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ASUS TUF FX505 DD Review: A Budget Gaming Laptop with Ryzen Processor

Asus
Reviews

GadgetByte

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November 28, 2019

ASUS TUF FX505 DD Review: A Budget Gaming Laptop with Ryzen Processor

So, when it comes to gaming laptops, you either get an intel-Nvidia combo or a complete AMD setup. However, ASUS is one of the few companies that is actually pushing for something different on that front. With its TUF FX505 series, Asus is offering an attractive combination of a Ryzen processor with the Nvidia graphics. The FX505 series comes in three different variants — the FX505 DD, FX 505 DT, and FX 505 DU. The one that I’ve been using for the past couple of weeks is the ASUS TUF FX505 DD model. Specs-wise, this one falls on the lower end with AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and the GTX 1050 graphics card. If you want more power, you can get the top-of-the-line FX505DU with Ryzen 7 and GTX 1660Ti.

On a different note, we all know AMD has made quite a progress with their Ryzen processor for the desktop, but I actually don’t know how these mobile chipsets from AMD perform. So, like after ages, I was genuinely really excited to test this device. So, without further ado, let’s begin with the review of ASUS TUF FX505 DD.

ASUS TUF FX505 DD Specifications:

Operating System: Windows 10 Home
Display: 15.6″ (16:9) LED-backlit FHD (1920×1080) 60Hz Anti-Glare IPS-level Panel
Processor: AMD Ryzen5 3550H
Graphic: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, with 3GB GDDR5 VRAM
RAM: 16GB DDR4 2400MHz
Storage: 256GB PCIe Gen3 SSD
WebCam: HD 720p CMOS module
Wi-Fi: Integrated Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 ac)
Bluetooth: Bluetooth® 5.0
Battery: 3-Cell 48 Wh Battery
Dimensions: 360.4 x 262.0 x 25.8 ~26.8 mm (WxDxH)
Weight: 2.2 kg ~ 2.3 kg

DESIGN

Starting off with the design, for the most part, the FX505’s design is similar to the last year’s FX504. Just cut the side bezels of the 504 chassis a tad bit and there you have it, the end result is the FX505.

On the lid, you can see that converging speed lines are now part of the design with the ASUS logo in the middle. It has an all-plastic built and that certainly gives away that this device is, in fact, a budget laptop.

However, despite having a plastic built, the laptop feels sturdy and durable. And why not, the TUF moniker does not come without some durability test. And this one has gone through the military-grade MIL-STD-810G certification. This certification ensures that the device can withstand high altitudes, radiation, and a few knocks. So be assured that the laptop is robust enough for the long run.

Now, talking about its relative size, I felt that it falls somewhere in the middle. It is not super slim as the ROG Zephyrus series nor is it bulky like the usual gaming laptops that we are used to seeing. And with a weight of 2.2kg, it would be safe to say that it will not be much of a hassle for you to carry this laptop around every day.

You get a sole combo audio jack, a Type-A USB 2.0, two Type-A USB 3.1 (gen1), an RJ45 LAN port, an HDMI port, and a charging port. And all these interface ports are located on the left-hand side. I felt it was a convenient location to place all the ports as you don’t get confused about which sides have what ports. However, on the downside, having all the ports on the same side might lead to a few tangled wires.

Talking about the placement of fans, a major concern for any gamer or for that matter any gaming laptop, the TUF FX505DD has two rear-facing vents. Their performance can be controlled through the function buttons and you can either choose silent, performance or the turbo option.

Further down the line on both sides, you get 2W Stereo Speakers aligned at 45 degrees. And its performance as expected with a gaming laptop is okayish. You get decent sound quality with enough clarity; however, you’d certainly want to use a headphone for better experience while gaming.

Now, inside, the 15.6-inch screen offers an immersive display with thin bezels surrounding the screen. ASUS las labeled it as “Nano Edge display”. That’s because the bezels are really really thin-6.5mm to be exact. However, the top bezel is thicker in comparison. And that’s because it houses an HD 720p webcam right at the center.

The other half of the device houses a full-size keyboard with single-zone RGB lighting. However, the WSAD keys do have a special mention here as those keys are transparent, highlighting their importance.

With the Aura Sync technology option, you can actually sync compatible games and music with the RGB keyboard. You can access this option via the armory crate and tweak the lighting of the keyboard as per your preference.

While pressing the keys you get a satisfying soft tap sound which yields a quick response. Thus, typing with this keyboard really feels great. And talking about the trackpad, it is a smooth one with no physical keys, not my favorite though!

The other thing that I liked with the design is the placement of led indicators for charging, battery and stuff. It is placed above the power button and is visible even with the lid closed. I’m certain that it’ll come handy for many out there.

So, Overall, I felt that even though it is a budget gaming laptop, its design does not disappoint you. Rather, it fits perfectly everywhere. It is not that shiny or extravagant that you’ll feel out of place while taking this to your office. And the inclusion of the stylized keyboard will get you going with your gaming groove. So, design-wise, for the price, it’s a good offering from Asus.

DISPLAY

Talking about the display, the FX505DD has a 15.6-inch LED-backlit screen. It has an FHD resolution with 1920 x 1080 pixels and offers a 60Hz refresh rate. And unlike those budget laptops with TN panel, this one has an Anti-glare IPS-level Panel. So, the display is not compromised in this one.

However, having said that, its display is not something that will leave you mesmerized. Nevertheless, its good contrast ratio and above-average brightness will suffice for your daily needs.

Maybe it’s a budget factor is what contributes to a mere color space coverage of only 60% of sRGB. Now, most expensive gaming laptops these days have around 90% sRGB coverage. So, don’t expect a very deep and accurate color with this one. Still, this limited color space will not hinder the gaming experience so much.

The other thing that did not sit well with me regarding its display was its outdoor visibility. It turns very dim when used outdoor. Then again it is a gaming laptop and you’ll mostly use it for playing games while plugged in. Viewing angles are great though. And that is what we can always expect from an IPS panel.

