MediTek When MediaTek launched the Helio P60 chipset as a successor to the Helio P23, it received loads of applauds from the crowd. The chipset was a capable performer in the midrange territory back then. However, Helio P70 chipset failed to bring such kind of upgrades. But to purge for the disappointments it created, MediaTek recently unveiled Helio P65. And this new chip has brought faster CPU cores along with improved AI capabilities.
This time, MediaTek has overhauled the core configuration in the Helio P65. In the Helio P60 and P70, the company used an octa-core model with four Cortex-A73 cores and four Cortex-A53 cores. But this time, MediaTek has implemented octa-core setup with two Cortex-A75 performance cores and six Cortex-A55 power-efficient cores.
According to ARM, the Cortex-A75 offers 22% beefier performance than the A73 whereas the A55 is 18% faster than the A53. This cues that the single core performance of this SoC will be better than P60 & P70 but it will still have lower multi-core performance scores.
Even on the GPU front, the company has made some changes. The Mali-G72 GPU has been replaced with less powerful Mali-G52 cores. So there can be some drop in the 3D performance. However, with the company’s CorePilot resource control system, MediaTek claims to deliver consistent performance while gaming.
Nonetheless, MediaTek toiled harder to improve its imaging prowess. The new chip has support for 48MP Quad Bayer sensors. So the ISP (Image Signal Processor) on the SoC can effectively merge multiple pixels into one to produce sharp and crisp images. The SoC also has support for dual-camera set-up consisting of two 16-megapixel sensors. Furthermore, MediaTek Helio P65 chipset is capable of reducing the Multi-Frame Noises. Other notable inclusions would be its improved depth engine to bring better Bokeh effects.
For better video recording capabilities, MediaTek has included an enhanced Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) for stable videos and Rolling Shutter Compensation (RSC) technology. This new chip also supports video recording at H.265 encoded format. However, it is still incapable of recording 4K movies. Helio P65 can only record 1080p/60 fps movies at maximum.
On the connectivity front, there is quite an upgrade from Bluetooth 4.2 to Bluetooth 5.0. MediaTek has also improved GNSS and positioning engine. So you can now expect a more accurate indoor navigation. However, there is no support for UFS storage, which is quite a bummer in 2019. The chip can only handle eMMC 5.1 storage. There is also no support for dual channel LPDDR4x RAM.
Apart from that, there is nothing much of a change while comparing it with the P60 and P70 chipsets. The same 12nm TSMC manufacturing process would be an example.
MediaTek Helio P65 Chipset Vs P60 Vs P70
SoC
Helio P65
P60
P70
Process
TSMC 12nm
CPU
4x Cortex-A75 @ 2.0 GHz
4x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0 GHz
Four Cortex-A73 @ 2.0 GHz
Four Cortex-A53 @ 2.0 GHz
4x Cortex-A73 @ 2.1 GHz
4x Cortex-A53 @ 2.0 GHz
Memory
1X LPDDR3 933MHz, 1X LPDDR4x Up to 1800MHzup to 8GB (LPDDR4x), eMMC 5.1
1X LPDDR3 933MHz, 2X LPDDR4x Up to 1800MHzup to 8GB (LPDDR4x), eMMC 5.1 / UFS 2.1
Who doesn’t love rumors? Of upcoming smartphones, that is. And the rumors surrounding Xiaomi’s new smartphone lineup are fascinating, to say the least. Xiaomi is now going to launch its third smartphone in its MI lineup, dubbed CC. Strange name, if you ask me, but that CC stands for a number of things. And the first phone from that lineup will be called the Xiaomi Mi CC9, and it will debut with a lighter version, the Xiaomi Mi CC9e.
This comes after Xiaomi bought another mobile manufacturer, called Meitu last year. So, we were expecting some kind of new smartphones, but an entire lineup? Anyway, the CC9 will be focusing more on the aesthetics and camera aspects. So, needless to say, its target audience are the “cool” and “trendy” youngsters.
The intriguing thing is, while the CC in the name stands for Colorful and Creative, it can also mean a different number of things. Because even Xiaomi’s official photos teasing the devices show a lot of monikers. For instance, it can be Curious & Creative, Challenge & Carry on, Camera Clicks and so on… The phone is developed by the Chic and Cool 90 team, so, that is another full form in itself.
The Xiaomi CC series will feature two phones when it first comes out on July 2 – a Xiaomi CC9 and a lighter CC9e.
