Super thin and light-weight, that’s what best defines the new RedmiBook 13. Alongside the highly anticipated Redmi K30, Xiaomi also announced this new affordable XPS 13 or Macbook Pro 13 alternative. It has sleek narrow bezels, a compact footprint, and weighs a mere 1.23kg. The RedmiBook 13 also comes as a direct competitor to the Huawei MateBook 13. Feature-wise, the RedmiBook 13 is already one up against the MateBook 13 as it offers an 89 percent screen space as compared to the 88 percent of the MateBook 13. Lets learn more about the Redmibook along with its price and expected availability in Nepal here.
Redmibook 13 Overview
Sticking to the display, the screen is a 13.3-inch IPS panel. It comes with FHD resolution and as mentioned above, has an 89 percent screen-to-body ratio. Its all thanks to the narrow bezels on the top as well as the sides. However, the chin is slightly large.
The RedmiBook comes with the new 10th gen Cometlake Intel processor under the hood. Buyers will have the option to choose from either Intel i5-10210U or i7-10510U. The standard RAM and the storage on both the models are 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD respectively. Similarly, both the versions will get Nvidia GeForce MX250 GPU with 2GB GDDR5 VRAM. However, there’s a base model of the i5 model that comes with integrated graphics.
The device has Xioami’s proprietary thermal management system. In addition to that, it also includes a dual heat pipe which measures 6mm in diameter. Furthermore, this model comes with a built-in fan. The claim is that it increases air volume by 25 percent and reduces the noise level by almost 2 decibels compared to the earlier RedmiBook models.
Similarly, as it was with the previous RedmiBooks, the RedmiBook 13 also has a metal body. There’s a chiclet-style keyboard inside and DTS surround sound is also supported by this ultra-book.
RedmiBook 13 comes with a 40Whr battery. It supports 1C fast charging and is rated to give 11hrs of battery backup. Additionally, Xiaomi also claims that the device will charge up to 50 percent in just 35 minutes.
Xiaomi Redmibook 13 Price and Availability in Nepal
The RedmiBook is available in China from December 12. The base model of the Redmibook 13 with Core i5 CPU price is set at CNY 4,199 ($597). The one with a dedicated GeForce MX250 graphics card will cost CNY 4499 ($640). Similarly, the Core i7 is priced at CNY 5,199 ($739). We can expect the base variant of the Redmibook 13 to launch in Nepal for an expected price of Rs. 72,000.
One mistake Xiaomi did last time with the K20 and K20 Pro is launching them together! The flagship killer K20 pro overshadowed the K20 in many different ways, especially here in Nepal. But this time, we witness a different story. The Redmi K30, the successor to the K20 has been launched in China. There are actually 2 variants of it, a basic 4G variant and the other 5G one! These are the new premium mid-range phones from Xiaomi with flagship killer price.
Redmi K30 Overview
Like it’s predecessor, what you can be assured with the K30 is the fact that it packs performance at a budget. The K30 5G has the Snapdragon 765G which comes bearing 1 Cortex A76 prime core @2.4 GHz, another Cortex A76 performance core @ 2.2GHz and 6 efficiency Cortex A55 based cores @1.8 GHz. The 4G version, on the other hand, has the Snapdragon 730G processor, as seen later on many smartphones.
Both the variants have LPDDR4X RAM with the most basic RAM starting at 6GB and both come with UFS2.1 storage support. Battery size is the same for both, a 4,500 mAh unit but you get different fast charging tech associated with 4G and 5G models. The 5G variant of the K30 comes with 30W fast charging support whereas the 4G variant supports 27 Watt charging.
Camera-wise too it’s basically the same, except for the 5G model supporting a 5MP macro lens whereas the 4G version has a 2MP macro lens. Other specs such as 64 MP primary sensor, an 8MP wide-angle-lens, and a tertiary 2MP depth sensors remain the same. Unlike last time, you can new the new iteration of Sony IMX sensor here on the K30, the Sony IMX686!
On the front, the display houses dual cameras, in the punch hole, a 20MP primary sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor! The display here is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and one of the many things to hoot for is the 120Hz screen with HDR10 compliance.
In addition, the 5G variant supports Dual-frequency GPS and SA+NSA 5G network support. And showing off the classic Xiaomi style, the manufacturer has put in the 3.5mm headphone jack and an IR Blaster too!