PERFORMANCE

Under the hood, the FX 505DD has an AMD Ryzen 5 3550H processor with 8 cores clocked at 2.1GHz. It basically is comparable with intel’s Core i5 8300H and core i7-7700HQ. And despite this AMD processor running at a lower TDP than its intel counterpart, it can still compete with them.

As for the memory, you have 8GB DDR4 RAM. There’s also a vacant slot for expansion. The Gen 3 SSD here offers a fairly decent sequential read and write speed. So, not the quickest out there but still workable.

And for graphics, it offers the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, with 3GB GDDR5 VRAM. So, this combination of the Ryzen 5 CPU and NVIDIA graphics is something that I was actually quite excited to put to test. But, after using it as my daily driver for almost 2 weeks now, it left me wanting a tad bit more.

Don’t get me wrong, the Ryzen 5 is excellent for your normal usage like surfing the web or watching movies. But that is not why one buys a gaming laptop. People buy it to play games on, and on that front, the end result still gave me a feeling that it could have been a lot better.

I played Apex legends on this one and the fps that I got was around 32 in high settings. Now, this high setting means that the device is already punching above its weight as it requires 4GB VRAM and this one’s only got 3GB. In a medium setting, the recommended one, you get around 40 fps, which despite not being that grate is still acceptable. For casual gamers or even those who are sort of veterans, I guess this should be enough. And as usual, you can always tweak the visual settings here and there in order to get high frame rates in middle-tier games.

Another game that I tried was Battlefield 5. I know it is a triple-A title and the result was as expected. A laggy-bumpy ride around WWII war zone which is guess is best not to venture out to. The 40 fps on the minimum setting were quite surprising however if you switch to ultra, the fps drastically decreases to around 20-25.

Thus, suffice to say, the FX 505DD is simply not built to push beyond what its price limits it to. All the while I was playing games, I switched my fan to the turbo mode. This mode through appropriate resource allocation helps you boost the performance. But it does come at a huge cost of the loud whirling noise. So, this is something you should certainly look out for.

BATTERY

Now moving on to the battery, this device is powered by a 48Watt hour Polymer Battery. And I have to say the battery life isn’t good. On normal web browsing, I got around 3 hours of battery with brightness set to 50%. And while watching movies it dropped drastically to 1 and half hours.

Now, I know that this laptop is meant for gaming and while doing so you’d obviously stay connected with the plug. Still, the average backup that it gave seemed subpar to me. The charging adaptor is slimmer in comparison with those of other gaming laptops. So carrying it alongside the laptop is not a hassle.

VERDICT

So, to buy or not to buy, that is the question. At the price tag of NRs. 95, 000 or around 700 dollars internationally, the FX 505DD is certainly an enticing entry-level gaming laptop. And add to that the unique AMD-NVIDIA combo, this is one laptop I do see myself reaching out for.

I know that its hardware is not built to run Triple-A titles on high settings but then again, I am not one of those hardcore gamers. But from my experience with this laptop, I would recommend it for those looking to move out of their current setting for a gaming laptop at a reasonable price, go for it.

Pros:

Good display
Good Design and Build

Cons:

Only “Okay-ish” Gaming Performance
Poor battery life

Honor introduces its first batch of 5G smartphones – the Honor V30 and V30 Pro

Nikhil Shrestha

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November 28, 2019

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Honor introduces its first batch of 5G smartphones – the Honor V30 and V30 Pro

The smartphone industry always seems to create a hullabaloo about at least one thing at any given time. Just a couple of years ago, manufacturers were knee-deep to come up with low-bezel displays and now it’s become a common standard for any new smartphone. Also, the in-display fingerprint scanner! Coming back to 2019, the talk of the town is 5G. Well, the next-gen cellular technology is where the industry is heading towards so smartphone manufacturers have been pushing for 5G dominance. Honor, the Huawei subsidiary, is the latest kid in the block to introduce a 5G smartphone with the all-new Honor V30 and V30 Pro. Both devices share common build choices in many areas like design, SoC, etc. so there’s not much of a difference between the two phones. Anyway, let’s have a quick look at what these phones are packing!

Honor V30 & V30 Pro (5G) Overview

Display & Design

Let’s start with the display. Both phones have a 6.57-inch Full-HD+ TFT LCD screen with rounded corners and a dual punch-hole cutout on the top left corner unlike one on the right like the Samsung Galaxy S10+ or the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi K30. With this, the V30 & V30 Pro achieves a staggering 91.46% screen-to-body ratio. Personally, I prefer notches over cutouts. Also, have you guys noticed how cutout cameras have been slowly taking over pop-up cameras? Even the next-gen OnePlus 8 is rumored to pack a punch-hole display!

Moving to design, both phones are quite a visual treat with a fashionable design. With a glass back and metal frame, the phones come in Magic Night Star River (Blackish Blue), Icelandic Fantasy (White), and Charm Starfish Blue color variant, while the regular V30 also has a Dawn Orange option. All the buttons are placed on the right of the phone, with the power button also functioning as a fingerprint reader. Are side-mounted fingerprint scanners making a comeback? I sure hope so! On the back is the 40MP triple “Matrix” camera array.

Camera

Talking about cameras, both phones come with two of them upfront, and three in the back. While they share the same 32MP main shooter with “Super Night Mode” and an 8MP ultrawide camera (105º field-of-view) in the dual punch-hole cutout, there are some differences in the rear-camera arrangements.

As for the main lens, the V30 Pro has a 40MP Sony IMX600 sensor with f/1.6 aperture, the regular V30 has the same lens but with a slower f/1.8 aperture and. Similarly, the V30 Pro has a 12MP ultrawide lens though the V30 is equipped with an 8MP one. The telephoto lens, however, is the same on both devices, which is an 8MP f/2.4 lens.

Honor V30 & V30 Pro Camera Setup

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Let’s get into the camera capabilities now. The V30 supports 4K video recording at 30fps (from both front and back) and 1080p at 960fps (Super Slow Motion) with OIS support on the 8MP telephoto lens only. However, the V30 Pro supports OIS on the main 40MP lens too. Similarly, both phones rear cameras are capable of 3x optical zoom, 5x hybrid zoom, and 30x digital zoom.

