Vivo V17 Pro is the successor of the Vivo V15 Pro which was one of the highest-selling smartphones in the mid-range price segment in South Asian markets including Nepal. Vivo aims to repeat similar success with the Vivo V17 Pro. The highlight of the phone is its dual selfie camera with a pop-up mechanism. Let’s find out more about the Vivo V17 Pro along with its price and availability in Nepal.
Vivo V17 Pro Overview
Display
The Vivo V17 Pro has a 6.44-inch FullHD+ display with a 20:9 aspect ratio. The Super AMOLED display covers 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. Also, it is also protected by Schott Xensation UP glass. On the back, there’s a Gorilla Glass 6 protection too.
The front is nearly bezel-less and Vivo calls it Ultra FullView Display. There’s a pop-up selfie camera which is twice as wide as other popup cameras. It houses a dual camera of 32MP primary and 8MP ultra-wide. The front camera is also covered by sapphire glass. There’s an in-display fingerprint sensor, which is fast and accurate like the Vivo V15.
Cameras
The back houses quad-camera setup. The first sensor is a 48MP Sony IMX582 lens, the same lens seen on the Redmi K20. The second lens is an 8MP 120° ultra-wide sensor which can also do 2.5cm Super Macro shots. The third lens is a 13MP 2X telephoto zoom lens, and the fourth one is a 2MP depth sensor.
Performance & Battery
Powering the Vivo V17 Pro is an underwhelming Snapdragon 675 SoC which is the same one found in the V15 Pro, so no performance leap. This is one area where Vivo could improve on, maybe include a Snapdragon 730 or Helio G90T. For instance, you can get Snapdragon 855 powered Redmi K20 Pro at a similar price range. In terms of memory, there’s 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Running the show is the Funtouch OS 9.1 based on Android 9.0 Pie.
There’s 4100mAh battery and Vivo has finally included a Type-C port with 18W fast charging. It is available in two color options: Midnight Ocean and Glacier Ice colors.
Back Cameras:
– 48MP primary camera with f/1.78 aperture, Sony IMX582 sensor, 0.8μm pixel size, 6P lens, Dual LED flash
– 8MP 120° ultra-wide sensor with f/2.2 aperture with 2.5cm Super Macro
– 13MP Telephoto lens for 2X optical zoom, 10X digital zoom, f/2.5 aperture
– 2MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture
Front Cameras:
– 32MP wide-angle front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture, LED flash
– 8MP 105° ultra-wide sensor with f/2.2 aperture
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor
Dimensions: 74.7x159x9.8mm
Weight:201.8gms
Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac dual-band, Bluetooth 5, GPS/GLONASS, USB Type-C port, 3.5 mm audio jack, FM Radio
Battery: 4100mAh with 18W Dual-Engine Fast charging
Vivo V17 Pro was launched in Nepal for a price of Rs. 52,490 for 8/128GB variant. However, the new discounted Vivo V17 Pro price in Nepal is Rs. 49,990. You can redeem the offer through various online retailers in Nepal.
Well well, it’s now official! Redmi has formally announced that they have come up with an agreement with AMD. This agreement facilitates the launch of Redmi’s firs AMD powered laptop. Labeled as the RedmiBook Ryzen edition, the laptop will launch on the 21st of October in China.
This agreement actually marks a big achievement for AMD. Previously, we had seen an AMD powered laptop in Microsoft’s upgraded Surface lineup. And now that it has also secured a deal with Redmi, I’m certain AMD will cause a lot of headaches for Intel in the coming days. Usually seen as an underdog, the chip manufacturer has now made its way into the big league. And with the already existing fabrication advantage over its competitors, hopefully, AMD will not disappoint us.
Now coming back to the RedmiBook Ryzen, the official sources have revealed further details about the device on Weibo. The base variant of sorts will have the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U chipset whereas in the top-end model we will get to see the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U chipset.
Ryzen 5 3500U and Ryzen 7 3700Y overview
Talking about the Ryzen 5 3500U, we can probably say that it is one the best budget solution for gaming laptops. That’s because it comes with Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics. Furthermore, it packs in four cores with the maximum clock speed being 3.7GHz. Moreover, it shows no issue while running multiple apps simultaneously.
Moving on to the Ryzen 7 3700U, the processor has four Zen+ cores with 8 threads clocked at 2.3 – 4GHz. Radeon RX Vega 10 graphics clocked at up to 1400MHz come integrated with the processor. So basically speaking, it is a processor designed to deliver top performance for mid-range laptops.
So far the best processor made available by AMD, these chipsets are all manufactured using the 12nm process. With its inclusion in the RedmiBook Ryzen edition, Xiaomi aims to bring balance back to the laptop market. People these days have to pay a ridiculous amount for laptops whose performance does not justify their price. And there’s where Xiaomi aims to strike and try to balance price to performance ratio in laptops.
That’s that right now about the RedmiBook Ryzen edition. Even though we got to hear about the processors on them, no further details about the devices’ specifications have yet been made public. Rumor is that the specifications will not be that different than the recently launched RedmiBook 14. However, as there are still some days left before the launch, we’ll certainly bump upon further details about the device.
Google wrapped up the “Made by Google ’19” event yesterday in New York City. This annual event is where the company showcases its latest hardware ranging from phones, Chromebooks to other household devices. Unarguably, this year’s main highlight was the new Pixel 4 & Pixel 4XL. With Google itself kicking off the leak train, there was little left to imagination since every key prospect of the device had already made its way on to the internet before the official launch.