Redmi K30 Specifications:
Display: 6.67- inches with FHD+ resolution IPS LCD with punch hole and 120Hz refresh rate
Dimensions: 165.3 x 76.6 x 8.79 mm
Weight: 208g
SoC: 4G (Snapdragon 730G) and 5G (Snapdragon 765G)
RAM:6/8GB
Storage: 64/128/256GB
Operating System: MIUI 11 based on Android 10
Battery: 4,500 mAh with 27W fast charging (4G) and 30W fast charging (5G)
Rear Camera: 64MP Sony IMX686 primary camera, 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens (4G), 5MP macro lens (5G)
Front Camera: 20 MP AI-powered primary lens and a 2MP depth sensor
Redmi K30, Redmi K30 5G Price in Nepal and Availability:
The Redmi K30 (4G and 5G) has been launched in China and some parts of Europe. Since the Redmi K30 will not launch in Nepal, we cannot talk about the price of Redmi K30 in Nepal. Find the price of Redmi K30 (4G and 5G version) in China below:
The Vivo V17 was announced last month in Russia. Spec-wise it was quite similar to the Vivo S1 Pro. However, today a phone with the same name made its way into the Indian market and that too with a revamped design and upgraded specifications. This model has an L-shaped camera, a punch-hole display and a hoard of other upgrades. Furthermore, it also comes with features such as Multi-turbo mode, AR stickers and Voice Changer.
Vivo V17 Overview
The device has a 6.44-inch E3 Super AMOLED iView display (Vivo’s fancy name for punch-hole display). The supported resolution on the device is 1080 x 2400 pixels. A major focus has been given to the display as the panel also has a 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut. Moreover, the panel filters out 42 percent blue light and there’s a low brightness anti-flicker technology. This tech offers added protection in dark.
Vivo V17 has a quad-camera setup on the back. As mentioned above, the cameras are arranged in an L-shape. The primary lens in the rear cam is a 48MP sensor. The setup is completed by an 8MP secondary sensor, a 2MP sensor for bokeh and another 2MP macro lens. On the front, the device has a 32MP selfie shooter housed inside the punch-hole.
There are some preloaded features on the camera too. The inclusion of Super Night Mode, Ultra Stable Video, portrait bokeh, portrait light effects and many more will certainly help users capture magnificent photos.
Under the hood, Vivo V17 runs on the Snapdragon 675 SoC. The RAM option that you get is of 8GB and the onboard storage is of 128GB. Besides that, the smartphone runs on a 4,500mAh battery with 18W fast charging done via Type-C port.
Vivo V17 will go on sale from the 17th of December. The device is priced at $324 and will be available in two colors- Midnight Ocean and Glacier Black.
V17 might not launch in Nepal though, as Vivo will be launching similarly priced Vivo S1 Pro in markets like Nepal, Srilanka, and Bangladesh. Vivo V17 might be exclusive to India, as seen with U and Z-series.
E-commerce has taken the world by storm. Buying stuff at the comfort of your house from a great selection of products has substantially made our lives easier. And in the context of Nepal, Daraz has been the frontrunner for the biggest e-commerce platform in the country. Owned by the Chinese behemoth Alibaba, Daraz has been successful in garnering the local’s attention through its discounts/offers, interactive app & website, exclusive sales day, aggressive promotion, and many more. The company’s annual 11.11 Sales Day successfully concluded its second venture last month. And now, Daraz is gearing up for its end-of-the-year 12.12 sales event. Let’s take a closer look.
Daraz 12.12 Sales Highlights
As with most of Daraz’s events, the 12.12 Sales will bring special offers on a variety of electronic products from smartphones to TVs. Though we haven’t got the word on exactly which products will get special deals, we know that smartphones from OnePlus, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo will be the one to look out for on this event.
Moving on to the household electronics, you’ll also find attractive deals on Samsung’s TVs, washing machines, etc. Of course, there’ll be attractive price drops and schemes on other assorted products as well, but these are the ones we’re psyched about.
Emphasis on Daraz app
After its acquisition by Alibaba, the Daraz app is now far more feature-rich and interactive. You can do a lot of things on the app like play games, that you can’t on the website. Therefore, Daraz is pushing towards app-based users to site-based users. Since it is quite easier to use as well, we too recommend you browse Daraz via the app rather than the website.
