Multi-tasking is the mantra for most people. Thus, it is not surprising that tech companies are trying to cash in on this tendency of ours. Be it the Samsung Galaxy Fold or the Huawei Mate X, tech companies are all in for a bigger foldable smartphone. And the latest addition to such range comes from LG. The company announced its LG G8X ThinQ in the IFA 2019. However, the device is somewhat different from its competitors.
It is sort of a hybrid foldable phone. Meaning, the screen does not exactly fold in it. Rather it comes with a dual-screen snap-on case. There’s a standard USB-C port on the case that allows users to connect the secondary screen. Furthermore, activating the secondary screen is easy too. Just plug the device into the case and from the quick settings menu toggle on the dual-screen option.
LG G8X ThinQ overview
The device has a sleek overall design and is all glass rear and front. The fingerprint sensor is in-display which allows for an uninterrupted rear. Moreover, the dual camera on the back fit in seamlessly, further complementing the design. The G8X ThinQ in addition to the IP68 rating boasts military-grade durability. Thus, the device will probably be able to handle rough scenarios.
Perfectly balanced speakers are another feature that this device boasts. located on both top and bottom, these speakers should provide improved stereo audio. Furthermore, the device still has a headphone jack which will probably please many users.
Rather than the traditional handset itself, the primary attraction for this device is its dual-screen. Both the displays are aesthetically symmetrical and feature a tiny waterdrop notch. They are 6.4-inch OLED display supporting Full HD+ resolution. Furthermore, there’s a small 2.1-inch display on the front of the attachable cover. It is not exactly a third screen but does display time, date and notification.
However, the two displays are exactly like what they sound. It is dual-display. Thus, there’s a huge bezel in between the two screens. So, the dual-display is not exactly built for watching Netflix on a huge screen. Rather, you can watch Netflix and browse the internet simultaneously on its two screens. Furthermore, while capturing a photo you can actually fold the device to show your subjects what their image is turning out like as you are taking the photo.
Sticking to the subject of the camera, the rear has a dual camera featuring a 12MP primary sensor. It is complemented by an ultra-wide 13MP lens. The camera comes with a ton of features such as the AI Action Shot and the new ASMR video recording. And the front camera is a 32MP selfie shooter included in the notch of the primary screen.
The device uses the Snapdragon 855 chipset, a must-have for flagship phones. It runs on the Android 9 Pie with the new UX 9.0 on top. The G8X ThinQ will be available in 6GB /128GB variant only. However, there is a dedicated microSD slot that allows expanding storage up to 1TB. A 4000mAh battery powers the device. The battery supports Quick Charge 4.0, i.e 21W fast charging.
LG G8X Specifications
Design: Glass body front and back, Aluminum frame
Display: dual screen, 6.4″ OLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels)
Rear Camera: dual, 12 MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture & PDAF + 13 MP Ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.4 aperture
So, is this device the future of smartphones? Will it replace our primary computers? Well, it still remains to be seen how this device actually performs. But to me, it does seem like a viable concept.
Motorola has upped its games in terms of releasing smartphones. In the latter half of 2019, we’ve seen Motorola rolled out its Android One series devices. First, there was the Motorola One Vision. A fairly good device with cinemascope display. Then came the Action One. A similar one featuring an Action camera at a cheaper price. Now, at the IFA 2019, the company has come up with tow new phones. One of the announced phones, despite being named the Motorola One Zoom, is not the part of the Android One program. And the other one is the Moto E6 Plus.
Motorola One Zoom Overview
The device features a 6.4-inch OLED display. The screen supports Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and has an aspect ratio of 19:9. Having an OLED display, Motorola One Zoom indeed has an in-display fingerprint sensor.
Talking about the processor, it uses the Snapdragon 675 SoC. It is a mid-range processor similar to the one seen in Redmi Note 7 Pro. Furthermore, the chipset has an integrated Adreno 612 GPU. Moreover, the device will be available in only one RAM variant. It will be a 4GB/128GB variant. However, the storage can be expanded up to 1TB as there is a micro SD slot.
Moving on to the cameras, the rear camera is a quad-cam setup. Its primary sensor is of 48MP with 4-in-1 pixel binning capability. The primary lens is complemented by an 8MP telephoto lens, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 5MP depth sensor. As for the front camera, there is a powerful 25MP selfie shooter. Furthermore, the front camera comes with Quad Pixel technology. This allows for better low-light selfies.
Motorola One Zoom runs on Android 9 pie. However, as mentioned earlier, the device is not part of the Android One program. It is powered by a 4000mAh battery. And it supports 15W fast charging.