With such a rich camera setup, as expected, there are tons of photography modes embedded into the phone’s native camera app. You have the regular AI photography, super wide-angle, low-light photography, portraits, etc. There’s also a “Photo Resurrection Magic” feature that brings photos to life. Looking at the teaser, I found it to be wildly creepy!

Honor V30 "Photo Resurrection Magic" — A screenshot from the Honor V30’s “Photo Resurrection Magic” teaser video. This is supposed to be DaVinci’s “Mona Lisa”. Sets you on a trip to the uncanny valley instead!

Performance & Memory

On the performance end, the V30 and V30 Pro pack the super-powerful octa-core Kirin 990 chipset, which outperforms the Snapdragon 855 while falling a little behind against the newer Snapdragon 855+ (particularly in terms of gaming). The V30 has 2x 2.86GHz Cortex-A76 + 2x 2.09GHz Cortex-A76 + 4x 1.86GHz Cortex-A55 CPU and the V30 Pro has a more powerful 2x 2.86GHz Cortex-A76 + 2x 2.36GHz Cortex-A76 + 4x 1.95GHz Cortex-A55 processor. Honor has done an excellent job by packing these upper mid-range phones with such a powerful chipset.

Also read: MediaTek announces Dimensity 1000: A high-end SoC with in-built 5G modem

Moreover, as the title suggests, they are 5G capable phones. The Honor V30 Pro has the Kirin 990 5G chipset, which is integrated with a 5G modem and supports dual-mode 5G. On the other hand, the Honor V30 packing the regular Kirin 990 has Balong 5000 5G modem for 5G connectivity.

This is complemented by either 6 or 8GB of RAM with 128GB of internal storage on the V30. However, the V30 Pro comes in a single 8GB RAM configuration with either 128 or 256GB of internal storage.

Battery

Interestingly, while the lower-end V30 packs a decent 4200 mAh battery, the superior V30 Pro packs a smaller 4100 mAh cell. With the same form-factor and all, it would’ve made a better sense if they shared the same battery capacity as well, but here we are. On good news, both phones are equipped with “PC-grade” liquid cooling technology through an 8mm heat-pipe!

Both phones come with 40W Honor SuperCharge via the Type-C port, while the V30 Pro also supports 27W Super Wireless Charge and 7.5W reverse wireless charging, which makes it the first Honor phone to support wireless charging.

Miscellaneous

Despite all the US v Huawei debacle, the phone still runs on Android 10 with Magic UI 3.0.1 on top. Looks like Huawei isn’t shipping its smartphones with its own HarmonyOS anytime soon, which may be for better or worse. On a disappointing note, the 3.5mm headphone jack has been cut off from the V30 series.

Let’s take a look at their detailed specifications:

	Honor V30	Honor V30 Pro
Body	6.40 x 2.98 x 0.35-inches
Display	6.57-inches TFT LCD panel
Resolution	Full-HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Software & UI	Android 10 with Honor’s Magic 3.0.1 on top
Fingerprint sensor	Side-mounted (right)
Connectivity	Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 (2.4 & 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/AGPS/Glonass/BeiDou/Galileo/QZSS, USB Type-C
Front Camera	Dual – 32MP f/2.0 primary lens; 8MP f/2.2 wide-angle lens
Rear camera	Triple – 40MP f/1.8 primary lens; 8MP f/2.4 wide-angle lens; 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens	Triple – 40MP f/1.6 primary lens; 12MP f/2.2 wide-angle lens; 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens
Chipset	Huawei Kirin 990 (7nm) with Mali-G76 GPU	Huawei Kirin 990 5G (7nm+) with Mali-G76 GPU
CPU	Octa-core (2x 2.86GHz Cortex-A76 + 2x 2.09GHz Cortex-A76 + 4x 1.86GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (2x 2.86GHz Cortex-A76 + 2x 2.36GHz Cortex-A76 + 4x 1.95GHz Cortex-A55)
NPU	Large core NPU + micro core NPU	Dual large core NPU + micro core NPU
RAM	6 / 8GB	8GB
Storage	128GB	128 / 256GB
Battery	4200 mAh with 40W SuperCharge	4100 mAh with 40W SuperCharge
Weight	213gm	206gm
Colors	Magic Night Star River, Icelandic Fantasy, Charm Starfish Blue, Dawn Orange	Magic Night Star River, Icelandic Fantasy, Charm Starfish Blue

Honor V30 & V30 Pro (5G) Pricing & Availability

The ‘V’ series smartphones from Honor have been upper mid-range smartphones and this one’s no exception. The Honor V30 and V30 Pro (5G)’s pricing are as follows:

Honor V30 (6/128GB): ¥3,299 (~NRs. 53,750)
Honor V30 (8/128GB): ¥3,699 (~NRs. 60,265)
Honor V30 Pro (8/128GB): ¥3,899 (~NRs. 63,525)
Honor V30 Pro (8/256GB): ¥4,199 (~NRs. 68,410)

As for availability, V30 will be available for purchase in China from December 5, while V30 Pro will be made available a week later from December 12 only.

Check out our review of the Huawei Nova 5T!

MediaTek announces Dimensity 1000: A high-end SoC with in-built 5G modem

GadgetByte

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November 26, 2019

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MediaTek announces Dimensity 1000: A high-end SoC with in-built 5G modem

MediaTek has usually focused on making chipsets for budget and lower mid-range phones. So the company generally doesn’t make hot news in the tech industry. But seems like things are going really well for MediaTek, the company is making headlines one after another. Intel’s partnership with MediaTek dearly increased MediaTek’s goodwill. And not so long after the announcement of the partnership, MediaTek brought another big news to get the tech enthusiasts awe-inspired. And this time with a 5G chipset. Dubbed as MediaTek Dimensity 1000, the chipset is the first 5G SoC from the company. Up until now, MediaTek was playing in the mid-range and budget segments. But this might open the door for the company’s presence on the flagship segment in the future.

MediaTek Dimensity 1000 5G Chipset Overview:

With the new 5G chipset, MediaTek created another separate lineup with the “Dimensity” moniker. As MediaTek generally brings the Helio-series processor, the change in the name might’ve got you confused. But the company says, it’s basically to differentiate the 5G SoCs from the 4G Helio line-up.