Digital Payment
Here, Daraz is also trying to lure its customers to use digital payment instead of the traditional cash-on-delivery approach. This time, the company has collaborated with 5 banks (Siddhartha, Sunrise, Machhapuchchhre, Global IME, and NMB) as its payment partners. Using these banks’ debit/credit card, provided that your card is activated before 12.12, you are eligible to receive an additional discount of up to 15% (max Rs. 1500).
Daraz 12.12 Promotional Activities
As an effort to promote the 12.12 Sales, Daraz is introducing two new fun events inside the Daraz app (what did I tell you about the emphasis on the app). Let’s see what they are:
1 Rupee Game
The first of the lot is conveniently named the “1 Rupee Game”. Under this, Daraz assigns a different prize each day until December 12. Using the voucher code “1RUPEE”, the prize item’s price will drop to Re. 1 and you can make the order to be the potential winner. However, Daraz is further encouraging you to trust you with its PCI-compliant secure payment platform, as you must use the card payment option on your checkout to be eligible to enter the contest.
Mission 12.12
The next promotional activity for the 12.12 Sales is called “Mission 12.12”. Your mission, should you accept it, will include a total of 12 distinct challenges updated every day. After completing these tasks like opening the app, following brands, etc., you can win rewards from multiple brands like Sony, Timberland, Titan, etc. To follow the track of your mission, you’ll be required to enter the email address associated with the Daraz account.
The Extras
Furthermore, Daraz is offering free shipping on select products during the 12.12 Sales day. It’s not much, but still. There is still the “Daraz Saathi” offer where you can earn vouchers for referring other users.
We’ll keep you updated with all the best deals you can get on the Daraz 12.12 Sales day as they unfold. So stay tuned for more details and news regarding the Daraz 12.12 sales day!
It’s been over 6-months OnePlus launched the OnePlus 7 Pro. And with the Oneplus 8 on the horizon, Oneplus is offering a huge price discount on the Oneplus 7 Pro in Nepal. On top of that, Oneplus is also providing 1-year mobile insurance.
Oneplus 7Overview
The OnePlus 7 Pro was released in May of 2019. The device has a tall 6.67-inch screen with a 90 Hz AMOLED panel, QHD resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection, and HDR 10+ certification. The 7 Pro is going for smoothness, as the 90 Hz display will load up images and videos a lot smoother, and the same will apply for scrolling.
The OnePlus 7 Pro has curved displays on the sides and a bezel-less design. The phone has a glass back, and there is an under-display optic fingerprint scanner inside the device.
The phone has achieved a bezel-less display due to the pop-up selfie camera. The 16-megapixel selfie snapper is motorized, and rises from the top of the phone, leaving room for an unobstructed display.
On the rear lie triple lenses – a 48-megapixel primary lens (Sony IMX586), a 16-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens. OnePlus has recently come under scrutiny as reviewers have found out that this device doesn’t have a 3x optical zoom like the company had boasted. Instead, there is a 2.2x optical zoom.
Under the hood, the OnePlus 7 Pro is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor aided by Adreno 640 GPU. The device is available in three RAM variants – 6 GB, 8 GB, and 12 GB. For storage purposes, the 6 GB and 8 GB versions have 128 GB of internal memory while the 12 GB comes with 256 GB of ROM.
The phone comes pre-loaded with Android v9.0 Pie with OxygenOS out of the box which provides a near-stock experience. The OnePlus 7 Pro comes with a 4,000 mAh battery which is supported by the company’s 30W Warp Charge fast charging technology.
OnePlus 7 Pro Price in Nepal and it’s Availability
The OnePlus 7 Pro base variant (6 + 128 GB) is now available at Rs. 75,000 in Nepal. Similarly, the 8/256GB version is priced at Rs. 90,000 and the highest-end with 12GB RAM is at Rs. 99,000.
Chinese telecommunication manufacturer Huawei has been in hot water for some time now. Because of the trade dispute with the US government, it hasn’t been quite able to make a dent on the global market in recent times, though the business is booming on the homeland. But for how long, eh? Whether you support or despise Huawei, you gotta admit; the company makes damn good products and not just smartphones mind you. Its smartwatches are pretty noteworthy as well. The Huawei Watch GT 2 is the successor to last year’s Huawei Watch GT, which brings a few improvements but carries a higher price tag. It is now available for purchase via Daraz or offline stores in Nepal. Let’s find out more.