Google Pixel 4 & 4XL
An expensively helpful phone.
For the past 4 years, Google has embodied the tradition of bringing out smartphones of its own design and build to the consumers. The original Pixel phone saw moderate success in the company’s home market and other regions. However, every iteration of the phone has shared the same success story. A major contributing factor to this could be the imbalance among the overall build of the device. Pixel 1 had a solid build but a dated design, the Pixel 2 on the other hand, had display issues and last year’s Pixel 3 XL had a hideously large top bezel. While the new Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL come with some of the most amazing features you could find on a phone, it still follows suit to the maladies of the past.
In a time where the entire industry is pushing towards a full-screen display and fancy curvatures, Google isn’t kowtowing to the design trends of the present. Both phones from the company have a flat OLED panel with a noticeable bezel on the top and bottom. Personally, I’m not a fan of bezel-less and curved displays since they’re more prone to damages from slightest drops and also comparatively exacting to operate. Looking at a bigger picture, replacing the screen is expensive while also contributing to electronic pollution. So I praise Google for going with the old-school design with the Pixel 4 & 4XL. Kudos!
The smaller Pixel 4 has a 5.7-inch FHD+ flexible OLED panel while the Pixel 4XL has a larger 6.3-inch QHD+ flexible OLED panel. Apart from this, both devices share the same display properties; a 19:9 aspect ratio, Smooth Display with up to 90Hz refresh rate, HDR support to name a few.
Talking about the similarities, the new phones from Google run on the quasi-neo, yet still a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset and Adreno 640 GPU. This is complemented by 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM. Pixel phones have never been known for a blazing fast performance to the likes of the OnePlus devices and the story continues with the new Pixel 4. It has an older-generation UFS 2.1 storage technology on a disenchanting 64/128GB option. Insult to injury, you now don’t get to back up all of your photos in original quality for free on Google Photos like last year’s Pixel 3. However, you do get the Google One subscription free for 3 months.
Moving on, while other OEMs came up with dual, triple, and quad-camera setups, Pixel phones still hogged the title for the best smartphone camera with its single camera. With the help of machine learning and computational photography, Pixel phones delivered the best photos, especially Selfie Portraits and Night Sight. The Pixel 4 & 4XL hope to take things to new heights with the dual-rear camera; a first on a Pixel phone.
Both phones have a 12.2MP Dual Pixel PDAF f/1.7 sensor and a 16MPf/2.4 telephoto lens with OIS and EIS on the back. Prof. Marc Levoy from Google Research took the time to specifically point out why the company prioritizes telephoto to wide-angle shots. On the front, there’s a single 8MP f/2.0 sensor with a 90° field-of-view. The most standout camera features of the Pixel 4 are as follows:
Live HDR+ with dual exposure controls
Learning-based white balancing
Wider-range portrait mode
Night Sight with astrophotography
On a related note, there’s not much to get excited about the videography capabilities of the Pixel 4. The rear camera can shoot 4K videos at 30fps and slo-mo 240fps videos at 720p. The front camera, on the other hand, is capable of 1080p videos at 30fps.
Now to the exciting part. Google finally managed to strap in a radar sensor on to a Pixel phone, which is also an industry-first. We finally get to see Project Soli embedded into a phone. The Soli Radar Chip facilitates Motion Sense which can detect the user’s proximity around the phone and behave accordingly. For instance, reaching your hands towards Pixel 4 after an alarm goes off will trigger it to reduce the volume. There are other use-cases of this technology as well like skipping music, managing calls, etc with a wave of your hand.
On the topic of sensors, Pixel 4 also features an array of them specifically for face-unlock. There are two face-unlock IR cameras, a Dot Projector and a Flood Illuminator. After setting up, Pixel 4 unlocks in a blink of an eye. The aforementioned Motion Sense using the Soli Radar chip knows when you’re near the phone, unlocking the device post-haste amidst picking it up. All your face unlock data is locally stored and secured by the Titan M security chip. Face unlock replaces the physical fingerprint sensor or an in-display one on Pixel 4, which can be also used to make payments and sign in to different apps.
Google Assistant is now faster than ever with an on-device version of language model (English) embedded into the Pixel 4. The hybrid model of the assistant can fulfill on-device requests locally while requiring an internet connection for other requests.
There’s now an Audio Recorder app made by Google, which can record and transcribe the audio in real-time. Additionally, the saved recording can be searched using metrics like file name, or word(s) recorded. Like the Google Assistant, the Recorder app transcribes audio locally too. Furthermore, the 3.5mm headphone jack is still absent.
You’d think Google would pack a bigger battery to power all those sensors and the 90Hz display. But nope, there’s a measly 2800 mAh battery on the Pixel 4 and a slightly bigger 3700 mAh one on the bigger Pixel 4XL. What was Google thinking, we may never know. Both phones support Qi-wireless charging and 18W fast charging, which is not that great either considering there are phones with 45W, 50W and even 65W charging in the market. Battery life is going to be a major headache for the Pixel 4 users for sure.
Pixel 4 runs on the latest Android 10 OS. When it comes to software updates and security patches, Pixel phones have always been the first to get them. Google’s Project Mainline can now deliver the monthly security patches through the Play Store without requiring a hard reboot of the device. It will receive a minimum of 3 years of OS and security updates.