Motorola One Zoom Specifications
Design: Glass body front and back, Aluminum frame
Display: 6.4″ OLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels)
The other device announced by Motorola in this year’s IFA is the Moto E6 Plus. This one features a slightly smaller screen than the One Zoom. It has a 6.1-inch Max Vision IPS display. The supported resolution is 720 x 1560 pixels i.e the screen has an HD+ display only.
The Moto E6 is powered by the MediaTek Helio P22 SoC. It is a fairly competitive mid-range octa-core processor. The RAM variants for this one are 2GB and 4GB. They will have 32GB and 64GB of onboard storage respectively. However, there is a dedicated micro SD slot which allows expansion of storage up to 512GB.
It has a dual-camera setup on the back. The primary camera is a 13MP sensor whereas the other one is a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, there’s an 8MP selfie shooter. And oh, the fingerprint sensor on this one is rear mounted.
Similar to the One Zoom, this device too runs on Android 9 Pie. It comes with a 3000mAh battery. However, there is no fast charging option available.
Moto E6 Plus Specifications
Design: plastic body
Display: 6.1″ IPS LCD display with HD+ resolution (750 x 1560 pixels)
A certain company by the name of TCL is all set to make a name for itself in the world of smartphones. Known primarily for its TVs, the device actually is behind some of the popular Android smartphones. In fact, Alcatel and Blackberry are a part of this China-based tech giant. However, it is not its TV or smartphones under other brand names of TCL that has made headway in this year’s IFA. Rather, it’s the TCL Plex, the company’s first self-branded phone that’s creating a buzz. TCL Plex will be available only in the selected European market this year. And seems to pack a lot of exciting features.
Overview
Coming from a TV manufacturer, the display on this device will be the one to look out for. It features a 6.53-inch Nxtvision display. It supports Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The screen has a tiny punch-hole display. Keeping in mind the punch-hole display, TCL has elected to label it as a “dotch” display. However, the Nxtvision display does not support an in-display fingerprint sensor. Thus the sensor is rear-mounted.
The device uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoC. It is an octa-core mid-range processor that is powerful enough to perform your day to day task. Furthermore, the device will be available in a 6GB RAM variant only. And along with that will be an onboard storage of 128GB. However, there is an option for expansion up to 256GB via a dedicated microSD slot.
TCL Plex features a triple camera setup on the back. The primary lens is a 48 MP Sony IMX582 sensor. It is coupled with a 16 MP secondary camera having Samsung S5K3P9 sensor and a 2 MP depth sensor. Furthermore, the front camera is a powerful 24MP selfie shooter.
As for the battery, the TCL Plex is powered by a 3820mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.
TCL Plex Specifications
Dimension: 162.2 x 76.6 x 8mm
Display: 6.53″ IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels)
These days, we don’t quite see the flagship smartphones coming with ground-breaking technologies. Yet the flagship smartphones are getting immensely expensive. So these days, users seem to have a growing interest in the midrange and budget phones. In that context, the budget-oriented Realme 5 is creating quite a buzz lately. And that’s mainly because of its quad-camera setup, a decent processor and a big battery. We have already seen such attempts from midrange players, which, however, turned more like a gimmick. So will the Realme 5 join the league with such gimmicky products or will it a new benchmark in the budget segment? We are going to answer that in this Realme 5 review.
On the design front, you get nothing so new. It comes with a plastic back, which seems like a trademark of the budget phones these days. The rear panel, however, comes with a crystalline pattern, which has made the device unique and somewhat more appealing. Plastic back with the crystalline pattern has made the device quite similar to its older brother Realme 5 Pro. But Realme surely has made design tweaks to differentiate these two models. The subtle rainbow sheen on the 5 Pro, which you can see while tilting the phone at some angles is missing on the Realme 5. Not a deal-breaker I guess, but there is that.
Even without such rainbow sheen, the design still looks elegant. However, it doesn’t feel the same on hands. The phone feels quite hefty in terms of size and weight. Maybe that’s because of its huge battery. Having a big form factor because of the big battery does sound reasonable. However, the phone feels hollow, due to which it feels genuinely cheap on the hold. You can also hear some creaks, especially while pressing gently on the area near fingerprint and the camera. So the build quality looks nothing more than flimsy to me.
1 of 2
Power button
Volume keys
Nevertheless, Realme says to have included humidity protection on the phone. Opening parts of the phone like SIM slots, around the battery and other gaps on the phone, are said to be tightly sealed with O-rings and rubber gaskets. So it may survive a few splashes. Since there was no IP certification, which would ensure that, we were too scared to test that out ourselves.
Display
Talking about the display, the phone packs a 6.5-inch LCD panel. There is also a water-drop style notch on the top, which Realme calls a mini-drop notch. However, I did not find the notch as tiny as it sounds. You also get a small chin on the bottom. The company claims a screen-to-body ratio of 89%. So as cued by the screen-to-body ratio, the chin and the notch doesn’t look as obtrusive. Adding to the niceties, you get Corning Gorilla Glass 3+ protection on the top. So you’ll get a fair bit of protection as well.