Huawei Watch GT 2 Overview
On the global market, the Huawei Watch GT 2 is available in two case sizes: 46mm and 42mm on multiple editions. However, the only variant available in Nepal right now is the 46mm Classic Edition so I’ll be talking about that throughout this article.
Design & Display
Not much has changed design-wise on the Watch GT 2. It comes on the same circular stainless steel frame and a ceramic back with two clicky buttons on the side.
The watch’s dimension, however, is slightly smaller now than the earlier generation and thus weighs a little less as well. And for that luxury smartwatch experience, the Watch GT 2 boasts a premium brown leather strap alongside the 5ATM water resistance.
Moving on to the display, there’s the identical 1.39 OLED touch-screen display with 454 x 454 resolution and a solid 326PPI. It gives off accurate colors and the outdoors-visibility shouldn’t be a problem as well since the Watch GT 2’s display gets fairly bright as well.
Performance
The Huawei Watch GT 2 comes packing the company’s own Kirin A1 SoC and runs on the Lite OS. It features Bluetooth 5.1 for better connectivity. While you could only get call notifications on the previous Watch GT, the GT 2 now has a built-in microphone and speaker and thus supports call receiving up to 50m distance. Moreover, you can also play music on this smartwatch. Also making a jump is the watch’s memory. The Watch GT 2 has 32MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage.
Time to get to the sensors. This smartwatch has almost all the sensors you’d hope for in one of its kind from the accelerometer, gyro, optical heart rate, etc. All of these are packed into a circular module underneath the watch with a slight bump. Huawei has been nailing the GPS tracking on its wearables and the Watch GT 2 should perform accordingly too.
Coming to fitness tracking, the Watch GT 2 makes great use of its sensors for accurate fitness data. Huawei’s TruSleep (sleep monitoring), TruRelax (stress monitoring), TruSeen (heart-rate monitoring), calorie counter, etc. provide you with your fitness statistics, all on a neatly organized UI. You can also view notifications for messages, emails, or any other app directly into the smartwatch.
Battery
Well, there’s a slight improvement in the battery as well. The original Watch GT had an impressive 420 mAh cell which as the company claimed could potentially last up to 2 weeks. Huawei has bumped the battery to a 455 mAh one on the new Watch GT 2 which theoretically should last longer but in the end, it all depends on how you use it. The company still promises a 2-week battery which doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade from the predecessor. However, the Huawei Watch GT 2’s battery life is miles ahead of the mainstream smartwatches from companies like Apple and Samsung.
Conclusion
All in all, the Huawei Watch GT 2 is a great smartwatch for the price. You get all the fitness tracking features with the battery that’ll easily last you a week or two. Its design is something to admire as well with the premium leather strap and the visual aesthetics of a classic watch.
Huawei Watch GT 2 Specifications
Dimensions: 1.81L x 1.81W x 0.42D
Weight: 41gm (w/out strap)
Body: Stainless Steel Frame, Ceramic Back
Display: 1.39-inches OLED panel (46mm Series)
Resolution: 454 x 454 pixels; 1:1 aspect ratio; 326 PPI
Control: Up/Down Buttons, Slide & Touch gestures
Battery: 455 mAh Li-Ion cell
Charging Time: < 2 hours
Battery Life: 2 weeks (*theoretical)
Memory: 32MB RAM / 4GB Internal Storage
Chipset: Huawei Kirin A1
OS: Huawei Wearable Platform (Lite OS)
Water Resistance Level: 5 ATM (50m/160ft)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1 (2.4GHz), NFC (China only), GPS with GLONASS/GALILEO
The Watch GT 2 is officially launched in Nepal for a price of Rs. 28,405. It is available through various offline stores or online via Daraz. If you’re in the market for a premium smartwatch in Nepal, the Huawei Watch GT 2 is a no-brainer.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus and Note 10 is one of the latest flagship smartphones in Nepal. According to Samsung, these phones have exceeded expectations in Nepal and is the highest-selling Note devices in Nepal. Now, in a bid to make the Galaxy Note 10 in Nepal more lucrative, Samsung Nepal is offering some price drop including 51% off on its Galaxy Buds if you purchase Note 10 or Note 10+. With the discount, you can redeem the Galaxy Buds at a bargain price of just Rs. 6,999.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 & Note 10+ Overview
At first glance, both the devices, baring their sizes, seem similar. However, they do have some differences. And that’s an obvious cause without any change what would have been the point of launching Note 10+ anyway?