Let’s take a deeper look at the specifications of the Pixel 4 & Pixel 4XL.
Google Pixel 4 and 4XL Specifications
Specifications
Pixel 4
Pixel 4XL
Body
5.7 x 2.7 x 0.3-inches; 162gm
6.3 x 2.9 x 0.3-inches; 193gm
Display
5.7-inch flexible OLED panel; 90Hz Smooth Display
6.3-inch flexible OLED panel; 90Hz Smooth Display
Resolution
Full-HD+ (2280 x 1080); 19:9 aspect ratio
Quad-HD+ (3040 x 1440); 19:9 aspect ratio
Battery
2800 mAh with 18W Quick Charge 2.0; Qi Wireless Charging
3700 mAh with 18W Quick Charge 2.0; Qi Wireless Charging
Just Black, Clearly White, Oh So Orange (Limited Edition)
Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL Pricing & Availability
Google will not be releasing the Pixel 4 & 4XL in India which is a major surprise. Since the Soli Radar Chip operates on the 60GHz spectrum which is prohibited for public use in the country, Google failed to license it with the Indian government. There may be other factors at work too since Pixel 4 & 4 XL is launching in Japan without Motion Sense there. The phones are up for pre-order now while shipping starts from October 24.
Pixel 4: $799 (64GB) / $899 (128GB)
Pixel 4XL: $899 (64GB) / $999 (128GB)
The Public Opinion
People are divided over the latest Pixel phones. Some argue Google could’ve done a better job by pricing it a little lower, using a newer chipset and adding a wide-angle lens, while some think it’s good as is.
It’s important to remember that selling smartphones is not Google’s primary business, nor is it the company’s main source of revenue. Google is a software company and has repeatedly proven how good phones can get when complemented by excellent software.
Google isn’t looking to sell millions of units of the Pixel phones to the likes of Samsung Galaxy S10, nor does it hope to clear the stock minutes after being up for pre-order. It isn’t deliberately trying to lose money either, don’t get me wrong. Pixel phones represent how beautiful, stable, helpful, and productive Android can be while also setting the benchmark for smartphone photography.
Now there’s a swarm of people complaining about the availability and pricing of the phone. One of the main standout features of the phone isn’t compatible in many regions of the world and hence will not be available for purchase. Also, the pricing is fairly on the expensive end when looking at the specs.
For almost half the cost of a Pixel 4XL, you can buy the latest Realme X2 Pro which has an upgraded chipset, a quad-camera setup, and a near bezel-less display. Google knows its production capability, it knows it can’t compete with OEMs like Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, etc. to make its flagship Pixel phone cheaper. Simply, Google isn’t that big of a smartphone manufacturer and you know what, it’s okay. And as I mentioned earlier, it’s not aggressively pushing to become one either.
When purchasing the Pixel 4, you won’t just buy a smartphone, you’d also be directly supporting a cleaner cause. Impressively, Google’s operations have been carbon neutral since 2007 and all of its energy consumption since the past two years have been fulfilled by renewable energy sources. Also, the company uses recycled materials for manufacturing several parts of its devices. I’m a sucker for environmental protection, sue me! Now does that absolutely justify the cost of Pixel phones? Maybe, maybe not! That’s a subjective opinion. For me, I think it’s reasonably priced considering all the factors involved though I’d like to voice my small protest regarding the storage and battery capacity.
But hey, don’t you think it’d be even better for Pixel phones to be easily accessible to the masses at a cost they can afford?
Of course! And for this to come true, I hope Google eventually launches budget-friendly Pixel 4a and 4aXL with the sensors and whatnots compatible everywhere in the world for people looking for the cleanest Android experience and an excellent camera on a budget.
Oppo Reno 2F is among the few devices under the R-series which the company has actually launched here in Nepal. It comes with a gorgeous design and it ticks almost every other boxes. So should you spend your money on the Oppo Reno 2F or are there other options in the Nepalese market that offer greater value for money? Let’s find out.
OPPO Reno 2F Overview
Design and Display
Oppo Reno 2F is part of the Oppo’s Reno series. Unlike the F-series and A-series, the Reno series offer more premium options in terms of design, camera capabilities, and processor and it is the case with Oppo Reno 2F.
Oppo Reno 2F comes with a 6.3-inch Full-HD design. As with other premium devices, the display here is an AMOLED panel and it packs in an FHD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. The Gorilla Glass 5 layer on top of the device not only protects the device from accidental damage, but it also complements the gradient finish on the rear panel of the device.For the cleaner look, the device doesn’t come with big bezels and any notches. There’s a motorized pop-up selfie camera. An optical fingerprint sensor is placed under the display.
Performance and Memory
Under the hood, you get an Helio P70 chipset, which is a mid-range chipset from MediaTek. The P70 is a fairly decent chipset used on phones like Vivo V15 and Oppo F11 Pro, however, P70 was announced like a year ago, so maybe Oppo could have used a newer Helio G90T chipset which has proven to be a stellar gaming performer as seen on our Redmi Note 8 Pro review.
In terms of memory, you get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage with microSD card support. There’s also a sizeable 4000mAh battery with 20W VOOC 3.0 fast charging. Oppo F15 with similar battery capabilities last almost a day under heavy uses and takes around an hour to recharge completely. We hope it’s the same with the Reno 2F.