Xiaomi Mi CC9 and CC9e
One of the strangest names for a smartphone, the Xiaomi Mi CC9 (the ‘9’ stands for 9 years of the company), sounds like a very exciting device if we go by the rumors. Since the primary focus is the aesthetics and camera, maybe the phones won’t be very powerful. But some rumors suggest it might feature the new Snapdragon 730 chipset. Of course, as far as rumors go, other rumors suggest it will feature the flagship chip, Snapdragon 855! We’re all waiting to see about that. Other specs leaks suggest it will have a 6.39″ Full HD+ display, and a 4000 mAh battery.
However, the sure shot thing is that the CC9 will come with a motorized flip camera, just like the ASUS Zenfone 6. The only difference is it will have triple cameras on it, and since it’s a flip camera, the selfie camera will be the same. The only photos that have leaked of the device are in the Prism White color, which looks very classy and cool! Hey… I got another full form of it! 😛
Anyway, the lighter variant, Xiaomi Mi CC9e will have the standard phone design of 2019. That is a triple camera setup at the back and a water-drop notch up front. Also, the camera setup will comprise of a 48 MP primary lens, an 8 MP secondary and a 5 MP tertiary lens. And judging by the current trends, we can be pretty sure the additional lenses are an ultra-wide and a depth sensor. In addition, it will feature a smaller 5.97″ Full-HD+ display, a Snapdragon 710 chipset, and a 3500 mAh battery.
That is all we know about the phones, so far. The info leaks are pretty tight, and we can’t be sure if all the rumors will hold up. These phones will launch in China, on July 2 first. But there is no word of launch outside China yet.
Samsung’s Galaxy A series proved to be a kind of a gold mine. With 10 iterations of it this year alone, it got quite the popularity. From a budget phone like the Galaxy A10 to the fancy motorized camera phone like the Galaxy A80, the A-series has it all. While we already covered it’s sliding and rotating cameras here, some new information about the device has surfaced. Here’s what we know so far about the new Samsung Galaxy A90, which could also be a part of the new Galaxy R-series! Wonder what that’s all about…
Samsung Galaxy A90 Rumors
Snapdragon 855
The Galaxy A80 had a Snapdragon 730in it, and if you want to build a more powerful phone, where do you go? Flagship standard, of course, So, rumors claim it will get the flagship grade Snapdragon 855 processor. If this pans out, it could quite be the first non-flagship Samsung phone to feature a flagship chipset. Also, this is a major reason why this has a higher chance of not panning out. Again, Samsung has changed its strategies to drastic extents in its smartphone division this year, so fingers crossed.
The other part of this story comes in the form of 5G. Yes, this could very well be Samsung’s third (or second, depends on how you look at it) phone to feature the new cellular connectivity. Now, Samsung was rumored to launch an affordable 5G enabled smartphone, and going by the present situation, this could be it. Although calling this affordable is kind of an understatement.
Triple Cameras
Moving on, the Samsung Galaxy A90 gets a total of three cameras. Of course, that’s nothing new at this point of time, and since it will employ the same kind of mechanism as the A80, you can say it will have triple cameras at the front, too. Among the three cameras we can either get a 48MP + 12MP + 5MP combination for the SM-A905 or 48MP + 8MP + 5MP for the SM-A908. The latter is the 5G version while the former is the regular 4G model.
And yeah…there is something called the Tilt OIS, which by the looks of it is a form of Optical Image Stabilization, but for now, we’re as clueless about it as you are.
Finally, here’s a rundown of the rest of the specs. It will get a 6.7-inch display, most probably a Full-HD but could also be a Quad-HD, as a part of the ongoing trend. There will also be an in-display fingerprint built into it. And that’s all what we know about this phone at present. The phone should be launching soon enough, but until then, it remains as one of the most exciting leaks from Samsung.
According to Realme India’s CEO Madhav Sheth, Realme is currently working on a phone that houses a whopping 64-megapixel rear camera, and that’s just the primary camera.
Madhav Sheth shared a picture on Twitter which clearly mentions that this new device will come with the 64-megapixel lens. The post also talks about the device being a ‘premium killer’. So, just like Redmi, it looks like Realme is also setting a foot in the flagship territory.
The 64-megapixel snapper has a large 1/1.72″ sensor which results in 1.6µm pixel images. This setup will definitely help with low light, as the large sensor will capture in more light.
Working on the new premium killer! Introducing world’s first smartphone camera with 64MP GW1 largest 1/1.72” sensor and mega 1.6µm pixel with amazing clear shots in low light too. RT if you want to see more “knockout” shots. #DareToLeappic.twitter.com/D54xNFdaVm
The camera is made by Samsung, and it works by using the pixel binning method. The 48-megapixel camera on the OnePlus 7 Pro, Redmi Note 7 Pro, etc. use the pixel binning method that outputs images in 12-megapixel. So, for the 64-megapixel images, the Tetracell sensor outputs the pictures in 16-megapixel.