Display
The smaller ones of the bunch, the Galaxy Note 10 sports a modest 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED display featuring Full-HD+ resolution. The Note 10+, on the other hand, flaunts a mighty 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display. Unlike the Galaxy Note 10, the Plus variant boasts a sharper display with Quad-HD+ resolution. With 1308 nits of brightness, Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ has the brightness display on any smartphone. Apart from that, Note 10+ also managed to match or set 13 records on the DisplayMate platform.
Cameras
Talking about the cameras, both the devices have a triple camera setup on the back. It includes a 12MP primary lens, 16MP ultra-wide lens, and a 12MP telephoto lens. The Plus variant also comes with a ToF sensor. So apart from taking amazing portrait images, you can also perform AR (Augmented Reality) related activities. Although the triple-lens setup is barely different from the Galaxy S10/S10+, the image processing has enhanced greatly on the device. That’s why the Note 10+ is ranked as one of the best on DxOmark website.
As for the front camera, they feature a 10MP dual-pixel selfie shooter inside the punch hole upfront. 4k videos at 60fps and 4k videos at 30fps are the respective video recording capabilities for the front and the rear camera.
Performance
Powering the device is an Exynos 9825 SoC. As far as the RAM is concerned, the smaller Note comes 8GB of RAM, whereas the Note 10+ gets a whopping 12GB of RAM. Storage-wise, both the devices come with 256GB of onboard memory. But you get an extra SD card slot with the Note 10+ to expand things even further. SD card is missing only on the smaller Note. However, both of the devices lack a 3.5mm headphone jack, which may not please the audiophiles.
Battery
Talking about the battery, Galaxy Note 10 Plus is equipped with a humongous 4300mAh battery. Note 10 places itself on the modest side with a smaller 3500mAh unit. Both of the devices come with a 25-watt fast charger inside the box. However, you can also use a 45-watt fast charger to speed up the charging speed of the Note 10+. You can also charge the device wirelessly at 15-watt.
S-pen, the biggest highlight on the Note devices, this time comes with an in-built gyroscope with which users can give air gestures to trigger certain features on the device.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]
The price of Galaxy Note 10 is Rs.111,399 for the 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage variant. Similarly, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ price in Nepal is Rs. 129,599 for the 12GB RAM, 256GB storage variant. Samsung Nepal is offering 51% off on the Galaxy Buds if you get the Note 10 or Note 10+
Xiaomi Redmi 8 and Redmi 8A are two new budget phones that recently launched in Nepal. The Redmi 8A is priced at Rs. 12,000 for the 2+32GB variant, while the 3+32GB costs Rs. 13,000. However, the Redmi 8 is only available in 4+64GB configuration and is priced at Rs. 15,000. Looking at other budget phones under Rs. 15,000 in Nepal, these are crazy pricing even by Xiaomi’s standard. But how good are these new phones in real life? Let’s find out in the review here.
RAM: 2/3/4GB RAM with 32/64GB storage, expandable up to 512GB with microSD (dedicated)
OS: Android 9.0 (Pie) with MIUI 11
SIM: Dual SIM (nano + nano)
Rear Camera: 12MP rear camera with LED flash, Sony IMX363 sensor, 1.4μm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture, 6P lens, Dual PD autofocus, secondary 2MP depth camera (on Redmi 8)
Front Camera: 8MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture, 1.12μm pixel size
Security: Fingerprint sensor (on Redmi 8), Face unlock
Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
Battery: 5000mAh with 18W fast charging (10W charger inside the box)
Considering their price, I am really impressed with its look and feel. Although you get a plastic back on the cheaper Redmi 8A, the design is minimalistic and the hands-on feel is good too. Moreover, the red variant that we reviewed looks elegant to the eyes.