“We chose the name Dimensity to highlight how our 5G solutions are driving new waves of innovation and experiences, much like the fabled fifth dimension,” – MediaTek President Joe Chen.

On the CPU side, Dimensity 1000 has employed Cortex A77 cores, which is not a surprise by the way. When ARM had revealed its new microarchitecture, MediaTek couldn’t resist. Just a few days later, the Taiwanese company announced that it would bring its own flagship chipset based on the new IP. But this time, the company has explicitly divulged the core configuration. It’s based on big.Little architecture with four performance cores and four power-efficient cores. As already mentioned, Cortex A77 is used for the performance cores, which is clocked at 2.6GHz. Similarly, four Cortex A55 cores are used for power efficiency, which is clocked at 2.0GHz clock speed.

For a fair bit of time, MediaTek used 12nm architecture. But this time, the company made a significant jump to the 7nm process. And this improvement might also help MediaTek to keep up with its competitors.

As for the GPU, there is a new Mali-G77 GPU in the MP9 configuration. This GPU setup is 19% smaller than the MP11 configuration on Samsung’s Exynos 990 chipset. But as MediaTek hasn’t yet revealed the GPU clock frequency, the GPU performance cannot be yet predicted. But as we know that Mali-G77 is a new and fairly capable GPU, it might offer good competition to the big players like Samsung, Qualcomm, and Huawei.

Even on the AI processing, the company made a big leap. The Dimensity 1000 SoC uses MediaTek’s third-gen AI Processing Unit (APU/NPU) to perform all sorts of AI-related tasks inside the device. It’s said to perform more than two times better than MediaTek’s previous APU. The APU core configuration involves two big cores, three little cores, and one “tiny” core. Apart from that, Dimensity 1000 fully supports the NNAPI features while its competitors like Qualcomm or Samsung still have incomplete support. So MediaTek will now have an upperhand in AI benchmarks.

Talking about the memory specifications, the D1000 SoC supports LPDDR4X memory, with the maximum support for up to 16GB RAM.

For better image processing, MediaTek has significantly improved the ISP on this new chipset. The chipset comes with five-cores of ISP, which happened for the first time in the tech industry. For better image processing, Dimensity 1000 makes use of MediaTek’s Imagiq+ technology. And it supports camera sensors with resolutions of up to 80MP at 24fps or a multi-camera setup with 32MP+16MP sensors.

To further improve the image processing, the chip also makes use of its APU. The APU supports advanced AI-camera enhancements for autofocus, auto exposure, auto white balance, noise reduction, HDR and facial detection. Apart from the MediaTek is also making claims that the SoC has the capability for multi-frame HDR video processing. And again, Dimensity 1000 is the first SoC in the industry to do such kind of processing. The video recording can go up to 4K resolution at 60fps, which is nothing new here. However, MediaTek made another record with the capability of recording 4K 60fps in Google’s AV1 format. Apart from AV1, the chipset supports formats like H264, HEVC, and VP9.

All the other specs sound terrific but where the Dimensity 1000 truly shines is on the connectivity front. It has an integrated 5G modem unlike the Snapdragon 855 and Exynos 990 chipsets. This brings the Dimensity 1000 in level with Kirin 990 5G, which has garnered quite a popularity for its integrated modem. Because of the integrated modem, D1000 will be more power-efficient than its competitors.

This SoC also supports sub-6GHz 5G connectivity in both SA and NSA with the download speed extending to 4600Mbps and upload speeds to 2500Mbps. However, millimeter-wave (mmWave) 5G is absent. Another impressive on the chip is its dual 5G SIM technology with additional support for services like Voice over New Radio (VoNR). Furthermore, the Dimensity 1000 integrates the latest Wi-Fi 6 (2×2 802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.1+ standards.

Vianet’s new offer: Internet & Redmi Note 8 Pro combo comes cheaper than the phone itself!

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ISP

Nikhil Shrestha

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November 26, 2019

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Vianet’s new offer: Internet & Redmi Note 8 Pro combo comes cheaper than the phone itself!

Nepalese ISPs are getting aggressive! You have ClassicTech offering a ridiculous 10-months bonus on its 50Mbps annual package which honestly sounds too good to be true. Worldlink and Vianet have been neck-and-neck with their internet and TV combos for months! And now, the latter is looking to get ahead of the competition by bundling its internet subscription with the hottest smartphones in town – the Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro.

Both these devices are the undisputed performance champs in their respective price points. Additionally, the Redmi Note 8 and the Note 8 Pro also topped our list of top smartphones under Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 30,000 respectively. That should tell you something too! Now, Vianet has cleverly managed to come up with the “Kyaaa Lovely Offer!” (cute name btw) which offers either of the aforementioned smartphones alongside its internet packages.

This offer also includes a free NETTV subscription of all channels and eSewa cashback of Rs. 250. Very interesting! Oh and if you’d rather go home with a TV, Vianet’s got you covered as well with either a Samsung 43-inch or a Skyworth 32-inch LED TV.

Also read: Xiaomi launches the Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro in Nepal

Let’s look at the 13% VAT exclusive pricing of the packages for the home-based (non-enterprise) users.

Vianet 30Mbps Internet Subscription With The Offers

Extra Value TV+		Xiaomi Phone Combos				TV Combos
Bandwidth	Duration	Redmi Note 8 (4/64GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (6/64GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (6/128GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (8/128GB)	Samsung 43-inch Smart LED TV	Skyworth 32-inch LED TV
30Mbps	3 months	Rs. 19,500	Rs. 25,800	Rs. 28,300	Rs. 30,700	Rs. 49,500	Rs. 18,790
30Mbps	6 months	Rs. 23,200	Rs. 29,500	Rs. 32,200	Rs. 34,300	Rs. 53,200	Rs. 22,490
30Mbps	12 months	Rs. 27,700	Rs. 34,000	Rs. 36,500	Rs. 38,900	Rs. 57,700	Rs. 26,990