Also, the same picture shared by Madhav Sheth also suggests the phone to feature a quad camera setup. This setup could feature a primary, a wide-angle, a depth sensor and a zoom lens. But this is a speculation, and the final product might have different lenses.
When it comes to the budget segment in smartphones, companies like Xiaomi, Realme, and Samsung are doing really well. And honestly, in the budget segment, Vivo is never the first choice for tech enthusiasts like us. It’s primarily of two reasons: low-res display and low-end processor. So, today I have got the new Vivo phone, the Vivo Y17, and yes it has a low-res display and a low-end processor. But, it does come with triple cameras and a huge battery. So, with these two USPs at the helm, should you really choose the Vivo Y17 over other phones? Let’s find that out in this Vivo Y17 review.
Vivo Y17 Specifications
Display: 6.35″ IPS LCD with HD+ resolution (720 x 1544 pixels), 19.3:9 aspect ratio
The first thing you notice on the Y17 is the design. This dark bluish color is something I’m really a fan of, and if you look even closer, you can see the textured finish inside. It’s not as prominent as the textures on other phones, but this design has certainly made the phone shine. And speaking of shine, the golden bordering around the camera bulge really makes the design of this phone stand out from the rest.
However, Vivo has taken the route of a polycarbonate back which was expected from the Y17, because the more expensive sibling, the V15 Pro, doesn’t have a glass body.
Another thing I am not a fan of is this feel on the hand. It’s probably due to the large battery it has inside, but the phone is crude. It feels larger than it is, and maybe Vivo could have polished the phone a little more.
On the right side of the device lie the three buttons, and they are placed ergonomically, the power button is on the middle, and the volume rockers right above it. I did miss the tactility of a metallic frame though, as these plastic buttons feel quite cheap.
On the bottom, it has a little chunk of a chin, as I said before. On the bottom lies a speaker grill, a headphone jack, and a MicroUSB. Come on Vivo, we are in 2019, maybe its time you add in a Type-C port.
Display
The Y17 has one major compromise for the price it has and that’s the display. The display is big with a tiny notch, but it’s only an HD+ resolution. This yields in a very low pixel density of 268 PPI. And if you are someone coming from FullHD display, you will be disappointed while watching Videos. You will feel the lack of sharpness right away.
But if you are someone coming from HD display, well, you might not feel that much of a difference, because the colors on this one are actually good. But again, if you are paying upwards of $200, you should be expecting a full HD display.
Security
I know I’ve been complaining a lot, so here are some positives. The fingerprint is really fast, and its placement is good too. I have read a few comments from users complaining about having to stretch to reach it, but I haven’t really had that issue as everything is just under my fingers’ reach and this phone even received an update that improved the unlocking experience. The other security option, Face unlock is fast too just the way you expect a Vivo phone to do.
Battery
The dual-engine fast charging the charger of this device offers is great. There is a 5,000 mAh battery inside this phone, and the charger charges up 60% of the battery in an hour which is awesome! Oppo, Vivo and OnePlus do well when it comes to fast charging and the Y17 is no slouch. And this was necessary as the phone has 5000 mAh battery.
Vivo doesn’t show screen-on-time on its phones. Nonetheless, I got around one and a half to 2 days of battery life on the phone. On a day when I used the phone nearly 7-8 hours, I ended up with 50% of charge, and that’s why this phone here is a battery champ and a phone perfect for battery hungry users.
Performance
Now, do note that I said battery hungry, not power-hungry users. And that’s because of the SoC this phone has. There is a MediaTek P35 chipset inside this phone, along with 4 GB of RAM. So, how good is the Helio P35 you ask? Just understand this way: It’s not a good performer for the price. It’s comparable with some 2 years old chipsets like Exynos 7870 and the Snapdragon 625. It’s not even comparable to Snapdragon 632 found on a much cheaper Redmi 7.
Whenever I receive a fresh set of review smartphone, the first thing I do is run benchmark tests to see how they fare. And the Y17, even with that pricing, scored nearly 88000 on Antutu. Yep, just 88.
And that same thing is seen when playing games. PubG loads up in low graphics setting, and there were stutters here and there. Asphalt 9 works nicely, but if there’s a lot of action happening, it lacks a bit of smoothness. However, Dream League Soccer is unplayable on this phone. The app becomes jittery and the whole thing slows down. And this is the reason why I won’t be recommending this phone to anyone because when you’re paying a lot for a phone, you can at least expect it to perform well, even if there has been a compromise in the optics aspect.
Camera
Let’s talk about the optics part now. There are triple rear cameras on the back of the Y17, each, obviously serving a different purpose. There is a primary, a wide-angle, and a depth sensor inside the gold lining.