The display on the device, however, features an HD resolution. Because of the HD panel, the display doesn’t look as sharp. But you won’t find any pixelation either. The colors also look good on the screen and you won’t find any sort of oversaturation.
But when it comes to brightness, I found the display to be rather dim. And while using the device on the outdoors, I quite had to struggle to look at the contents on the screen.
Camera
Now the Realme 5 is also the first budget smartphone to pack a quad-camera setup on its rear panel. The rear camera module comprises of a 12MP main camera followed by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens.
With so many cameras on board, I really had high expectations from the device on the camera front. But on the use, I found the camera to be more of a mixed bag.
First, let’s start with the primary camera. At daylight, the 12MP shooter does a good job in terms of colors and saturation. The images look slightly overexposed at times but there was nothing so worrying. However, I didn’t find the images to be particularly sharp. And the dynamic range wasn’t so impressive either.
1 of 9
In low light, the phone suffers quite a lot as any budget phone would. But, with its Nightscape mode, you get in more light, images look sharper and they look significantly better than that from the normal mode. Although the images from the Nightscape look good, I noticed a slight crop in the frame. So, there is that!
Normal vs Night Mode
1 of 10
Normal Mode
Night Mode
Normal Mode
Night Mode
Normal Mode
Night Mode
Normal Mode
Normal Mode
Night Mode
Night Mode
With the wide-angle camera, you won’t notice any sort of color shifting issues but the images tend to look overexposed at times. But, again, having a wide-angle lens at this price is a bonus.
Normal Vs Wide angle mode
1 of 16
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
Normal Mode
Wide Angle Mode
Normal Mode
Wide Angle Mode
Normal Mode
Wide Angle Mode
Now let’s talk about the 2MP depth sensor. Although the resolution of the depth sensor doesn’t sound much, I really liked its performance while capturing portrait images. Blurs look natural and edge detection was impressive most of the times. However, the colors and details look softer than that from the normal images.
1 of 8
And the fourth lens, the Macro lens. Was something I was really excited to test it out.
The macro lens does let you go very close to the subject and lets you capture a really tiny object that gets lost while capturing from the main camera. And Realme says you get the best results while capturing the subject from a 4cm distance. But even when I maintained that distance, I never got a good shot.
1 of 7
Macro lens
2x Zoom
And that’s because of its sensor. The Macro lens comes with a 2MP sensor. So, despite the capability to capture Macro shots, the images do not look so impressive as they lack sharpness. So the macro lens is rather gimmicky.
Most of the times, you get better shots by zooming in slightly into the subject. And talking about the zoom, unlike the Realme X, where you can zoom up to 2x, here you can perform zooming up to 5x. Since the zooming on the phone is entirely digital, you will start to lose details while zooming.
Flipping to the front, you get a 13MP selfie shooter tucked neatly in the notch. And I must say selfies look good. You get enough details with good colors. You won’t find any sort of over-processing going on over there. So I was satisfied with its performance.
Even the portrait selfies are good, but with software, edge detection doesn’t look perfect. But still, it is usable almost all of the times.
When it comes to videos, you can capture 720p, 1080p and 4k videos all at 30fps. Although there is no image stabilization in here, you will get quite stabilized 720p and 1080p videos. Colors and sharpness also look good, considering the phone’s price.
Performance
Now let’s talk performance. And, memory-wise, you get three options: 3/32GB, 4/64GB and 4/128GB. But Unlike the Realme 5 Pro, you don’t get a UFS storage. So no ultra-fast read/write speed. You do get a dedicated SD card slot on the phone with which you can expand up to 256GB.
For Chipset, the phone packs Snapdragon 665, which is a decent upgrade over the Realme 3 and even the 2 Pro. With a better processor on board, you can expect a boost in performance. The phone is now quite smooth and you can multitask with a number of apps without any hiccups. Even on the gaming part, you can expect a similar kind of fluidity. And that’s more so while playing light games.
But that doesn’t mean the device cannot run high-end games. You can still play PUBG Mobile game smoothly. But that happens only at low setting. While playing the game at a high setting, you can notice some stutters. Given the budget-friendly nature of the phone, I think, that’s understandable.
On to the software front, there is Android 9 Pie with the latest ColorOS 6.0.1. It has received a few refinements over the ColorOS 6 found on the Realme X. But, like I say in every Realme review, it’s definitely not the best UI. And, the number of bloatware hasn’t got any less. But since most of these apps can be uninstalled, this is not a big issue though.
The phone has Widevine L3 Security level which means no HD streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime. So, If they could provide the L1 Security Level with an update, that would be great.