The Redmi 8, on the other hand, has a glass back (Gorilla Glass 5 front and back). With the curved edges, it feels even premium than last year’s Redmi Note 7 Pro, though the frame is still plastic. Additionally, the Redmi 8 is a little heavy because of its glass materials. Both these phones have 5000mAh battery, so they are on a heavier and thicker side.
Battery Life
Both the Redmi 8 and Redmi 8A, as mentioned earlier, sport a 5000mAh battery. It will typically last 2 days for a moderate user. But since I am a heavy user, it gave me a day and a half, which is great endurance for a phone that costs less than Rs. 15,000.
Xiaomi has also included a Type-C port here and both of these phones support 18W quick charging. However, you don’t get a fast charger out of the box, but even the iPhone 11 that costs like 10 times more than these doesn’t provide one, so I don’t think you can complain.
But, if you are buying these phones, do get yourself an 18W charger since both these devices have a big battery. With the inbuilt charger, it will take over 3 hours to charge, but an 18W charger, it’s significantly faster at 2 hours.
Display
Now, what’s standard on these phones is its display. You get a 6.2-inch HD+ panel, an IPS one with a trendier 19:9 aspect ratio. There’s a tiny notch on the top and a big bezel on the bottom.
Considering the price, the quality of the display panel is fine. They have fairly good colors, it’s moderately bright and most importantly the touch response is swift.
For protection, Xiaomi has included Gorilla Glass 5 in its display, and a P2i coating that makes the phone splash-resistant.
Cameras
Both the Redmi 8 and 8A shares the same camera sensor – the Sony IMX 363. And while Xiaomi advertises these phones to have the same sensor as last year’s Google Pixel 3, the results are on a whole different spectrum.
The Pixel Visual core (a dedicated image processor) and the software optimization is what makes Pixel camera’s great. And since both of these are lacking in Redmi 8 & 8A, the images are just about average.
The camera struggles to lock focus at times, and HDR images take some time to process. But once you past these 2 factors, the images are okay, and if you have the right exposure of light, images are surprisingly better. The night time images are grainy and void of details. There’s no night mode too.
Xiaomi Redmi 8 Back Camera Samples
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Both the Redmi 8 and 8A also support portrait mode, but since only the former has a dedicated depth sensor, it does a better job. And like the normal images, the portrait images are also hit-or-miss. If you are in the right position with uniform light, I must say some of the portraits look promising.
Portraits (Redmi 8 Vs Redmi 8A)
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Redmi 8
Redmi 8A
Redmi 8
Redmi 8A
Selfies also share the same story: Good if you have good lights and steady hands. You also get Portrait mode, which does an okay job.
Redmi 8 Front Camera Samples
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Normal
Normal
Portrait
Performance & Software
The one compromise that Xiaomi arguably has done with the Redmi 8A and Redmi 8 is the performance. They are powered by Qualcomm’s entry-level chipset, the Snapdragon 439. In comparison, there’s no upgrade from Redmi 7A to Redmi 8A, and surprisingly there’s a downgrade coming from Redmi 7 to 8. The Redmi 7 has a much faster Snapdragon 632.
However, Xiaomi says consumers who buy budget phones prioritize more on other features like Bigger Display, more storage, and better cameras.
Anyways, the performance with the Snapdragon 439 is not all bad. Since these phones are intended for first time smartphone users, they will not feel slow. Multitasking 2-3 light apps are achievable, but the opening of apps especially those heavy ones will take some time to open though.
With the new MIUI 11, the icons and notification panel look more minimalistic and I like the fact that both these phones have already received MIUI 11.
MiUI 11
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Moving on, the Gaming Performance is not bad either. Light Games have no problem whatsoever, and even graphics demanding games like PuBG are playable in the lowest of settings.
Extras:
You get a fingerprint scanner on the Redmi 8 which is as fast as a much expensive Redmi Note 8 Pro. The 8A lacks a fingerprint scanner, so you have to do away with a face unlock.
There’s bottom fire speaker on both of these phones and they are fairly loud, but dynamic range isn’t that great as expected on a budget phone.
Conclusion:
The Redmi 8 and Redmi 8A are the best budget smartphones at their respective price brackets. They offer good design, excellent battery life, Type-C port with fast charging feature, plenty of storage, and a trendier 19:9 display. The only aspect that could have been better is the “choice of chipset”, although the ones included aren’t all bad either.