While a couple of the previous Vivo phones I reviewed had a greenish tint on their photos, the Y17 has a natural tint on its images. Even the temperature is natural in the day time. There is good saturation, and the details are decent. I would have definitely liked better colors, and dynamic range, though. And like other Vivo phones, this camera also overexposes the shots at times.
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But once you enable the wide-angle lens, you will notice images with a lot of warmth. Check out some of the shots, the yellowish tint has prevailed so much that you cannot see true colors. The details aren’t good either. So, even if the primary camera does a well-enough job, you will be let down by the wide-angle camera.
Vivo Y17 Wide-Angle Camera Samples
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The third camera is a depth sensor. The background is blurred properly, although the exposure is slightly more than what I would have wanted. And it does a good job identifying the subjects too. However, if there is a strand of hair or fingers needed to be blurred, the phone finds it hard to do so. And is it just me or are the edges a little softer?
Vivo Y17 Portrait Samples
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As for the night time, well, if you have shaky hands like me, the pictures might come out with slight blur. The colors are decent, but there are little details, and there is a lot of noise on the pictures. The same goes for the wide-angle lens.
Now let’s talk about selfies now. Vivo is well-known for selfies but Y17 is not that great. I mean it is good, but with almost all manufacturers focusing on selfies, I expected better and the skin tone could have been better too. There is also a selfie portrait feature on the phone, but blurring on the edges of my head is not that great.
Vivo Y17 Front Camera Samples
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Software
Let me add another feature to something that’s not great. Now, this is my personal preference as I am oriented towards stock Android. The UI Vivo has implemented on its phone is something that I don’t like. The company did bring in a few updates like this apple-ish control center and everything, but I am not really a big fan of this. Also, if you’re in an app, and you go to recent applications, and you try to clear all apps, the app you last used won’t clear out. Weird!
But I do like the fact that there is 128 GB of memory which is expandable as well. The mono speaker lacks bass, but it is clear and fairly loud.
Conclusion
When I first got my hands on with the Y17, I knew that its specifications were below par when compared against competition. But I wanted to give this device a chance since specs aren’t everything and a lot of devices I review do better than their specs on paper.
I really liked the battery of this device, as I nearly ended two days with it. There is fast charging which is quite fast. But other than that, there is nothing outstanding about this device.
The display is only HD, the performance is average, while the competition excels in those areas. Companies like Xiaomi, Samsung and Realme are really excelling in the budget price segment, and although Vivo has tried to compete against them with the Y17’s triple cameras and large battery, the phone is overpriced for me. So, maybe a price cut of some Rs. 3-4,000 should lure future buyers.
It’s common knowledge that Samsung phones get the price drop treatment gradually. And Samsung has been dropping their phones prices in various recent offers. Even when the smartphone excise duty was cut in half, Samsung was the first company to respond. But this time, the offer is even better! As a part of the Samsung Super Cool deal, it decided to drop its flagships prices: namely, the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy Note 9!
Samsung Galaxy S10
Samsung’s 2019 flagship phone, the Galaxy S10 is one of the best flagships out there. Samsung’s flagships feature unbeatable displays, and this phone is also a very zippy performer. In addition, with One UI, the performance is further optimized. Now yes, the Exynos variant we get in Nepal do not get to that Snapdragon 855 mark in terms of benchmark scores, but it does its job very well, still.
In addition, the S10 makes a strong case for itself in terms of its compact size – something that’s just right in your hands. Furthermore, its cameras are still one of the best. The only slight problem might be its small 3400 mAh battery, but that is something that can be forgiven, given the other aspects and the recent price drop.
This phone, that used to cost Rs.1,10,900 has received Rs.17000 off! And you can get this phone now, for only Rs.93,900! Deal steal, isn’t it?
Galaxy S10 Specifications:
Design: Glass body with an aluminum frame, IP68 Dust and Water Resistant
Display: 6.1″ Dynamic AMOLED screen with Quad-HD+ resolution (1440 x 3040 pixels), Infinity-O display, HDR10+, Gorilla Glass 6
Samsung’s Note series are not for the casual ones, really. They’re more for a niche set of customers that value productivity over anything else. The Galaxy Note 9 is a similar device, designed to do more than your regular phones. With the improved S-Pen, you can do more with it, and the phone overall, is a pretty great one.
Of course, its bulky design and build might make it a bit over the top, but as I said, the phone is not really for everybody. However, its what underneath the body that takes the cake. Sure, the Snapdragon 845 is last year, but still, it does hold its own against some other phones.
And now, when you’re getting a discount of Rs.10000, why not get it? The phone which used to cost Rs.109,900 is now available for Rs.99,000!