Battery
As for the battery, this phone houses a massive 5000mAh battery. And coupled with a low-res HD display, the battery life is just awesome! I think this is the phone with the best battery life that I have tested till date.
But, I am hearing some rumors that Samsung is launching the Galaxy M30s with 6000mAh battery, so it’s going to be an interesting device too.
But, Realme’s software and battery optimizations are really impressive here. The phone easily lasts more than two days on normal use. The phone barely spends any battery juice, when it’s on standby. And I find that genuinely impressive.
When it comes to charging, you get a 10-watt charger inside the box, which uses Micro USB port. And takes around 3.5 hours to get the device fully charged. And that’s quite a lot.
I also tried using the 20-watt VOOC charger that comes with the Realme 5 Pro. But it didn’t speed up the charging process. So even if you get a fast charger, you won’t get an acceleration in the charging speed. So you’ll have to deal with that!
Extras:
As for extras, you get a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is fast, accurate, and reliable. The face-unlock is also quite fast, but since its software-based, it’s obviously not that reliable.
The output from the headphone jack and the speakers are unimpressive, as expected on a budget phone.
Verdict
So what do I make of the Realme 5? Well, you may find me finicky but I am not particularly pleased with the build quality of the phone. Also, the presence of an HD display is repelling and the 2MP Macro lens is nothing more than a gimmick to me. But such kinds of tradeoffs are found on almost all of the budget phones, right?
Looking on to the bright side, you get a capable processor, a long-lasting battery, and multiple options in the camera front. And for the price of some $150, it makes a good package on the overall. If you want a sharper display and a more premium build, Redmi Note 7 or Note 7S could be the best fit for you. Otherwise, you won’t go wrong with the Realme 5.
Heads up Mi fans cause the Xiaomi MI A3 is finally in the town. The Mi A3 is the third Android One smartphone from the company and will be among the selected firsts to get the Android 10 update. Just a mid-ranger with Android One experience, or is there more to it? Let’s look at some of its key features and decide for ourselves.
The device has a 6.01-inch Super AMOLED display. The screen supports the HD+ resolution of 720 x 1560 pixels. Considering the fact that its predecessors, the Mi A1, and A2’s full HD+ panels, the screen on this one is a major downgrade. Furthermore, the screen has a waterdrop notch to house the front camera. However, the AMOLED screen does mean the inclusion of an in-display fingerprint sensor.
Despite being a mid-ranger, the phone has a very sleek design. It measures 153.5 x 71.9 x 8.5mm in size and weighs around 173.8 grams. The edges are pretty smooth and the device has a glass back. So, in terms of design, Xiaomi Mi A3 is a clear winner as compared to its predecessor. Adding to the niceties, you get Gorilla Glass 5 protection both on the front and on rear panels.
The device uses the Snapdragon 665 SoC. It is an octa-core chipset with Kryo 260 cores. It will be available in both 4GB as well as a 6GB RAM variants. And on both of them, the onboard storage will be of 64GB and 128GB respectively. The Mi A3 is powered by a 4030mAh battery with Quick Charge 3. That is, the device supports an 18W fast charging.
Talking about the cameras, the rear cam as a triple camera setup. It consists of a 48 MP primary sensor an 8 MP ultra-wide lens and a 2 MP depth sensor. The ultra-wide lens on it supports a 118-degree field of view (FOV). Upfront, the selfie shooter is a powerful 32 MP selfie shooter.
The base variant (4/64GB) of the Xiaomi Mi A3 price in Nepal is Rs. 23,999. Similarly, the higher-end model is priced at Rs. 27,999. Since MI Nepal had launched the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro at the aggressive pricing, we were quite hopeful that the company would do the same this time around. But that’s not the case here.
At this price, the device looks quite underwhelming. You get a sharp Full-HD display and capable processor on Redmi Note 8 Pro, which just costs Rs. 29,999 (6/128GB). So adding a little bit of money, you get a better value from the Note 7 Pro. But if you want that stock android experience and in-display fingerprint scanner, you can still consider the MI A3.
Since its launch, Redmi Note 7 earned quite a fanbase in Nepal. For the value it packed, it had also been one of the best smartphones under Rs. 25,000 in Nepal. The 48MP camera had also been the luring factor. Because of impressive features, the phone sold like the hot cakes in the lower midrange arena. And in 2019, it also happened to be the best selling Xiaomi phone in Nepal. But now, this already value-proposition device has got even cheaper. MI Nepal has recently announced a price drop on the device, which has made the device even more compelling.
Redmi Note 7 Overview
Redmi phones are known for their capable hardware on the performance front and the Redmi Note 7 has given continuity to the legacy. The phone comes with Snapdragon 660 chipset, which is a capable chip for the price. On the memory front, the phone comes with two configurations: one with 3GB RAM and 32GB of onboard storage whereas the higher-end variant gets 4GB RAM and 128GB of internal memory. Users can also expand the storage according to their needs. And an SD card slot has been provided for the very purpose. However, that will use the SIM2 slot.