Vianet 40Mbps Internet Subscription With The Offers

Super Value TV+		Xiaomi Phone Combos				TV Combos
Bandwidth	Duration	Redmi Note 8 (4/64GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (6/64GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (6/128GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (8/128GB)	Samsung 43-inch Smart LED TV	Skyworth 32-inch LED TV
40Mbps	3 months	Rs. 20,020	Rs. 26,320	Rs. 28,820	Rs. 31,220	Rs. 50,020	Rs. 19,310
40Mbps	6 months	Rs. 24,500	Rs. 30,800	Rs. 33,300	Rs. 35,700	Rs. 54,500	Rs. 23,790
40Mbps	12 months	Rs. 29,420	Rs. 35,720	Rs. 38,220	Rs. 40,620	Rs. 59,420	Rs. 28,710

Vianet 60Mbps Internet Subscription With The Offers

Max Value TV+		Xiaomi Phone Combos				TV Combos
Bandwidth	Duration	Redmi Note 8 (4/64GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (6/64GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (6/128GB)	Redmi Note 8 Pro (8/128GB)	Samsung 43-inch Smart LED TV	Skyworth 32-inch LED TV
60Mbps	3 months	Rs. 21,300	Rs. 27,600	Rs. 30,100	Rs. 32,500	Rs. 51,300	Rs. 20,590
60Mbps	6 months	Rs. 26,600	Rs. 32,900	Rs. 35,400	Rs. 37,800	Rs. 56,600	Rs. 25,890
60Mbps	12 months	Rs. 32,900	Rs. 39,200	Rs. 41,700	Rs. 44,100	Rs. 62,900	Rs. 32,190

Before deciding whether the offers are feasible or not, let me quickly remind you of the prices of the smartphones bundled up.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (4/64GB): Rs. 18,999
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro (6/64GB): Rs. 26,999
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro (6/128GB): Rs. 29,999
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro (8/128GB): Rs. 32,999

[socialpoll id=”2585348″]

Verdict

Now, don’t those schemes look lucrative? They surely do! If you’re in the market for a new smartphone and a new internet subscription (or renewal of an existing one) as well, you must consider what Vianet is offering here. Not to mention, you can make a profit on some of the schemes which offer the phone and the internet package at a cost lower than that of the phone itself! I don’t know what kind of deal Vianet made with Mi Nepal, but they have my respect. This is a damn good offer!

But ultimately, if you are looking to install the internet at your house or office, you should consider another additional factor. How’s the service from the ISP you’re leaning towards in your local area? In other words, if available, follow up with your neighbors who have an existing subscription from the ISP. Because in the context of Nepal, the same internet provider has an excellent service in one area while simultaneously having a regretful one in some different area.

Click here to learn more about the offer.
Also, check out our review of the Redmi Note 8 Pro:

Intel and MediaTek teaming up to make 5G chips for PCs

GadgetByte

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November 26, 2019

0

Intel and MediaTek teaming up to make 5G chips for PCs

5G is going to be the next big thing in the communication industry. Because of its impressive bandwidth and great scope in the IoT sector, major tech companies are pushing their limits to incorporate 5G features on their devices. Well, 5G connectivity has already made its way to a few smartphones. However, in PCs, it hasn’t been so mainstream. So in order to make an impression in the PC market with 5G chips, Intel recently partnered with MediaTek. With this partnership, these companies hope to make 5G-enabled chipsets for laptops.

With this collaboration, the two companies will go hand in hand for the “development, certification and support of 5G modem solutions” for next-generation PC platforms. And if all things go as planned, this partnership is expected to bring results in 2021. HP and Dell will be the first companies to take advantage of this collaboration. So we can expect that most of the cellular-connected computers in 2021 would be either from Dell or HP.

Also Read: Apple set to buy Intel’s 5G modem business for $1 billion

The 5G PC chip is based in part on MediaTek’s Helio M70 5G modem, introduced earlier this year. According to the agreement, Intel will “define” what a 5G PC should look like and based on the cues, MediaTek would develop chips as promised. After the development of the chip, Intel will make sure if it does a perfect job and then checks if it is ready for integration on the PCs. Apart from working on platform-side integrations, Intel will also work on OS host driver development. Fibocom also has an involvement in this project. Fibocom will help these companies to develop M.2 modules optimized for Intel’s platforms.

Since Intel is one of the biggest chipmakers in itself, the collaboration doesn’t look surprising at all. But what’s surprising is that why Intel considered MediaTek over the leader in the business like Qualcomm or Samsung. Whatever be the reason, Intel made a big step forward with long-term PC strategy to compete in the future of mobile PCs. As the chipmaker is quite losing grip in the industry because of AMD’s value for money processors, it might take the company to new heights.

MatePad Pro launched by Huawei: The first tablet with a punch-hole display

GadgetByte

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November 25, 2019

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MatePad Pro launched by Huawei: The first tablet with a punch-hole display

In a segment where two tech giants are already competing for the top spot, a new entrant will always face an uphill task. Yes, I’m talking about the smart tablets. With some serious specs packed into them, the likes of iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 are currently leading the market. And it is no joke to even think about competing with them.

However, Huawei is up to the challenge. And to do so it has launched the MatePad Pro. Obviously this device still does not have the Google Mobile Services suit. But other than that, the specs that it packs, certainly make the MatePad Pro a force to reckon with.

The Huawei MatePad Pro offers a 10.8-inch AMOLED panel. It has a screen resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:10. Super-thin bezels of 4.9mm surround the screen and thus give the device a 90% screen to body ratio.

Another notable point about the screen is that it has a punch-hole display. Yup! You read that correctly. The punch-hole phenomena has finally made its way to the tablets. Up until now, such displays were limited to smartphones only. However, with the MatePad Pro, you now get that on tablets too. The punch-hole in this device houses an 8MP selfie shooter.

Though one might not use it most often, the MatePad Pro also provides a back camera. And it is a solid 13MP lens.

Similar to the likes of the iPad, the Huawei MatePad Pro can also be used as a laptop by connecting it with a keyboard. Its laptop mode provides an accustomed PC interface to users. Users also get an M-Pen stylus in order to interact with the device.