Camera
As the trend with midrange phone goes, the OPPO Reno 2F also features a quad camera on the back. There’s a 48MP f/1.7 primary camera, an 8MP wide-angle camera, a 2MP mono lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. There’s a 16MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture. The camera setup on this one looks strikingly similar to in the recently launched Oppo F15 and with our time with the device we are yet to be impressed by camera capabilities of the OPPO F15.
OPPO Reno 2F Full Specifications:
Display: 6.53-inch (2340 × 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:5:9 aspect ratio AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection
Storage: 128GB, expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD
OS: Android 9.0 (Pie) with ColorOS 6.1
SIM: Dual SIM
Primary Camera:
– 48MP rear camera with LED flash, Samsung ISOCELL GM1 sensor, 0.8um pixel size, f/1.7 aperture, PDAF, CAF
– 8MP 119° Ultra-Wide sensor with f/2.2 aperture
– 2MP Mono Lens
– 2MP depth sensor
Front Camera: 16MP with f/2.0 aperture
Fingerprint scanner: In-display
Dimensions: 162 x 76 x 9mm
Weight:195g
Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5, GPS/GLONASS, USB Type-C, 3.5 mm audio jack, Dolby Atmos
Battery: 4000mAh battery with VOOC 3.0 fast charging
OPPO Reno 2F Price in Nepal and Availability
The price of Oppo Reno 2F in Nepal is Rs 46,990 for the 8/128GB variant. You can get the device from Oppo’s official showroom at Newroad and other retail shops. Oppo Reno 2F is also available through online marketplaces such as Daraz and Smartdoko.
Model Name
Price in Nepal
Oppo Reno 2F (8/128GB)
Rs 46,990
Oppo Reno 2F (8/128GB)
Rs 45,990
Oppo Reno 2F is a stunning mid-ranger which seems to tick all the boxes. But you are into gaming or prefer performance, you won’t go wrong with Redmi K20 Pro. If you are tight on budget, Realme X2 is greater value for your money.
The Redmi Note 7 Pro was already an amazing phone. It was priced reasonably well as compared to India. On top of that, MI Nepal introduced the “Free Screen Replacement” service before the start of the festive season. But MI Nepal hasn’t given up on its generosity just yet. To make the device even more compelling, the company dropped the price of its highest-selling mid-ranger.
Redmi Note 7 Pro Overview:
The most exciting part about the Redmi Note 7 Pro is its camera. The phone comes with the 48MP main camera, which was one of the very first devices to feature such a high megapixel sensor, even though it makes use of pixel binning. The main camera here uses Sony IMX586 sensor, which is the same sensor used on the premium OnePlus 7 Pro. There is also a 5MP depth sensor for portrait images.
Even in terms of design, the handset looks quite pleasing. The phone also features a premium glass back with a Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top. The Gorilla Glass 5 protection extends to the front as well. The 6.3-inch LTPS display on the device is also encapsulated with that toughened glass to keep the display quite safe from accidental drops and scratches. The display on the device also features a tiny notch on the top.
When it comes to performance, there is a Snapdragon 675 chipset. It’s the same chipset used on more expensive devices like Samsung Galaxy A70 and Vivo V15 Pro. In terms of memory, the phone comes in 4/64GB, 6GB/64GB, and 6/128GB formats.
Software-wise, Redmi Note 7 Pro boots on Android Pie out of the box with MIUI 10 on top. The device is also eligible for the Android Q update, which Xiaomi will release in Q1 of 2020. And it’s also slated to receive the much-hyped MIUI 11. The handset also packs a generous 4000mAh battery promising prolonged endurance. It supports 18W quick charging, but Xiaomi only includes a 10W charger inside the box.
Specifications:
Display: 6.3″ LTPS display with Gorilla Glass 5 protection
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2340 × 1080 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Screen Replacement Service for Redmi Note 7 Pro in Nepal
Anyone, who has bought Redmi Note 7 Pro (any variant) in the time frame 27th September to 31st October 2019 will get to claim for this service. So if you, by any chance break or damage your Redmi Note 7 Pro by accidental drops or mishandling, you won’t have to worry about it. MI Nepal will replace it for free if that has happened within 6 months of the purchase.
Redmi Note 7 Pro Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]
The new price of the Redmi Note 7 Pro in Nepal is Rs. 25,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. Other variants such as 4+64GB and 6+64GB are currently out of stock in Nepal.
Realme, the subsidiary of OPPO has been known for its budget phones like the Realme 5, 5 Pro, Realme XT, etc. And now for the first time in the company’s history, Realme has pushed the boundaries and released the Realme X2 Pro which offers flagship-level performance for the price of a budget phone. Kudos to Realme! The major highlight of the phone is the latest and flagship-grade Snapdragon 855+ chipset, a 90Hz display, a 64MP quad-camera setup, and 50W VOOC charging. However, Realme X2 Pro will not be launching in Nepal officially.
Realme X2 Pro Overview
It’s a great time for smartphone consumers. One no longer has to put a big hole in their wallet to purchase a flagship-level phone. Major thanks to the neck and neck competition among the manufacturers for the bigger share of pie and consumers’ increasing tendency to hold on to their devices longer, OEMs have been in a way compelled to bring out high-spec phones at a lower cost. Let’s just hope this trend doesn’t fade away anytime soon.