On the display side, the phone comes with a 6.3-inch IPS panel. The screen here is enriched with Full-HD+ resolution. The display also features a teardrop style notch on the top, which is less obtrusive while viewing the contents. To ensure the safety of the display from cracks and scratches, the phone comes with Gorilla Glass 5 on the top. Not just on the front, the phone also gets a Gorilla Glass 5 protection on its glass back. However, the frame is made up of plastic, which may arise a durability issue over time.
The camera is the biggest highlight of this smartphone. It’s one of the very first phones to feature a 48MP camera. Alongside the 48MP camera rests a 5MP depth sensor, which completes the dual camera setup at the back. Similarly, a 13MP selfie shooter dwells on the minuscule notch on the front.
As far as the software is concerned, the phone boots on Android Pie out of the box with MIUI 10 on the top. Needless to worry, Xiaomi has promised to released Android Q update in the Q1 of 2020. So you will have a decent future-proofing with this device. The phone is juiced by a 4000mAh battery, which also supports 18W (9V/2A) fast charging.
Xiaomi has slashed the price of a 3/32GB variant of Redmi Note 7 in Nepal. It is now available for Rs. 19,999. Other variants are no longer available in the market.
So, there are more rumors surfacing about the Vivo V17 Pro. It has remained mysterious for quite sometimes now. But in the past couple of days, the rumors are just flooding in.
Firstly, there was a teaser video that found its way on the internet. And the video lifted some of the mystery surrounding the device. We got to see the rear of the phone, its quad-camera array, and the motorized selfie cam.
Then came a couple of leaked camera samples of the V17 Pro. However, the images that we found floating on twitter were cropped out and compressed. So, no clear judgment regarding them can be given. Furthermore, the images are outed for promotional purpose. So, obviously they seem great even though they are small crops.
However, now we have got the insight about the specs of the Vivo V17 Pro. The device has a big 6.44-inch Super AMOLED screen. So, it is not surprising that it has an in-display fingerprint sensor. Moreover, the device has a 21:9 aspect ratio with a resolution of 1080 x 2440 pixels.
There’s no notch on the screen and as mentioned above there is a motorized selfie cam. The selfie shooter has a dual-camera setup. The main is a 32 MP lens with wide-angle optics whereas the other one is a 2 MP depth sensor.
The back as revealed by the promo has a quad-camera setup. And as with the trend, its primary lens is the popular 48 MP sensor. Coupled with it is an ultra-wide shooter. The other two are both of 2 MP. One of them is probably a depth sensor. However, the purpose of the other lens is not yet known. Maybe it is a dedicated microlens. Who knows, right?
Talking about the processor, Vivo V17 Pro uses the Snapdragon 675 SoC. The chipset features 8 Kryo 460 cores. Furthermore, it also integrates the lower mid-range Adreno 612 GPU. The device will have 8GB of RAM and 128GB memory onboard. And the battery on it will probably be of 4100mAh.
Even though, the leaks have come from reliable sources, at the end of the day they are what they are. Just a bunch of leaks! So, take them with a pinch of salt and wait for an official announcement. Maybe we will get some concrete information real soon.
Back in July, Vivo had launched the Vivo Z1 Pro. And now just two months later, the company has announced the Vivo Z1X. A powerful edition of the Vivo Z1 Pro. Powerful than the Pro version of a device, to be frank, sounds ridiculous to me. They could have gone with a different range altogether. However, the phone has been announced and it does pack some exciting features.
Overview
The device has a 6.38-inch Super AMOLED display. Its supports full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. Vivo Z1X measures 159.53 x 75.23 x 8.13mm and weighs around 189.6 grams. Upfront it has a waterdrop notch and as with the smartphones these days, it too has an in-display fingerprint sensor.
The processor on this one is the Snapdragon 712 SoC. It is an octa-core processor that features the Kryo 360 cores. The Vivo Z1X runs on Android 9 Pie with FunTouch 9.1 on top. Furthermore, talking about the RAM, it will have a 4GB and a 6GB RAM variant. Both of them will have 128GB of storage onboard. However, there is a dedicated microSD slot for storage expansion. Moreover, the device is powered by a huge 4500mAh battery. It supports 22.5W FlashCharging technology.
Now, moving on towards the camera, the device has a triple camera setup on the back. The primary camera is of 48MP. It is supported by an 8MP wide-angle lens and a 2MP depth sensor. The front camera is a powerful 32 MP selfie shooter.
Vivo Z1X is supposedly designed for gaming. There’s a system resource allocation feature to support a smooth gaming experience. Moreover, the device also offers 4D in-game vibration effects. The detailed specifications of the device are given below.