Moving on to the software side of things, it runs on Android 10 with EMUI 10 on top. And as mentioned above, it does not have the Google Mobile Services suite. Moreover, with the multi-screen collaboration mode on this one, users can, in fact, emulate their Huawei phone on its screen.

Under the hood, the MatePad Pro is powered by Kirin 990 chipset. Customers will have the option to choose either a 6GB RAM variant or an 8GB variant. Similarly, for storage too people can opt for either 128GB or 256GB.

With the battery too, this device makes a strong appeal to the customers. It has a 7250mAh battery that supports 40W Huawei SuperCharge. Furthermore, it also supports 15W wireless charging and 7.5W reverse wireless charging.

Pricing and Availability

Talking about the availability of this device, currently, it’s only been launched in China. People can get either a Wi-Fi only or the LTE version. The price for the base Wi-Fi trim variant (6/128GB) is $470.

The prices for the LTE versions are much higher. You can get the base version for $540 whereas the top-end one will cost $640. The official sale of the device will start on December 12. However, they are already available for pre-order. And at this point, Huawei is mum about whether the device will be available internationally or not. Still, it did mention that a 5G version of MatePad Pro will roll out soon.

Colors Mobiles Price in Nepal

GadgetByte

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November 25, 2019

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There are only a handful of Nepali smartphone companies. Although these manufacturers manufacture their devices in other countries, their sales have been faring well. One of those companies that have been doing ever so well is Colors. Launched in 2009 by Teletalk, Colors is the first smartphone company to sell over 100,000 units here in Nepal. These days, the company specializes in budget smartphones, and budget smartphones only. So, what are the officially available Colors mobiles in Nepal? Let’s find out.

Colors Pride P20

The Colors Pride P20 is an upgrade over the Pride P5+ Champ smartphone. It has a taller 4.0-inch WVGA display, and a 1,400 mAh battery. Other than these specifications, both smartphones are basically the same. The Colors Pride P20 carries a price tag of Rs. 4,345.

Display: 4.0-inch WVGA display (400 x 800 pixels)
CPU: 1.3 GHz Quad-core Spreadtrum SC7731C
OS: Android v6.0 Marshmallow
RAM: 512 MB
GPU: Mali400
Storage: 4 GB, expandable up to 32 GB
Rear Camera: 3.2 MP with LED flash
Front Camera: 0.3 MP
SIM: Dual SIM (2G + 3G)
Battery: 1400 mAh
Price: Rs. 4,345

Colors Pride 1A

Colors Pride 1A is the latest handset in Colors Smartphones’ lineup. And this handset is by far the most affordable smartphone in Nepal to come with a dual-camera setup at the back. The dual-camera setup on this device comprises of a 5MP primary shooter backed by a VGA sensor for depth sensing. On the front, the handset boasts a 2MP selfie shooter which comes with an LED flash alongside.

The smartphone was brought by Colors to lure the domestic customers into an entry-level smartphone rather than on a bar phone. And for that, Colors has included a decent 5-inch display. Since the display on the handset comes with an 18:9 aspect ratio, the screen here looks trendy by today’s standard. There is also an appreciable 2200mAh battery to keep the device running.

Display: 4.95-inch FWVGA+ display with 2.5D Panda Glass
CPU: 1.3 GHz Quad-Core CPU
OS: Android Oreo (v8.1); Android Go edition
RAM: 512MB
Internal Storage: 8GB; Expandable up to 64GB
Rear Camera: Dual Camera: 5MP + VGA, LED flash
Front Camera: 2MP, LED Flash
Connectivity: Dual SIM (2G + 3G), Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/A-GPS
Battery: 2,200mAh removable battery
Price: 5,585

Colors Pride 1E

Budget-oriented buyers always eye for cheap phones. And they usually end up getting feature phones, which lack all the modern features. To lure such customers towards entry-level smartphones, Colors brought the Pride 1E.

The handset packs modest specs for the price. It’s got a 5.45-inch display with HD+ resolution. The display comes in 18:9 aspect ratio, which gives some modern looks to the device. Powering the device is a Quad-core processor aided with 1GB of RAM. Although the hardware doesn’t sound as powerful, with Android GO Edition on the board, you can expect a decent fluency while performing day-to-day tasks.

As for the cameras, Colors Pride 1E has a 5MP camera on the back. Similarly, on the front, there is a 2MP shooter to handle the selfies. The phone is fueled by a 2500mAh battery and boasts 8GB of onboard memory.

Display: 5.45-inch IPS LCD display; HD+ (720 x 1440 pixels) resolution @ 18:9 aspect ratio
Processor: 1.3GHz Quad-core processor
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB; expandable with Micro SD Card
Rear Camera: 5MP rear camera with LED flash
Front Camera: 2MP front camera with LED flash
Software: Android Oreo (v8.1); Android Go edition
SIM: Dual-SIM (4G + 3G)
Battery: 2500mAh battery
Price: Rs. 6,999 (Free Safety Case included)

Colors Pride 1X

The Pride 1X is the recent addition in Colors smartphones’ lineup. The handset comes with a decent-sized 5.45-inch display in an 18:9 aspect ratio. The phone lacks any kind of notches on its display. You get some bezels on the forehead and the chin. The top bezel also houses a 5MP camera, an LED flash, and the other necessary sensors. On the back, Colors has included an 8MP camera module.

On the performance side, the handset gets a Quad-Core processor from MediaTek. To complement the performance, Colors has also included 2GB of RAM. As for the storage, you get 16GB of onboard memory, which can be expanded further via Micro SD Card. Talking about the battery, a 3000mAh unit fuels the device.

Display: 5.45″ IPS LCD display with HD resolution @18:9 aspect ratio
Processor: 1.3 GHz MTK Quad-core processor
RAM: 2 GB
Storage: 16 GB, expandable via microSD
Software: Android 9.0 Pie
SIM: Dual SIM (4G + 4G)
Rear camera: 8 MP with LED Flash
Front Camera: 5 MP with LED Flash
Battery: 3000 mAh
Price: Rs. 8,495

Colors Pride 5X

The Colors Pride 5X is the first smartphone in Colors’ smartphone lineup to feature a dual-camera setup at the back. The camera pair on the back comprises of the 8MP main shooter backed by a 0.3MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 5MP selfie shooter accompanied by an LED flash.