Display
Sporting a big 6.5-inch “Dew-Drop” Super AMOLED screen, the Realme X2 Pro’s display is a visual treat. It has an FHD+ (2400 x 1080) resolution and a tall 20:9 aspect ratio. Additionally, its a 90Hz panel with HDR10+ support with max brightness up to 1000 nits. Furthermore, the Realme X2 Pro display is also said to have full coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. The only thing to nitpick about the X2 Pro’s display would be the older generation Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
Performance & Memory
Moving on, it boasts the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset alongside the Adreno 640 GPU. Knocking down every task you throw at it, the Realme X2 Pro throws some major shade at the Redmi K20 Pro. It comes in three memory variants: 6/64GB, 8/128GB, and 12/256GB. However, the base model is constrained to older UFS 2.1 storage technology while the higher ends have UFS 3.0.
Quad-camera is the next big thing in mobile photography it seems. The Realme X2 Pro features a 64MP Samsung GW1 sensor with f/1.8 aperture. It is further complemented by a 13MP f/2.5 telephoto lens, an 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide angle lens, and a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor. The telephoto lens here supports 5X Hybrid Optical zoom and 20X Hybrid Zoom. Coming to the front, there’s a 16MP f/2.0 lens in a tiny notch.
There are also some decent videography features embedded into the Realme X2 Pro. It can shoot 4K videos at either 30 or 60fps. When it comes to image stabilization, the rear camera has Ultra Image Stabilization (UIS) while the front one has Electric Image Stabilization (EIS). Video Bokeh and Super Wide-Angle videos are other highlights of the device.
Battery & Charging
Powering this beast is a 4000 mAh non-removable battery. On an interesting note, the Realme X2 Pro supports an impressive 50W SuperVOOC Flash Charge that can take your phone from 0 to 100% in about 35 minutes of charge. Talk about speed! Realme has designed the X2 Pro with power users in mind.
On more positive news, the phone still has a 3.5mm audio jack with Dolby Atmos support. There are dual stereo speakers for a great audio experience. The phone implements the latest Goodix G3.0 in-display optical fingerprint scanner, which unlocks the device under 0.23 seconds. Realme X2 Pro runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) with OPPO’s ColorOS 6.1 on top. It is also scheduled to receive the Android 10 update.
Realme X2 Pro Specifications:
Body: 6.34 x 2.98 x 0.34 inches; 199 gm
Display: 6.5-inches “Dew-Drop” Super AMOLED 90Hz display
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2400 × 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+; 7nm Mobile Platform
Connectivity: Dual-SIM, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/BDC, USB Type-C
Battery: 4000 mAh battery with 50W SuperVOOC Flash Charge
Realme X2 Pro Price in Nepal & Availability
Realme launched the Realme X2 Pro in China, India, and some parts of Europe. However, it is yet to launch in Nepal. But you can buy the Realme X2 Pro in Nepal via an unauthorized channel for a price of Rs. 53,000.
Xiaomi has had a lot of success with its A series that provide stock Android experience. MI A1 the first entry in this series. Then came the Mi A2, which for its time had great cameras for the price. Believe me, I previously used both the device and was quite impressed by both of them. Keeping my past experiences with the Mi A series in mind, my expectations for the Xiaomi Mi A3 was quite high. It is a device that is once again targeted at the budget segment.
So, I started using this device for my everyday use for almost over 2 weeks now and honestly, it seems good and has, in fact, left an impression on me. But with a plethora of devices available in the budget segment now, it made me wonder whether this device has enough in it to make the cut and stand on top as the winner of the mid-range segment? Let’s find that out in this Xiaomi MI A3 review.
Xiaomi Mi A3 Specifications
Design: Glass body front and back, Aluminum frame
Display: 6.01″ Super AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 5 Protection
Resolution: HD+ resolution (720 x 1560 pixels) @ 286 PPI
In terms of its design, the MI A3 does bring in a lot of improvement as compared to its predecessor. It has a metal + glass design with both the front and the back protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The use of this combination does, in fact, make this device seem like a premium offering.
Now, the one that I used was of ‘Not Just Blue’, Clear inspiration from the Pixel series! And to be honest my initial reaction was that, gosh this device feels cheap. The design pattern changes with respect to light and despite not having a plastic back, the changes in the design gradient did make me feel so.
However, once I got used to it, contrary to my initial judgment, I did find the design quite mesmerizing. I felt that this design on the very least is what separates MI A3 from others and did make it stand out among the rest. So, be careful guys, the first impression might not always be the last impression.
Moving on, the device has just the right curves around the edges which makes holding the device very comfortable. The display is surrounded by thin bezels all around except the chin which to me seemed a bit bigger. And with the craze of all screen phones these days, I do feel that the chin bezel could have been reduced down a notch. Sticking to the subject of notch, MI A3 does have a waterdrop notch to house the front camera.
On the bottom, there’s a single speaker rim right next to the USB-C port. The grille is divided on either side of the port however the one on the left, it seems purely exists the purpose of making it look symmetrical. Despite only having a single speaker, you won’t have to worry about the sound being drowned down as they are sufficiently loud and the audio quality is also pretty good. Furthermore, not to forget, a 3.5mm headphone jack makes its comeback in this series.