The Vivo Z1x is slated to go on sale in India starting from 13th of September. As for the price, the base variant of the device (4/128GB) will cost INR 16,990 (NPR 27,200 approx.).
It’s that part of the year when Huawei releases its new flagship chipset. And right on schedule, the Chinese tech giant announced a brand new SoC for its upcoming flagship devices. HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G and Kirin 990 are the chipsets that got launched this time around. Just like last year’s Kirin 980, these new chipsets are also based on 7nm architecture. But unlike last year’s chip, the Kirin 990 uses brand new 7nm FinFET Plus EUV node by TSMC. And this new manufacturing process is said to improve the efficiency of the chip.
The first major thing that’s striking on the chip is its 5G capability. And Huawei claims it to be the first chipset in the tech industry to have an integrated modem on the board. All the other 5G chipsets available in the market come with 5G modem latched on to the SoC. Although Samsung has already announced its 5G-enabled Exynos 980, with integrated 5G modem, the chip from Huawei is expected to make it to the market first. This kind of setup promises better optimizations in terms of power as well as on the RAM usage. In addition to that, the Kirin 990 also has been the very first chipset to have more than 10.3 billion transistors on board.
CPU
The Core configuration of both the new chipsets is the same and remained unchanged from last year. The SoC boasts an Octa-core configuration with 2x Cortex A-76 big cores, 2x Cortex A-76 medium cores, and 2x Cortex A-55 small cores. But the clock speed has been on the new models. Although the big cores on both the Kirin 990 5G and Kirin 990 run at 2.86GHz, the clock speed on these two models is slightly different. As for the caches, the A76 cores have 512KB L2 cache whereas the A55 cores get 128kB each.
Kirin 990 5G
Kirin 990 (4G)
Kirin 980
Kirin 970
CPU
2xA76 @2.86G
2xA76 @2.36G
4xA55 @1.95G
2xA76 @2.86G
2xA76 @2.09G
4xA55 @1.86G
2xA76 @2.60G
2xA76 @1.92G
4xA55 @1.80G
4xA73 @2.36G
4xA53 @1.80G
GPU
G76MP16
@700M
G76MP16
@700M
G76MP10
@720M
G72MP12
@850M
NPU
2 + 1
Da Vinci
1 + 1
Da Vinci
2
Cambricon
1
Cambricon
Modem
Balong 5G
4G
4G
4G
DRAM
LPDDR4-4266
+ LLC
LPDDR4-4266
+ LLC
LPDDR4X-4266
LPDDR4X-3733
Die Size
>100 mm2
~90 mm2
74.13 mm2
96.72 mm2
Transistors
10.3b
~8.0b
6.9b
5.5b
With this new setup, Huawei claims that the Kirin 990 would outperform the Snapdragon 855 by 10% in single-core tests and 9% on the multi-core tests. Huawei also flaunts that the new SoC is the most powerful and the most compact chipset on the industry. It’s has been said that the Kirin 990 would be 26% smaller than the SD855 and 36% smaller than the Exynos 9820.
Furthermore, there have also been improvements in terms of power efficiency. All thanks to the new 7nm+ EUV process. Huawei confidently claimed that the Kirin 990 offers 12% better big-core efficiency, 35% medium core efficiency, and 15% better small core efficiency than its Snapdragon counterpart.
GPU
Even on the GPU part, we can still hear the same name, Mali-G76 GPU. However, to ensure a boost in the graphics performance, Huawei has added 6 more cores on the GPU, which makes a total of 16 cores. With more GPU cores comes better GPU performance. In addition to that, there is also a smart cache for games. This technique improves the GPU to DDR bandwidth by 15% also enhancing the DDR power efficiency by 12%. This, at the end, delivers 6% better graphics performance than the Adreno 60 found on the SD855.
AI
For the last couple of years, we have seen Huawei integrating Neural Processing Units (NPU) to handle the AI part. And that continued this year as well. But Huawei has made big improvements this time around. This time, there is a quad-core NPU on the system, which uses the new Da Vinci Architecture. And this new architecture promises an improvement in the performance as well as on power efficiency.
And the setup of the quad-core NPU is quite similar to the modern-day CPUs. They are divided into Big Cores and Small Cores in which big cores do the demanding tasks whereas the small cores handle the non-intensive AI computations.
Talking about the core setup, the Kirin 990 5G features two Big cores + Tiny Core setup. The non-5G variant, on the other hand, gets the Single Big core + Tiny Core setup.
Apart from its own HiAl platform, Huawei has also included further features such that the NPU can work with Facebook’s Tensorflow and Google’s Android NN platforms.