The selfie camera on the device also doubles as an authentication tool while unlocking the device via the Face unlock feature. There is also a fingerprint sensor, which serves as an added layer of security.

On the display front, there is a 5.45-inch HD+ panel shielded with Dragontrail glass to withstand the cracks and scratches during the falls. A 3000mAh removable battery keeps the device running. And since the resolution of the handset is merely HD+, the battery provides a decent backup.

Display: 5.45-inch HD+ Full View display with Dragontrail glass protection
CPU: 1.3 GHz Quad-Core MediaTek MT6737
OS: Android Oreo (v8.1)
RAM: 2 GB
GPU: Mali-T720 MP1
Storage: 16 GB, expandable up to 128 GB
Rear Camera: 8MP + 0.3MP, LED flash
Front Camera: 5MP, LED Flash
Rear Mounted Fingerprint Sensor; Face Unlock Feature
SIM: Dual SIM (3G + 4G); Micro SIM
Battery: 3,000mAh removable battery
Price: Rs. 9,999

Colors Authorized distributor of its products

Teletalk Pvt. Ltd.
Address: 2nd Floor, Lucky Tower, Tripureshwor, Kathmandu
Tel: 01-4254546
Email: [email protected]

Authorized Showroom:

Colors World, UWTC, Tripureshwor

Colors Regional Service Centre List in Nepal

LOCATION	CONTACT NO.
NARAYANGHAT	056-572375
POKHARA	061-537633
ITAHARI	025-587104
BIRJUNG	051-521728
BANEPA	9802051134

Colors Area Service Centre List in Nepal

ASC NAME	LOCATION	CONTACT NO.
A TO Z MARMAT	GHAIGHAT	9801517703
KALANKI MOBILE	KALANKI	9841213744
BHERI MOBILE	NEPAL JUNG	9804545985
GANESH PCO	TRISULI	9803005200/010-561100
NEW PARTNERS SOLUTION	HETAUDA	9845400110
ILAM CABLE	ILAM	9804980268
KAYASTA MOBILE	DUMRE	065580054/9845317582
M ELECTRONICS	BHAKTAPUR	9803548239/9841332995
MANAKAMANA MOBILE	RAMMECHHAP	048-540542/9860577777
UNIVERSAL MOBILE CARE	DAMAK	9814957357/9842764954
MOBILE HOSPITAL	BUTWAL	9802280016/9857026469
NEW BULBULE COMMUNICATION	SURKHET	9803582062/9848066304
BHANJA MOBILE	DHARAN	9802060355
NEW NAMASTE ELECTRONIC	CHANDRAPUR	9811122666/9845059510
NEW SHYAM WATCH	CHARIKOT	9817840010/049-421299/9844175829
PARIMAL MULTI PRAPOSE CO	PATAN	9851015210
RIJALCO SUPPLIERS	CHAHABIL	9849707713/01-4497777
RUNDEV MOBILE	LAHAN	9803923346
S.R. MOBILE	DANG	9809835685/9847810195
SHAKTI DEVI ENTERPRIZES	DHADING	9841564465/10520950
STYLISH MOBILE	JANAKPUR	9814874555/041-520120/9844021120
SAKIRA MOBILE	LALBANDI	9800822461/9860442671
SAMEER MOBILE	BALAJU	9802963711/9841413279
TAPASYA MOBILE	BARDIBAS	9819683230
HITECH MOBILE	DHANKUTTA	9816395639/9852050700
BHAGAT MOBILE	BIRATNAGAR	9804343043
SUMAN MOBILE	MIRCHAYA	9801540436
ARJUN MOBILE AND ELECTRIC CENTER	MALANGWA	9844061955/9800886620
S.S. TECHNICAL	SINDHULI	9844027061
NEW MAHA LAXMI MOBILE CARE	GAUR	9845058860
B.R. MOBILE CENTER	BIRTAMODE	9807900620
SABA MOBILE	NEPAL JUNG	9858042333
ADARSHA MOBILE	DHANGADI	980176206

Colors Mobiles Price in Nepal

Model	Price (MRP)
Colors Pride P20	Rs. 4,345
Colors Pride 1A	Rs. 5,585
Colors Pride 1E	Rs. 6,999
Colors Pride 1X	Rs. 8,495
Colors Price 5X	Rs. 9,999

Vivo U20 is the Redmi Note 8 & Realme 5 Killer, but it wont launch in Nepal

Vivo

GadgetByte

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November 24, 2019

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Vivo U20 is the Redmi Note 8 & Realme 5 Killer, but it wont launch in Nepal

Another day another smartphone. The rate at which smartphones these days are being launched is just mindboggling. However, at the end of the day, smartphone companies are there to make a profit. And if their competitor has brought something new, they might as well follow the suit.

Anyway, let’s get back to the topic. So, the smartphone that was launched recently in the Indian market is the Vivo U20. It basically is a rebranded version of VIVO U3 that we saw a while back in China.

The Vivo U20 offers a 6.53-inch Full HD+ display and has a waterdrop notch upfront. The notch houses a 16MP selfie shooter. On the rear, you get a triple camera array. Its primary sensor is a 16MP lens. An 8MP “super-wide” lens and a 2MP macro lens complete the rear camera setup.

Under the hood, this device features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 chipset. The RAM option you get is of either 4GB or 6GB. They both come with a 64GB storage onboard. However, users do have an option to expand the storage. There’s a dedicated microSD slot. It allows storage expansion up to 256GB.

As for the software side of the things, the U20 runs on Android Pie with Funtouch OS 9.2 on top. Furthermore, the device comes with a Widevine L1 certification. That means users can stream their favorite online content in HD.

The phone is powered by a huge 5000mAh battery. Moreover, it also supports 18W Dual-Engine Fast Charging support. So, battery-wise, users probably shouldn’t face any problem with this device.

