the color red. Turning anything on the frame with a bright red color → orangish.
Surprisingly enough, the Phone (3a)’s downgraded ultrawide camera doesn’t suffer from this issue… at all. Which also means that this thing doesn’t have the best consistency between all of its cameras. Now I say “downgraded” because you’re getting a smaller, lower-res 8MP sensor with a narrower field of view compared to the (2a)’s 50MP ultrawide shooter.
Nightime images
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But I gotta be honest, the Phone (3a)’s ultrawide shots during the day aren’t too bad. And it actually has better dynamic range most of the time.
When it gets dark, you can clearly see how it tries to brighten up the image almost every single time. Sometimes that works in its favor, sometimes it doesn’t… but I was getting better-looking lowlight shots from the Phone (3a)’s main camera overall. Although the larger sensor on the Phone (2a) means its ultrawide photos during the dark are significantly better.
What about videos?
And in terms of videos, I can shoot at up to 4K 30 fps from the main camera on both of them. Unlike the Phone (2a), which can even shoot ultrawide videos at 4K 30 fps, while the (3a) maxes out at 1080p 30 fps.
Anyway, the core quality of 4K recordings between these two is quite similar, stabilization-wise. You’re definitely gonna notice some jitters now and then, while I found the Phone (3a)’s footage to have a warmer color tone and the same issue with highlight management as on its photos. It’s the same with the (3a)’s 1080p 60 fps selfie videos, which are also weirdly contrasty somehow.
Even though Nothing has already pushed one camera-centric update, there’s a lot more work to be done. And before I forget, I can also create and share a custom camera preset on the Phone (3a). All the cool kids on the block like Apple and Samsung have a similar feature so no way Nothing was gonna miss out on that!
Nothing Phone (3a) review: Conclusion
Okay.
So to wrap up this review, I’d say the Nothing Phone (3a) is one hell of a midrange phone. Besides the head-turning design, it also has a fantastic OLED display, all-day battery life, and a smooth software experience. A combo that’s truly hard to find in this segment. And like last year’s Nothing Phone (2a), this is among the few midrange devices that carefully avoid any of those “dealbreaker” types of issues.
Of course, this one’s not for the gamers. You can go with something like the Infinix GT 20 Pro (review) if you want the best gaming experience under NPR 50,000 rupees.
And like I mentioned before, the Phone (3a)’s cameras also need a bit of tender loving care. Particularly in terms of color consistency, highlight management, and consistency across the lenses. But looking back at Nothing’s history of software updates, I’m sure these things will be sorted out with a couple of future updates. Making it such a balanced midrange phone.
Watch our video review of Nothing Phone (3a)
Nothing Phone (3a) review: Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
• Unique design with Glyph lights
• AI features feel underdeveloped
• That 2x telephoto camera is a charmer
• The consistency between the cameras could’ve been better
• Excellent AMOLED display
• No significant performance boost over the Phone (2a)