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Specifications:
Display:6.4-inch QHD+ (1440 x 2960) Infinity display with 18.5:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection
Build: Aluminum Frame and Glass Body with IP-68 Water and Dust Resistance
Processor: Octa-Core Exynos 9810 processor with Mali-G72 MP18 GPU
RAM: 6 GB RAM with 128 GB storage, expandable memory up to 512 GB with microSD
OS: Samsung Experience UI based on Android 8.1 (Oreo)
SIM: Dual SIM (nano + Hybrid slot)
Back Camera: 12 MP primary camera with variable aperture (f/1.5 + f/2.4) and secondary 12 MP telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture with Optical Image Stabilization and Dual Pixel PDAF
Front Camera: 8 MP front-facing camera f/1.7 aperture and Auto Focus
Security: Fingerprint Sensor, Face Unlock and Iris Scanner
This Samsung Super Cool Deal comes as a Samsung’s Monsoon Offer, and Samsung is flaunting its IP68 Rating this monsoon it seems. But this might also be to make the S10 and Note 9 more competitive to the likes of OnePlus 7 Pro and the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom, which cost around Rs.90000, too!
It’s June 24th and Daraz Mobile Week 2019 started right on the schedule. And as the e-commerce giant promised, there are plenty of deals to look out in this grand online shopping event. And in the vast crowd of deals and discounts, it’s easy to get lost. So in this article, we have shortlisted the best and lucrative deals to look out in the website.
Smartphones
Even on a regular basis, Daraz brings lucrative deals on smartphones. But since its Daraz’s big day, it is offering some profitable deals, which ranges from budget phones to that flagship. And we have enlisted some of the amazing smartphone deals here.
Please note that you can get up to Rs. 5,000 off, which using the debit/credit cards from the banks like NIC Asia and Siddhartha bank. So using the cards, these amazing deals can turn absolutely irresistible.
Huawei Nova 4
Huawei Nova 4 comes with flagship-grade Kirin 970 chipset with 8GB RAM at its disposal. With this hardware setup, the phone can handle all the tasks thrown at its. There is also an appreciable 128GB of storage on the board. Another highlight of the phone is its cameras. The phone flaunts a triple camera setup at the back. There are 16MP ultra-wide-angle shooter and 2MP depth sensor alongside the 20MP main camera. And with the camera triplets out there, the handset is capable of capturing the subjects with a variety of perspectives. Apart from that, the presence of the less-obtrusive punch-hole display looks equally welcoming here.
The device was originally priced at Rs. 64,900 but in this mega event, Daraz has slashed the price by 23%. You can now purchase the device at Rs. 49,900. You can also use the voucher code “MEGA1000” during the checkout to get extra Rs. 1,000 off on the purchase.
With its plastic back, the phone may not be appealing in terms of looks. But it’s not so wise to judge a book by its cover. When peeked into its hardware, the phone doesn’t disappoint.
Pocophone F1 is a midrange phone with flagship prowess on the performance front. The phone features with the Snapdragon 845 chipset with 6GB of RAM on the board. And this hardware setup is enough to surpass all the other midrange devices in terms of performance. Even on the camera front, the handset is quite noteworthy. The device comes with Gcam support and using the app, you can capture some nifty images. With the recent software update, you can also get an option to capture 4K videos at 60fps and slow-motion videos up to 960 fps. On top of all, there is a humongous 4000mAh battery to keep the device running.
As far as price is concerned, Daraz has kept this device on its shelf labeling with the price of Rs. 32,999. But you can get Rs. 1,000 off on using the discount voucher “MW19DARAZ” on the checkout. So you can grab the Pocophone F1 just at Rs. 31,999.
Samsung Galaxy M40 made the debut in the Nepali market via Daraz. And the phone is now available for Rs. 36,190. Although Daraz says you can get extra Rs. 1,000 off using the voucher code “MEGA1000” during the check when we tried the voucher wasn’t available for the product.
The M40 comes with Snapdragon 675 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM. And it’s the least expensive phone to feature that SoC. Since the SD675 is a capable midrange processor, it can handle your daily workloads quite easily. The phone also flaunts three cameras on the back so you get quite a lot of options while capturing the images.
On to the display side, there is a 6.3-inch PLS TFT display with a hole punch cutout on the top. The punched-hole cutout accommodates a 16MP selfie shooter, which also comes into action while using the Face Unlock Feature.
Unlike its smaller siblings (Galaxy M20 & M30), the M40 features relatively smaller 3500mAh battery. Nonetheless, the phone comes with a 15-watt fast charger out of the box. The absence of 3.5mm headphone jack is quite a bummer though.