The rumors had been making rounds for a few months now. There were multiple leaks and teasers, but no-one quite knew what the new Huawei nova series would bring to the market. Well, the rumors have finally been put to rest. Yes, Huawei after all these months of teasing has finally launched its Nova 6 series.
This new range consists of three phones – Nova 6/5G, Nova 6 and the Nova 6 SE. And undoubtedly the star among these three will be the nova 6 5G variant. It has a very capable triple camera array, a punch-hole display and runs on Kirin 990 chipset. Add to that the 5G capabilities and bam you get a great flagship smartphone.
As for the Nova 6, non 5G variant, it will have a smaller battery and as the name suggests it won’t support 5G connectivity. The final entry in the series, the Nova 6 SE is basically a mid-range smartphone.
Huawei Nova 6 and Nova 6 5G overview
Both the variants barring the battery size and 5G capabilities are identical to each other. They have a 6.57-in IPS LCD display panel. The display supports FHD+ resolution and the screen has an oval punch-hole cut into it. The same punch-hole houses the dual selfie cameras. The primary lens is a 32MP shooter whereas the other is an 8MP ultra-wide lens.
On the right side of the device, you get a fingerprint sensor and power button combo button. And on the back, as mentioned above is a triple camera array. It has a 40MP main camera. An 8MP telephoto lens with OIS and an 8MP ultra-wide lens completes the rear camera setup.
The device runs on the flagship-level Kirin 990 chipset. On the 5G variant, you also get an added Balong 500 5G modem. The standard RAM capacity for both the devices is of 8 GB. However, you do get the option to choose between the storage capacity. You can either get a 128GB variant or the 256GB variant.
The battery is the other aspect that differentiates nova 6 5G from the standard nova 6. The 5G variant comes with a 4200mAh battery whereas the standard one has a slightly less 4100mAh battery. However, both of them do come with 40W Huawei SuperCharge support.
CPU: 2 x Cortex-A76 2.86 GHz + 2 x Cortex-A76 2.09 GHz + 4 x Cortex-A55 1.86 GHz
GPU: ARM Mali-G76MP16
NPU: Big Core + Tiny Core NPUs (Neural-network Processing Unit)
Memory: 8GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB storage
OS: Android 10 with EMUI 10.0.1
SIM: Dual SIM
Back Camera: 40MP RYYB camera with f/1.8 aperture, 8MP f/2.4 aperture 120° ultra wide-angle lens, 8MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture AF OIS, 3x optical zoom
Front Camera: 32 front camera with f/2.0 aperture, 8MP secondary camera with f/2.2 aperture, 105° ultra wide-angle lens
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Audio: USB Type-C Audio
Dimensions: 162.6m x 75.7 x 8.56mm
Weight: 197gms
Connectivity: 5G SA/NSA (Optional), Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS (L1+L5 dual frequency), NFC, USB Type-C
Battery: 4100mAh battery for 4G / 4200mAh for 5G with 40W super Fast charging
Huawei Nova 6 SE
The third offering in the Nova 6 series is the Nova SE. Basically, a mid-range smartphone with a 6.4-inch LCD display panel. It too supports FHD+ resolution and has a punch-hole display. However, the cutout only has a single 16MP selfie shooter. The fingerprint sensor placement is similar to the standard nova 6.
As for the rear, it has a quad-camera setup on the back. The primary sensor is of 48MP. Along with that are an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. The Kirin 810 processor is used on this device. It has the same RAM offering of 8GB, however, there is only one storage option – 128GB available. And as for the battery, this one has a 4200mAh battery that also supports Huawei SuperCharge.
HUAWEI Nova 6 SE Specifications
Display: 6.4-inch Full HD+ IPS 2.5D curved glass
Chipset: Kirin 810
CPU: 2 x 2.27GHz Cortex-A76 + 6 x 1.88GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU: ARM Mali-G52 MP6 GPU
Memory: 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, expandable memory up to 256GB with Huawei NM memory card
OS: Android 10 with EMUI 10.0.1
SIM: Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / NM card)
Back Camera: 48MP rear camera with Sony IMX586 sensor, f/1.8 aperture, 8MP Ultra Wide Angle lens with f/2.4 aperture, 2MP camera for macro and 2MP for depth sensing with f/2.4 aperture
Front Camera: 16MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture
Security: Side-mounted Fingerprint sensor
Dimensions: 159.2 x 76.3 x 8.7mm
Weight: 183gms
Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 5 LE, GPS, USB Type-C
Battery: 4200mAh battery with 40W HUAWEI Super fast charging
HUAWEI Nova 6 5G, Nova 5, Nova SE Pricing and Availability
The devices will be available for sale from 12th December in China. Price for the Nova 6 5G 8/128Gb variant and 8/256GB variant are $540 and $595 respectively. The standard Nova 6 with 8/128GB configuration is priced at $454. And as for the Nova SE, it will cost you $315.