In recent days, Huawei is making innovative approaches to enhance smartphone photography. And to take it to the next level, Huawei has also coordinated NPU with the Image Signal Process (ISP) such that the combined effort from NPU and ISP would produce better images with less noises. Huawei also has plans to include more AI-based features on the camera part. As for the videos, the chipset is capable of recording 8K HDR videos at 30fps.
The chipset will make its debut on the upcoming Mate devices- Huawei Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro. After that, a bunch of Honor phones will follow.
Headphones are the best means to listen to music. They are the most favorite type of gadget for the audiophiles. A good headphone not only lets you listen to the music of your taste but also isolates yourself from the crowd and let you dive in the divine ocean of rhythms, words, and melodies.
Different types of headphones can be seen and found in the market. Some of them are jacketed with the sturdy materials and some of them are veiled in cheerful colors. Some headphones possess fancy designs and some come with colors and cushy ear cups and headbands enticing with comfort. Also, there are myriads of other types regarding their size, construction, and portability.
In the battle of choices, the design and construction get the upper hand in the majority of scenarios. However, the performance of the headphones and comfort while listening to the music is what matters at the end. Because of the large varieties of audio equipment available in the market, choosing a better one is pretty daunting. And the hellish intersection between the professional and consumer applications is one of the many reasons for it. The majority of the population also has confidently confessed their bitter stories of being fooled by the flashy colors and stylish design fools of the headphones. So, here are the things to consider while choosing headphones without getting enslaved by the pretty designs and fancy contours on the headphones and ears.
Based on the ways they sit on the ears, there are basically three types of headphones. And their types can be named as, In-Ears headphones, On-Ears headphones, and Over-Ears headphones.
In-Ears headphones (In-Ear Monitors)
In-Ears headphone is the first kind of headphone, which is also known as In-Ear Monitor (IEM). They are also recognized as earphones on a regular. These kinds of headphones possess minimalist construction and are the most portable of all. The earbuds in these headphones are designed to fit meticulously into the ear canal, where it resonates soaking its users with the melodies of sound.
Because of the minimalist construction and small size, IEMs are easy to wrap and store quickly and effortlessly. These features have also made the IEMs go-to headphones when traveling and commuting. IEMs are light in weight and small in size, because of which they are effortless to carry and are comfortable to use. And to add more, IEMs are generally inexpensive. However, because of its invasive nature, they are usually unsolicited in the privy environment.
On-Ears headphones (Supra-aural headphones)
On-Ears or Supra-aural headphones are bigger than the In-Ears headphones and feature pads that go over the ears but do not cover them entirely. Since they do not cover the ears entirely, they offer small to no help when the background noises are to be avoided. Hence, they are not preferred to be used in noisy environments. Also, because of its nature to sit on the ears and squish them, they generally invite discomfort while using for a long time.
Over-Ears headphones
Over-Ears headphones are little bulkier than the two and have a tendency to cover the entire portion of the ear. They are designed in a way to fit the ears perfectly inside the ear cups. Because of such construction, the ears are not squished and they are comfortable with the use. Furthermore, this type of headphone blocks the noises and sounds in the backgrounds. It usually resists the leakage of the sound output and its closed configuration is to be hailed for it. Hence, such headphones are useful if privacy is a major concern. However, Over-Ears headphones are generally costlier than the aforementioned two and generally invites inconvenience when carried.
This portion deals with the ways in which a media device connects to the headphones. On the basis of pairing or connectivity option, headphones can be broadly classified as wired and wireless headphones. Opting for a headphone with lightning jack when the audio device possesses 3.5mm headphone jack port is a futile attempt. So it is another basic thing to devise before going for a particular headphone.
One must also consider the privilege of control buttons while buying a headphone. Those who need changing the music and to play and pause them quite often should go for the one which possesses such designated buttons.
Wired Headphones
As the name implies, tiny cables are used to transfer the sound or musical output from the media device to the headphone. These kinds of headphones use a 3.5mm headphone jack, micro USB or a lightning jack to couple with the audio device. If you like the wired headphones better go for the tangle-free type. As the name implies, they are less prone to entanglement and this special feature does not affect their sound quality.
Wireless Headphones
Wired headphones are sometimes cumbersome to use because of the entanglement of the wires. The wired headphones also endure the misfortune of broken cables quite frequently. So, to cope such inconveniences and to increase the portability, wireless headphones were discovered.
Wireless headphones are essentially cordless in nature and they use wireless means of communication like the Bluetooth. Once paired, the audio device can transfer the sound output to the headphones directly and wirelessly headphones if their distance between them is well within the designated range.
Needless to say, these type of headphones have better portability over the wired ones and are more suitable for using on outdoors and at a distance more than the length of headphones usually available. However, wireless headphones lack the sound quality of its wired counterpart. Wireless headphones also have the range and battery life issues. The wireless headphones are also prone to malfunctioning at times, as they are vulnerable to the interferences from other devices.