If you are looking to buy a flagship phone, you can find the best deal on the Samsung Galaxy S10. The phone was originally priced at Rs. 110,000 but in this Mobile Week, you can get it for Rs. 93,900. That’s a straight 15% chop in price. And it’s another product, where you cannot use the voucher codes to get further discounts. Nonetheless, at the new price, it’s one heck of a deal.
Even on the televisions, there are some great deals to look out. In that context, we found two televisions quite intriguing for the price. And if you choose to pay for the TV via debit/credit cards, you can get further discounts up to Rs. 2,000.
Palsonic Australia 32N1100
In this grand online shopping event, the Australian brand Palsonic also took a part. But among a handful of its televisions, the 32N1100 TV looks quite attractive for the price. Ahead of Mobile Week, the device used to cost Rs. 26,660. But in this shopping event, you can get it for just Rs. 21,540. You can get a further discount of Rs. 500 using the discount voucher “EXTRA500”.
The TV comes with a 32-inch display, which employs an A+ Grade Panel. With Full-HD resolution on the board, you can also see some sharp and crisp video contents on the device. And as the devices come with various input ports like USB, HDMI, VGA, and Antenna input ports, you can play a wide variety of contents from various devices into its screen.
If you want a big smart TV, there is the Samsung UA55NU7100 to get you fascinated. With the massive discount of 38%, the TV is now available for Rs. 114,990. Using the discount voucher “MEGA2000”, you can further manage to drop the cost by Rs. 2,000.
The TV comes with a mammoth 55-inch LED display surrounded by narrow bezels. The display on this TV is compatible with HDR contents and also features a Pixel Quality Index of 1300. So the video contents on this device look lively with punchy colors. The display on this device also flaunts ultra-HD resolution, which straightly cues to the crispy details.
Apart from that, there is a 2x 10-watt stereo speaker setup. These speakers are Dolby Digital Plus compatible, which are said to output loud and booming sound. There are also plenty of ports to get you excited.
Maybe televisions are not what they used to be. Or at least, their role in our lives have significantly decreased. Yet, nothing can beat the experience of watching your favorite show or an exciting match of football or cricket on that large screen! And currently, there are a lot of television companies in the market. Yes, brands like LG and Samsung are the top players with their premium offerings. But there are also those who strive to provide more value for money. Palsonic is one of them. And the Australian brand is now here in Nepal.
A.G.R. Industries Pvt. Ltd. is the authorized distributor of Palsonic TVs in Nepal. Apart from TVs, there are various Palsonic’s consumer electronics devices and home appliances available in Nepal. However, here, we’ll go through Palsonic TVs in Nepal and their prices. Also, note that this is the only brand in Nepal that provides a year of breakage insurance on top of the 2 years’ warranty.
Palsonic PAL-22N1100
Display: 22-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, PC Audio Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Earphone Out
Price: 15,866
Palsonic PAL-24N1100
Display: 24-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, PC Audio Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, YPbPr Input, Earphone Out
Price: 18,400
Palsonic PAL-32N1100
Display: 32-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, PC Audio Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, YPbPr Input, Earphone Out
Price: 25,333
Palsonic PAL-32QN1100
Display: 32-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, PC Audio Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, YPbPr Input, Earphone Out
Price: 26,000
Palsonic PAL-32S2100 (Smart TV)
Display: 32-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Operating System: Android 8.0 Oreo
Processor: Dual Core ( 2x Cortex A-53 @ 1.2GHz)
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Card Slot, Coaxial Out, YPbPr Input, Earphone Out
Other Features: Screen Mirroring
Price: 30,000
Palsonic PAL-32QF7000 (Smart TV)
Display: 32-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Processor: Dual Core ( 2x Cortex A-53 @ 1.2GHz)
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Card Slot, Coaxial Out, YPbPr Input, Earphone Out
Other Features: Screen Mirroring
Price: 31,333
Palsonic PAL-40QN1100
Display: 40-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, PC Audio Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, YPbPr Input, Earphone Out
Price: 37,333
Palsonic PAL-40S2100 (Smart TV)
Display: 40-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Operating System: Android 8.0 Oreo
Processor: Dual Core ( 2x Cortex A-53 @ 1.2GHz)
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Card Slot, Coaxial Out
Other Features: Screen Mirroring
Price: 44,000
Palsonic PAL-43QF7000 (Smart TV)
Display: 43-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: Full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound System
Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Processor: Dual Core ( 2x Cortex A-53 @ 1.2GHz)