Obviously, there’s a divided opinion about the headphone jacks as many of you now are venturing towards earbuds and all. But wired headphones does have its own separate fanbase. And I am one of them and thus the inclusion of the 3.5mm jack is a welcome change in this device.
Display
As far as the display is concerned, MI A3 uses a 6.08-inch Super AMOLED display. Considering the price, the S-AMOLED display does sound like a really good offering. However, the screen resolution is just 720p, which is the compromise I am talking about in the title. So, you might notice multiple instances of pixelation and to add to that the sunlight visibility is average at best. The struggle to make out what the screen is showing is real.
Now, you get a Redmi Note 7 Pro for just about the same price. And despite not having an AMOLED screen it does give a full HD display. As a matter of fact, most of the mid-range phones nowadays come with a Full-HD display. So, the tradeoff between the AMOLED display and a 720p resolution didn’t really sit well with me.
Furthermore, as the current trend goes for devices featuring an AMOLED screen, there, in fact, is an in-display fingerprint sensor on MI A3 too. However, it is not up to the standard. It feels painfully slow. So, in that regard, I consider the use of an AMOLED display on this device pretty much useless.
It may give a premium feel to the device but considering the screen resolution and an abysmal in-display fingerprint sensor, it would’ve been better if they had stuck with an LCD display.
Camera
People these days are certainly more concerned about the quality of snaps their device than other features. And this action is absolutely justified. Smartphone cameras have pretty much replaced the digital cameras. So, it’s obvious for people to judge the quality of their phone based on its camera performance. And the Mi A3 for what it costs actually shoots quality photos. Mind you, the shots are not exactly mind-blowing, but they do provide Insta quality photos.
The rear camera has a triple camera setup with a primary lens of 48MP, an 8MP wide-angle lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. The images shot by the rear camera though does not necessarily provide natural-looking photos, however, their viewing experience is actually enjoyable. And that’s because the camera seems to emphasize a lot on certain colors in an image. Furthermore, its camera does capture a range of colors and lighting pretty well and is able to produce a good quality image.
The enjoyable viewing experience of the photos can be further complemented to the devices’ display which is an S-AMOLED panel.
I mean I took the same images with the Mi A3 and the Note 7 Pro, and despite them having the same camera sensor, the photos in the Mi A3 seemed more pleasing to the eye.
However, I think that most of the difference in the quality was there due to the different display panels that the phones have. Isn’t it obvious that the images while viewed on an AMOLED panel will seem better than the one viewed on an LCD display? So, to better compare the photos, I uploaded them on my laptop. And surprise surprise, I found the images taken from the Note 7 Pro had better quality.
The photos from Note 7 Pro captured light much better. Its brightness level was great and overall, I felt that the images resembled the actual scenario. In comparison, the ones captured from the Mi A3 came out darker.
Xiaomi MI A3 Images from Primary Camera
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You can see from these images that even when captured in the same lighting conditions, the photos from the Note 7 Pro look much brighter and the ones from Mi A3 appear duskier. The background also looks much better, lighter and overall good on the one captured from the Note 7 Pro.
However, while comparing the portraits from the rear camera, I felt that the Note 7 Pro provided a much better portrait photo with greater level of edge detection and blurring effect.
MI A3 Portrait Images
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The added wide-angle lens on the Mi A3, are also decent for capturing more when you need it. This lens is not there on the note 7 Pro, so no comparison between them here, but generally speaking the wide-angle lens is pretty much good at what it does.
Xiaomi MI A3: Normal Mode Vs Wide-angle Mode
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Normal Mode
Wide-angle Mode
Normal Mode
Wide-angle Mode
Normal Mode
Wide-angle Mode
Normal Mode
Wide-angle Mode
Normal Mode
Wide-angle Mode
You can switch into the 48MP mode to make the full utilization of its primary lens. However, I did not find myself using it so often as its normal camera mode, in fact, did a pretty great job in itself and using the 48MP camera did nothing but take up more memory space.
The phone, however, does struggle to take low light images. Comparing the low-light samples from both the Mi A3 and the note 7 Pro I found neither of them being able to capture a good quality image.
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Night time normal image
Night Mode On
Night time normal image
Night time normal image
Night time normal image
Night time normal image
Now turn for the 32 MP selfie shooter housed in the waterdrop notch upfront. The camera produces fine results, ones that will certainly make you feel good. As with the rear camera, the selfies too give out similar results. They seem brighter than the one on the Note 7 Pro and seem livelier. So, the selfies captured on Note 7 Pro would be my choice if I had to give one out showing a much natural-looking image.
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normal selfie
Portrait selfie
normal selfie
normal selfie
normal selfie
normal selfie
Portrait selfie
There aren’t added beautify features in the Mi A3 however, there is an AI camera mode similar to that on the Note 7 Pro. The AI camera provides better image algorithms for capturing photos. Here the use of SD 675 on the Note 7 Pro and SD 665 on Mi A3 comes into play as the note 7 Pro, using a much better SoC is able to use better AI algorithms and better processing for the images.
Performance
Mi A3’s performance is as one would expect from a mid-range smartphone. Smooth transitions as well as the fluid running of apps and no bloatware (courtesy of Android One). The Snapdragon 665 chipset used in this device works fine for day-to-day use.
Normal users who simply use their smartphones to browse the internet, watch videos or send emails, will be pleased by the device’s performance. Though one area of complaining for them would be in the camera app. That’s because the response time while switching between different photo mode is actually quite high. So, if you are in a hurry and want to take a picture quickly, the Mi A3 might just betray you there.