If the wireless headphones are your primary priority, you also need to check technologies used in the device. Wireless or Bluetooth headphones compress the sound during the transmission. These compressions usually take the essence of music and listening to the music is not entertaining. So, it is also wise to check the technology used on the headphones. For example, headphones with aptX technology are rich in audio quality and the sound output is more similar to CDs. However, for this technology to work, not only the headphones but also the audio devices should be compatible with the aptX technology.
Noise cancellation is another thing to consider while buying a headphone. Noises displease the audiophiles by spoiling the fun while listening to the music. And if such consequences are to be avoided, the headphone opted for the purchase must be capable to block the noises completely. Over-ears headphones work fine most of the time on isolating the sound and the background noises. Such types of headphones, which shield the ears from the background noises because of its special construction, are called passive noise cancellation headphones. They are good to some extent but are inefficient if the background sound is loud enough to penetrate. In such scenarios, the use of an Active noise cancellation headphone proves to be helpful. Active noise cancellation headphones are the special type of headphones available in the market, which are equipped with active noise cancellation technology and specialize in canceling noises.
Active noise cancellation headphones also offer peace and quiet to the listener. Such headphones use small microphones to pick up the outside noise and produce noise in opposite frequency to suppress it. The technology does not work if the sound varies frequently as the microphone cannot pick up the sound and adjust to different frequencies in such quick instances. But if the frequency of the noise is consistent, the device can suppress even the loud droning sounds like airplane engines, factory machinery, air-conditioner hum, etc.
Active noise cancellation headphones may act as a boon to creating a peaceful environment and can even prevent the damages in eardrums in loud environments, however, they are pricey on the purchase. So, it is better to buy a headphone considering the work environment.
Frequency Response, Impedance and Driver diameter
These are the technical aspects of the headphones and if one has a proper idea of these things, finding a good headphone is not at all difficult.
Frequency Response
Frequency response is the range of bass, mids, and treble at which the headphone drivers are capable of reproducing sound from the lowest tones to the highest. It is said that humans can hear from 20Hz to 20 KHz. However, while choosing a headphone, it is better with the wider frequency response. Lower frequencies represent the bass end of the spectrum whereas the higher frequencies represent the treble end. Though these numbers are not the indicator of the quality of sound, these values help you choose the right type of headphone for your particular music type.
Impedance
Impedance is a value indicating the degree of headphone electrical resistance, which in the case of headphones signifies the voice coil resistance along with the cable resistance. Impedance is measured in ohms (Ω). Choosing low-impedance headphones ensures better efficiency as such headphones require less power to deliver high audio levels. However, using such headphones are more susceptible to blowouts when used with a more powerful amplifier. So the best way to decide your impedance is to check for the device’s impedance (on the net) and get a headphone with a better match.
Driver Diameter
Drivers or driver unit are the element inside a headphone that converts an electrical signal into the sound output. Every headphone carries tiny speaker driver inside the earplug and the size (diameter) of the driver determines the varieties of frequencies it can reproduce. The bigger the diameter, more powerful sound it produces. But it does not necessarily imply a better quality. The quality of sound depends on the quality of driver used. The size of the driver unit in In-Ear headphones (earphones) falls in the range of 8-15mm, where it goes from 20mm to 50mm in On-ears and Over-Ears headphones. If EDM (Electronic Dance Music) is your type of music, going for a bigger driver unit will be better. But if you are more of an acoustic lover, medium-sized driver unit be the best.
Brand
Sometimes, brands can be deceptive. Branded headphones are high on price but same cannot be said about the quality of sound it delivers. Branded headphones may possess alluring designs and fancy packaging but these are also the factors that make it pricey. So if the quality of sound is the primary focus while choosing headphones, it would be better not to get distracted by the brands and their fancy designs and packaging.
Check before you buy
People have their own preferences while buying products. Even in the case of headphones, some care about bass and treble balance and others do not. Since ears are the judge, one must always consider testing the headphones to identify if the sound quality of the headphone matches the personal preference. These tests also let the users know how comfortable the headphones are when are used. The fancy colors and enticing contours can be misleading and the salesperson’s cheesy lines may be deceptive. But checking the device in person clears all the muddles of doubts by divulging the truth.
Budget
Expensive headphones are obviously alluring but the budget on the pocket fixes the horizon and makes all the differences. If the quality of sound is the primary importance and there is an ample budget for the endeavor, opting for a premium one with best sound output and maximum comfort would be the key. But if there is a limited budget, a compromise has to be made between the quality, comfort, and design. Since the relationship between price and output sound quality is not proportional, an optimum choice accounting the needs, comfort, and price should be made. The durability, portability, cables (replaceable, tangle-free, etc.) are also things to consider while choosing headphones.