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Card Slot, Coaxial Out
Other Features: Screen Mirroring
Price: 52,400
Palsonic PAL-49QX7000 (Smart 4K TV)
Display: 49-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: 4K Ultra-HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Sound: Harman Kardon Sound Bar System
Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Processor: Quad Core ( 4x Cortex A-53 @ 1.2GHz)
RAM: 1.5GB
Storage: 8GB
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Card Slot, Coaxial Out
Other Features: Screen Mirroring, Smart Floating UI
Price: 75,333
Palsonic PAL-55QX7000 (Smart 4K TV)
Display: 55-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: 4K Ultra-HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Sound: Harman Kardon Sound Bar System
Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Processor: Quad Core ( 4x Cortex A-53 @ 1.2GHz)
RAM: 1.5GB
Storage: 8GB
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Card Slot, Coaxial Out
Other Features: Screen Mirroring, Smart Floating UI
Price: 92,000
Palsonic PAL-65X1100 (Smart 4K TV)
Display: 65-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: 4K Ultra-HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Sound: Dolby Digital Sound Bar System
Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Processor: Quad Core ( 4x Cortex A-53 @ 1.2GHz)
RAM: 1.5GB
Storage: 8GB
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Card Slot, Coaxial Out
Other Features: Screen Mirroring, DVB-T/C/T2 main board
Price: 1,40,000
Palsonic PAL-65QX7000 (Smart 4K TV)
Display: 65-inch display, A+ Grade Panel
Resolution: 4K Ultra-HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Sound: Harman Kardon Speaker
Operating System: Android 5.1 Marshmallow
Processor: Dual Core (2x Cortex A-53 @ 1.5GHz)
RAM: 1.5GB
Storage: 8GB
Connectivity: Antenna Input, USB Input, HDMI Input, VGA Input, Audio (RCA) Input, Video (RCA) Input, Card Slot, Coaxial Out
Other Features: Screen Mirroring, Smart Floating UI
When Huawei announced the Kirin 710 chipset, the company promised to deliver a performance equal to the Snapdragon 710. However, the chip was only capable of competing against the Snapdragon 660, a-year old chip, by then. And the Kirin 710 was Huawei’s go to chip for almost all of their and Honor’s mid-range phones. So, when the company released the Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 810 chipset, it came as a relief to Huawei fans.
When it comes to the phone chip-sets, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors are immensely popular. The company has segregated its chipsets into budget, midrange and flagship segments. And almost all of these processors are leading their respective segments. In that run, the recently launched midrange Snapdragon 730 processor also made quite a mark in the market. It recorded a remarkable 210,052 score in AnTuTu benchmark, amazing everyone. And probably no one thought there could be a better mid-range chip. However, the Kirin 810 (used on the Huawei Nova 5) scored a whopping 237,437 score, a notable 13% performance lead over the SD730.
Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 810 chipset Overview:
The Kirin 710 was based on a 12nm fabrication technique, which made it slightly inefficient than the Snapdragon 675 (11 nm) and the SD 710 (10 nm). And the SD 730 left it far behind with its 8 nm architecture. But, Huawei after taking a long time, finally has one-upped Qualcomm by launching a 7 nm mid-range chipset. But the Kirin 810 leads not only because of its nanometer architecture.
Also, the Kirin 810 SoC houses an eight-core CPU. These cores comprise of two high-performance ARM Cortex-A76 cores, which clocks at 2.27 GHz. And the six power-efficient ARM Cortex-A55 cores tick at 1.88 GHz. With this CPU setup, the Kirin 810 promises 11% better single-core and 13% better multi-core performance than the SD730.
In addition, Huawei has replaced the Mali-G51 MP4 GPU with Mali-G52 MP6 GPU. With this new GPU, Huawei claims to deliver 162% better performance than the Kirin 710. The Mali-G52 MP6 GPU is also a better performer than the Adreno 618 on the SD730. Games and graphics contents are supposed to run with up to 44% higher frame rates.
For the AI-related tasks, Huawei has integrated DaVinci NPU, which is based on the Rubik’s Cube Quantitative Stereo Arithmetic Unit. This NPU is even said to surpass the Snapdragon 855 and MediaTek Helio P90 in the AI-related tasks. However, I have my doubts.
Apart from the AI, this NPU also helps the GPU, CPU, and memory communicate faster. It also aids other components to run more efficiently, which ensures stable performance for prolonged periods.
Furthermore, with the cameras on phones improving significantly time, Huawei has equipped the flagship-grade IVP + ISP with upgraded pixel processing unit into the new SoC. The ISP also features an improved white balance algorithm and noise reduction in RAW image processing. So it might help the cameras deliver better low-light images with sharp and noise-less details.
The SoC first made its debut through Huawei Nova 5. In the coming days, this chipset will eventually come on other mid-tier Huawei and Honor devices as well.