Making its surprise debut during the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, Motorola has launched its newest mid-range device – the Motorola One Hyper. Packing a tantalizing design and a sweet camera setup, this phone looks to cater to the camera-hungry audiences. Though it doesn’t come with the most fitting of the processors, the Motorola One Hyper is an interesting mid-ranger, to say the least.
Motorola One Hyper Specifications
Body: 6.37 x 3.02 x 0.35 inches; 200 gm
Display: 6.5-inches “Total Vision” IPS LCD panel
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 19:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 675; 11nm Mobile Platform
Starting with the design, the Motorola One Hyper comes with a unique design than the rest of Motorola One phones or any other phones from the company in that matter. Though the build material is still plastic, the phone doesn’t look cheap or gimmicky. It has a subtle 3D curved design for an easy grip on the hands. In its initial launch in the US, the One Hyper will be available only in the “Deepsea Blue” color, though there are “Dark Amber” and “Fresh Orchid” variants coming as well.
The display here is a 6.5-inch “Total Vision” LCD panel (yeah, not AMOLED) with an impressive 90% screen-to-body ratio. You’d think that number would be a little higher since Motorola has gone with a pop-up camera mechanism here, but is a slightly bigger bezel on the bottom.
Welcome to 2019. A time where I’m complaining about a phone for its 90% STB ratio.
However, this is a Full-HD+ display with a 19:9 aspect ratio, so content consumption on the Motorola One Hyper should be pleasant.
Now the camera is definitely what Motorola has been hyping about on this phone. It features a 32MP pop-up selfie camera upfront, which comes with Quad-Pixel Binning technology. With this, you can get detailed 8MP images even in low-lighting situations. The front camera is also capable of slo-mo videos and other assorted camera features from Motorola.
On the back, we get a 64MP main sensor, which also comes with 16MP Qual-Pixel Binning. There is also an 8MP ultrawide lens with 118º field-of-view.
“hi-res detail, low-light brilliance”
Talking about the features, the Motorola One Hyper has “Night Vision”, “Auto Smile Capture”, “Smart Composition”, “Portraits”, “Face Beauty”, “Cinemagraph”, and other features. Videography wise, the rear camera can shoot up to 4K videos @30fps and FHD @60/30fps while the front camera can shoot FHD@60/30fps.
Performance & Memory
While the phone has an impressive camera setup and an attractive design, there’s not much to be wowed by its performance. The Motorola One Hyper is powered by the Snapdragon 675 chipset with the Adreno 612 GPU, which is a decent SoC. However, I personally don’t think it deserves to be on a phone costing $399 because the SD 675 is better suited for budget and lower mid-range smartphone.
On the memory front, there’s a single configuration only with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable internal storage. Though the phone definitely won’t hang up on you frequently, multi-tasking around heavy apps/games should definitely result in some lags or stutters.
Battery
The Motorola One Hyper is powered by a decent 4000 mAh battery and comes with 18W charging out-of-the-box. However, the phone is also capable of 45W charging via a USB Type-C PD charger or a regular 45W charging brick that you can find in the market. Motorola claims that the phone can give up to 38 hours of battery life on a single full charge.
Miscellaneous
Like every other Motorola devices, the One Hyper also runs on almost-stock Android with the latest Android 10 on board. Though it doesn’t have an official IP certification, the phone has a water-repellent design for protection against splashes and light rain.
Moreover, the circular fingerprint sensor on the back also functions as the phone’s notification light. And for you audiophiles out there, the One Hyper has Dolby Audio support for clearer and high-quality audio experience.
Motorola One Hyper Pricing & Availability
For now, the phone is only available in the US for $399. However, it will also be coming to the European and Latin American markets.