But, for PUBG players, the thing to keep in mind here is that the Mi A3’s display constraints won’t allow you to switch your graphics settings above Balanced nor will you be able to increase the frame rate above the medium setting.
That’s the maximum combination for the display setting you can play PUBG on the MI A3. And its all down to the HD display and the capability of the chipset i.e. SD 665.
So performance-wise, as far as playing PUBG is concerned, I’d have to give it to the Note 7 Pro. It allows you to change the display setting to HD with the frame rates set at a High level.
Regardless, if you are content with a minimum display setting while playing games such as PUBG and Asphalt 9, Mi A3 will work out just fine as I’m certain with stable connectivity you will not feel any lags while playing games.
Moving on towards its battery life, the 4030mAh battery offers a good battery life if you just browse through the internet and do not engage in heavy gaming. However, I did not find the devices stand-by battery to be as good as many out there claim. I had mine charged up to 100% before I went to sleep. And when I woke up the battery was down to 93%. So that’s not so good, is it?
However, the upside is that the device does support 18W charging and thus even if you drain the battery completely the charging of the phone should not take much time. But again, it is something that you’ll have to buy separately as you only get a 10W brick in the box.
Now other than display, this is also something that bugged me. I mean, to me, the phone’s price already seems much more than what it should have actually cost and even if you’re going to give HD display to your customers, the least you can do is include an 18W charger to help achieve its full potential.
Now, to the device’s prime feature, the Android One software. Its use does mean that the device is free of bloatware, has faster updates and longer supports. However, the absence of custom apps might be an issue for some users. But a clean smartphone using experience that’s almost similar to the Pixel was something that left me smitten.
Verdict
So, did the mi A3 meet my expectations? Well, on some level it certainly did. A triple camera array, an S-AMOLED screen and Android One experience. But is it enough to woo me to go for the phone? I would if the phone was priced just a couple of thousand bucks less. Or if Xiaomi had at least provided a Full HD display on this device.
As I mentioned earlier, the 25K segment is a pretty sensitive price segment considering smartphones. On one hand, there’s the Redmi Note 7 Pro with SD 675 and full HD display. So, for me, Note 7 Pro is the clear winner in this segment though it does not have an AMOLED screen and a wide-angle lens.
Having said that, for those who do not feel bugged by HD display and want to experience a Pixel like a phone without having to pay pixel price, I do recommend them to try the MI A3 trust me it won’t disappoint you!
As previously expected, OPPO launched the OPPO K5 in China on October 10. This successor to the OPPO K3 brings in multiple upgrades, most notably in the camera and battery division.
Starting off, the K5 ditches the pop-up selfie camera from its predecessor for a waterdrop notch that houses the 32MP f/2.0 selfie camera. There’s now a quad-camera setup at the back with the 64MP f/1.8 Samsung GW1 sensor alongside the 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens, a 2MP f/2.4 lens for macro shots, and finally a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor. You can also shoot videos through the ultrawide lens. Yay!
The phone is powered by a fairly competent chipset – Snapdragon 730G (8nm) and Adreno 618 GPU, which integrates Qualcomm’s “Snapdragon Elite Gaming” unlike the regular SD730. This feature saw its debut on Qualcomm’s flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 855. Thus, one can expect top-notch gaming performance on the K5.
OPPO phones are known for their tantalizing design aesthetics and this one’s no exception either. The K5 features a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with FHD+ (1080 x 2340) resolution and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. There are 3 memory variants of the K5: 6/128GB, 8/128GB and 8/256GB. Additionally, you can expand the storage up to 256GB through the dedicated microSD slot.
Moving on, the phone comes with a decent 4000 mAh non-removable battery. The exciting thing here though is the 30W charging capacity. With the VOOC Flash Charge 4.0, OPPO claims that it can take the phone’s juice to a whopping 67% in 30 minutes of charge via USB Type-C.
As with the AMOLED panels these days, you also get an optical on-screen fingerprint sensor in the K5. The 3.5mm headphone jack is still there with Dolby Atmos support. Furthermore, the K5 runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) with OPPO’s ColorOS 6 on top.
OPPO K5 Specifications
Body: 6.25 x 2.96 x 0.34 inches; 182 gm
Display: 6.4-inches Super AMOLED display
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2340 × 1080 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Connectivity: Dual-SIM, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO, USB Type-C
Battery: 4000 mAh battery with 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0
OPPO K5 Pricing & Availability
The Chinese pricing for the K5 has been unveiled and they are as follow:
OPPO K5 (6/128GB): ¥1,899 ~ NRs. 30,460
OPPO K5 (8/128GB): ¥2,099 ~ NRs. 33,670
OPPO K5 (8/256GB): ¥2,499 ~ NRs. 40,085
OPPO Nepal hasn’t announced if and when the K5 will be coming to Nepal. Stick with us and we’ll keep you updated on the pricing and availability of the OPPO K5.
Smartphone manufacturers are constantly coming up with new innovations in an attempt to keep the industry afloat. In a time where more and more people are holding on to their phones rather than upgrading them at a frequent timeframe, new and exhilarating changes are key to get people to upgrade their devices. It’s fair to say that Chinese OEMs have been leading the industry for the past couple of years in terms of innovation. The recently launched OPPO Reno Ace has surely turned a lot of heads in the industry with its 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 Flash Charge.