Huawei has a good lineup of smartphones in almost all price ranges. Their flagships like the P30 and P30 Pro are still one of the best flagships out there. And they have some good mid-rangers like the Huawei Y9 2019 and the likes. But, the most desirable of them all is their Nova series. The Nova series combines the premium look and build with enough power and an affordable price tag. But, of course, Nova series comprise of phones in all price ranges, as well. And so, Huawei Nova 5 series launched in China very recently.
The Nova 3 series, with the Nova 3 and Nova 3i were highly popular. But the Nova 4 didn’t get as much attention, probably, because there was only one variant. However, this time, the Huawei Nova 5 series brings 3 variants: the Nova 5 Pro, Nova 5 and Nova 5i.
Huawei Nova 5 Pro Overview
The Nova 5 Pro is the most premium of the three phones it’s launching. This phone carries the Nova legacy forward – to provide flagship performance in a more affordable price. So, needless to say, it features the Kirin 980 processor, and combined with 8 GB RAM, it performs as good as the flagships from Huawei.
But of course, there has to be some difference between flagships and premium mid-rangers. So, this phone comes with a 6.39″ Full-HD+ OLED screen, with a water-drop notch. It does pack a quad-camera setup at the back, but they’re not as good as the ones on the P30 Pro. The camera comprises of a 48 MP main lens, a 16 MP ultra-wide lens, 2 MP depth sensor and another 2 MP macro lens. The macro lens is a new addition, but seems redundant, because the P30 and P30 series could do it without a dedicated lens. Anyway, there’s a quad-camera setup, which counts for something. In addition, the selfie camera is a 32 MP lens.
Besides these, the Nova 5 Pro packs a large 4000 mAh battery and the flagship grade 40-Watt SuperCharge as well.
Specifications:
Display: 6.39″ OLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Rear Camera: Quad-cameras, 48 MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture with PDAF + 16 MP Ultra-wide with f/2.2 + 2 MP macro lens + 2 MP depth sensor
The Nova 5 is the middle of the line in this series. This is a different approach, because, previously, the Nova 3 and the 4 held the helm. But with the arrival of the Nova 5 Pro, it changed. Still, this phone packs the latest mid-range chipset, the Krin 810. This comes as quite a relief because Huawei had been stuck on the 710 for its mid-range phones for quite some time. The 710 showed up on almost every mid-range Huawei or Honor phone, so, this is a great relief. Also, this Kirin 810 has a significant boost over the 710 and it even outscored the Snapdragon 730, which is another good news.
Besides the new processor, the Nova 5 packs identical specs to the Nova 5 Pro – the same screen, same camera setup, same battery and everything else. But with these specs, this phone will probably lie somewhere between a mid-range device and a premium mid-range one…
Specifications:
Display: 6.39″ OLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Rear Camera: Quad-cameras, 48 MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture with PDAF + 16 MP Ultra-wide with f/2.2 + 2 MP macro lens + 2 MP depth sensor
Even with the Kirin 810 out, Huawei couldn’t let go of its ever-faithful 710 chip, it seems. Because… they still packed the chipset into the Nova 5i, which is the most affordable of the bunch. And this one has quite a few differences from the other two. For starters, there’s an IPS LCD display with a punch-hole on the left. I would’ve liked similar approaches on the Nova 5 and 5 Pro as well, but they stuck with a water-drop notch in there.
Anyway, the resolution is still Full HD+ in here. You still get the quad-camera setup with some adjustments. While the dedicated macro lens and the depth sensor stay the same, the other sensors got toned down by half. It packs a 24 MP main lens and an 8 MP ultra-wide lens. And the selfie camera is a 24 MP sensor, too. Also, the memory options rest at 6 / 8 GB with 128 GB storage. In addition, the battery is still a 4000 mAh unit, but it packs the standard 18-Watt Fast Charging instead of a SuperCharge.
So, you can say it is an aggressively mid-range smartphone with the specs it packs.
Specifications:
Display: 6.4″ IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2310 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Rear Camera: Quad-cameras, 24 MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture with PDAF + 8 MP Ultra-wide with f/2.2 + 2 MP macro lens + 2 MP depth sensor
Right now, all these phones are only available in China, where it launched. It makes sense, because, it’s the only place where the recent hurdles don’t affect the company much at all. The Nova 5 Pro starts at CNY 2,999 ($435) and CNY 3,399 ($500, 256 GB model), while the Nova 5 costs about CNY 2,999 ($435), too. The 5i starts at a very affordable price of CNY 1,999 ($290)!
Despite all of the hurdles, Huawei does plan to launch the Nova 5 Series in Nepal as well. Because the Nova 3 series did make quite a splash in here. So, it somewhat makes sense. And if you’re worried about the Android ban thing, Huawei Nepal promises to refund you fully if Google apps stop working on your Huawei phone. So, I guess, there’s nothing to worry about, really.