Vivo U20 Specifications:

Display: 6.53″ IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels)
Rear Camera: Triple, 16 MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture & PDAF + 8 MP super-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture + 2MP macro camera with f/2.4
Front Camera: 16MP with f/2.0 aperture
Processor: Octa-core 11 nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 675
GPU: Adreno 612
RAM: 4 GB, 6GB
Storage: 64GB onboard, expandable up to 256GB
Battery: 5000 mAh, 18W Fast Charging
Sensors: Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Vivo U20 Price and Availability

The phone will be available for sale from November 28 via Vivo’s official site in India. As for the prices, the base variant with 4GB RAM will cost INR 10,990 ($155) and the 6GB one will cost INR 11,990($169).

Since the VIVO U and Z-series are exclusive to India and are manufactured in India, Vivo has no plans for it to launch elsewhere. Furthermore, these are VIVO online series where VIVO makes a very minimum profit through partnering with an e-commerce platform. And since VIVO Nepal only sells through offline retails and has a huge retail chain, going online for VIVO in Nepal is a risk too.

So, like the Vivo Z1, Z1X, and Vivo U20, VIVO Nepal will not launch the U20 here in Nepal. However, you should be available to get it through grey channels. The price of Vivo U20 in Nepal for 4+64GB would be around Rs. 21,000. To find the shops selling the U20 in Nepal, you can head over to hamrobazaar.com.

Mi Band 3i launched with AMOLED display, 20 days battery life at just INR 1,299!

GadgetByte

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November 22, 2019

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Mi Band 3i launched with AMOLED display, 20 days battery life at just INR 1,299!

After a lot of teasing, today we finally got to see what Xiaomi had up its sleeve. Basically, over the past few weeks, multiple rumors about a fitness product from Xiaomi were making rounds. And surprise surprise, the fitness device, that was launched today in India, is none other than the Mi Band 3i.

From what I can make out, the Mi Band 3i is simply a bit toned-down version of the Mi Band 3. It just lacks the heart rate tracker to be specific. Other than that, the device is pretty much the same.

You still get a 0.78-inch AMOLED B&W display. The offered resolution of the screen is 128 x 80 pixels. Right below the screen, there’s a capacitive button. It allows the users an alternative way to navigate the UI. And as there is no heart rate tracker on this on, the rear of the device only has pogo pins for charging.

App wise, you get features such as sleep tracking, calorie tracker, idle alert, phone locking and unlocking, app notification, and many more. The device comes with Bluetooth 4.2. Thus, it can easily connect to your device and show you various notifications.

The device is powered by a 110mAh battery. It will take around two and a half hours to fully charge the device. And once fully-charged, the claim is that the fitness band should give you a solid 20 days of usage.

Xiaomi Miband 3i Price, Availability

This feature-packed fitness tracker is priced at an insane INR. 1,299. It is available for purchase in India on Mi.com. However, users still have the option to buy Mi Band 3 via the same website at INR. 1,799. Now, it’s up to the users to decide whether they think that a heart rate tracker is an absolute necessity for them or not.

Having said that, the previous experiences with Mi Band and the price at which the 3i is available, this new fitness band will probably give you proper value for money.

For those wanting to buy Miband 3i in Nepal, you should be able to get in from grey stores in 2-3 weeks’ time for around NRs. 2000-NRs. 2500.

Say hello to ColorOS 7! OPPO has finally revealed the latest version of its Android skin

Nikhil Shrestha

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November 21, 2019

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Say hello to ColorOS 7! OPPO has finally revealed the latest version of its Android skin

Do you like stock Android? Well, I do! But some don’t and that’s fine as well. Different smartphone manufacturers have their own little (or in some cases pretty darn heavy) tweak to the Android OS UI. OPPO, a Chinese manufacturer has its own Android skin which it calls “ColorOS“. At an event held in Beijing, China, the company unveiled ColorOS 7 (based on Android 10) alongside details about which phones will be getting it and when.

ColorOS 7 Features

OPPO is emphasizing on eased viewing experience with the ColorOS 7. With the new rounded icon design and lighter color shades, the UI feels a little more homely, if that makes sense. This may seem like a minute thing, but evidently, it has been where the industry is headed. Google also rebranded the “Android” logo with a little more curved design. Additionally, you can now also customize the app icons, size, and font.

Also making its entry is the much-demanded “System-Wide Dark Mode“. This will surely help in reducing eye-strain while simultaneously improving the battery life as well. Wallpapers are getting an overhaul too with new “Art+ Wallpapers“, which reacts and animates based on user touches.

Furthermore, OPPO has partnered up with the Danish company “Episound” to redesign the sound effects in its devices, for a natural aural experience. This is similar to what we saw in Xiaomi’s MIUI 11.

“Camera” has always been one of the highlight features of any OPPO phone. With ColorOS 7, the company is adding features like “Video Blur“, “Portrait Mode 2.0“, “Night View“, “Super Stabilization“, “Beauty 2.0“, all on an improved camera app UI. Moreover, the company is also embedding the “Soloop Video Editing app” with ColorOS 7.

On the performance end, the company says ColorOS 7 can provide up to 25% faster app startup while the RAM utilization has been improved by a massive 40%. Moving to games, it will also deliver better touch response and game frame rates with “Hyperboost” technology.

The company’s in-house virtual assistant “Breeno” also sees improvement. You can now interact with Breeno hands-free, use “driving mode”, and also schedule tasks. On a different note, the company also claims up to a 10% increase in battery life and the new “Smart Sleep” feature optimizes standby usage and reduces power usage by 35%.

ColorOS 7 Release | When will my Phone get Color OS 7?

The forthcoming Reno3 will be the first OPPO smartphone to ship with ColorOS 7. More devices scheduled for the release are as follows:

OPPO Phones

Phase 1 (Nov 25, 2019) – Reno, Reno 10x Zoom, Reno Ace
Phase 2 (Dec 2019) – Reno 2
Phase 3 (Q1 2020) – Reno 2 Z, Reno Z, Find X, R17, R17 Pro, K5
Phase 4 (Q2 2020) – R15, K3, A9, A9x, A11, A9 (2020)

Realme Phones

Phase 1 (Feb 2020) – X, 3 Pro
Phase 2 (Mar 2020) – Q, 5 Pro
Phase 3 (Apr 2020) – X2, X2 Pro

[Source: GSMArena]