OPPO Reno Ace Overview
With its industry-leading 65W charging, the 4000 mAh battery on the phone can fully charge in under 30 minutes. That’s incredibly impressive! While VIVO’s 120W SuperFlash Charge is yet to see the light of day in the market, the Reno Ace is all the buzz right now.
The phone isn’t lackluster in other important aspects either. It boasts the latest Snapdragon 855+ chipset paired with either 8 or 12GB of RAM alongside 128 or 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage. It has a gorgeous design as well. The Reno Ace stands tall with a 6.5-inch AMOLED FHD+ (1080 x 2400) display. Additionally, it’s a 90Hz panel which guarantees a better display experience.
OPPO phones are known for their cameras. The Reno Ace has a quad-camera setup on the back with a 48MP f/1.7 Sony IMX586 sensor, a 13MP telephoto lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP monochrome sensor. OPPO has adopted a waterdrop notch to house the 16MP f/2.0 selfie camera rather than a pop-up mechanism.
OPPO Reno Ace Specifications
Body: 6.34 x 2.98 x 0.34 inches; 200 gm
Display: 6.5-inches AMOLED display
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2400 × 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
Connectivity: Hybrid Dual-SIM, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO, USB Type-C
Battery: 4000 mAh battery with 65W SuperVOOC Flash Charge 2.0
OPPO Reno Ace Pricing & Availability
With such impressive features and high-end specs, you’d think the Reno Ace would cost upwards of $700. But surprisingly, OPPO has managed to launch the device at a very competitive price point in China. Take a look at it below:
Honestly, we’re running out of adjectives to define OnePlus’ end-of-the-year upgrades of its phones. “Tiny”, “Minute”, “Small” – we’ve used them all when describing the ‘T’ iterations of OnePlus devices. This year too, the company released the 7T and 7T Pro models alongside the coveted 7T Pro McLaren Edition last week. While they’re traditionally not meant to be the company’s next-gen smartphones with a ton of upgrades, there are some things to be excited here. Let’s take a closer look at what these devices are packing along with its price in Nepal.
OnePlus 7T Pro Overview
The OnePlus 7T Pro shares a lot of similarities with the OnePlus 7 Pro. From the form-factor to the display, they’re undifferentiable. What OnePlus has done here akin to its previous generation of ‘T’ iterations, is simply implement their newest engineering feat onto a smartphone.
Display
Talking about the resemblances, both devices have a curved 6.67-inches, 19.5:9 aspect ratio 90Hz Fluid AMOLED panel with QHD+ (1440 x 3120) resolution on a 6.40 x 2.99 x 0.35-inch body. It’s commendable that OnePlus didn’t alter the stunning design aesthetics just for differentiation’s sake.
Camera
You get the same triple-rear camera setup here too. There’s a 48MP f/1.6 Sony IMX586 sensor with a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens and an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens. On the front, you have a single motorized pop-up 16MP f/2.0 camera.
Despite the similar setup, the 7T Pro is now capable of 3X Optical Zoom to the 2.2X Optical Zoom of the 7 Pro. Other notable camera upgrades in the 7T Pro includes the introduction of Macro mode and Hybrid Image Stabilization for videos. However, since these are not entirely hardware dependent, it’s fair to assume that they will eventually make their way to the 7 Pro.
Hardware
OnePlus 7T Pro is powered by an updated Snapdragon 855+ (7nm) chipset which flaunts a nominal 4.2% CPU boost and a 15% GPU boost. The fast phone got even faster, though not by a tremendous margin mind you. Also, the phone runs on the latest Android 10 with Oxygen OS 10.0 out-of-the-box.
Unlike the 7 Pro with multiple memory options, the 7T Pro comes with a single 8/256GB variant. The battery side sees a small upgrade, with the 7T Pro housing a 2.125% bigger 4085 mAh battery to its predecessor. However, you get up to 23% faster charging with the new WarpCharge 30T so there’s a silver lining there.
Starting from last year, OnePlus partnered up with McLaren Automotive to design and create special McLaren Edition smartphones. This year’s OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition (and you thought LG’s phones had a jaw-breaking name) borrows design aesthetics from McLaren Speedtail’s steering wheel.
There’s the traditional McLaren papaya-orange accent around the phone. From the camera layout on the back to the custom app icons, the phone screams McLaren. Additionally, the curved display on the device also has a papaya-orange glow for notifications.
Juxtaposed to the likenesses between the 7T Pro and 7 Pro, the McLaren edition isn’t all that different from the 7T Pro either. Apart from the design, the only other enhancement here is the 12GB of RAM.
Specs Comparison (Oneplus 7 Pro Vs 7T Pro)
Specifications
OnePlus 7 Pro
OnePlus 7T Pro
(McLaren Edition)
OnePlus 7T Pro
Body
6.40 x 2.99 x 0.35-inch; 206gm
Display
6.67-inch 90Hz Fluid AMOLED panel with QHD+ (1440 x 3120) resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Rear Camera
Triple, 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor with f/1.6 + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens + 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens
The official price of Oneplus 7T Pro in Nepal is Rs. 92,000 for the 8GB/256GB variant. It is available in Nepal from different retail outlets all over Nepal. You can also purchase it from online shops like Oliz Store.
