Samsung Ad
Home Blog Page 683

Want to upload pictures in your PC to Instagram? Here’s how you can do it

There may be times when you find a beautiful picture on your computer and think of sharing it on your Instagram. But when you log in to your Instagram account from your PC, you see that there is no upload option available! Now you might look around for your USB cable to transfer it to your phone, or, simply leave it be as you don’t want to go through the extensive process of copying the picture on your phone. Then, you lament over the lack of options you have and decide, the picture will never be showcased to the world.

But not anymore. There are some “hacks” – don’t worry, you won’t have to hack your computer – to do this. Here, I have listed some options you can use to upload your pictures on Instagram using your PC.

Using browser developer mode

In my opinion, it is the best way to upload pictures to Instagram on PC. It does not require any kind of extensions and is relatively easy for an average PC user.

The initial step is to log in to your Instagram account using your browser then enter the browser’s developer mode. The steps to access the browser’s development mode may vary according to your browser.

Chrome: F12 or three dot menu > more tools > developer tools                                        Firefox: Three-line menu/hamburger menu > web developer > toggle tools                    Opera: Menu > developer > developer tools                                                                    Microsoft edge: F12 and then choosing emulation from the arrow pointing downwards

browser developer mode for instagram

Now that you have activated developer mode, your browser window along with Instagram should look like the one in your mobile app. As of now, you should also see some familiar signs accompanied by the plus (+) sign, if not press reload button.

Hit the plus sign and the standard File Explorer will pop up. This will allow you to choose an image or video from your PC to upload to Instagram.

Using BlueStacks Android Emulator

An Android emulator is a program that lets you run Android apps on PC. So basically, you are running the actual Instagram app on your computer.

BlueStacks is one of the most popular Android emulators available, so download and install this app on your PC. Now you can download the Instagram app to your PC using the BlueStacks access to Play Store.

Once you’ve installed the Instagram app, open it from BlueStacks home screen. From here you can follow the identical approach to uploading photos from your phone. However, Windows file explorer will pop up instead of your phone’s gallery app.

Using the Windows 10 Instagram app

Windows has an Instagram app available in the Windows store. But apparently, Instagram has restricted uploads to Windows 10 devices with touchscreens only (eg. convertibles and tablets). However, it is still possible to find and use the app’s upload functionality regardless of the screen type.

Start by searching for Instagram in the Windows 10 search bar next to the start or Windows Button. Search for Instagram in the search bar then select the new post to open a very rudimentary file picker. This doesn’t activate the Windows file explorer, however, serves up a few folders like Pictures, Downloads, Saved Pictures, Camera Roll.

Nevertheless, if you are not seeing the new post functionality when searching for Instagram in the search bar. Right-click on the app and choose pin to taskbar. Further, right-click the pinned Instagram icon and you should see new post option. Click this and you should see the aforesaid file picker which allows you to start the upload process.

However, you can only upload pictures from the default Pictures folder on C: drive. So, make sure to move your desired picture to that.

So, there you have it. Maybe you don’t really use Instagram on your PC, but hey, if you happen to find that cute photo from your DSLR in your PC, then, this is the way to go!

Facebook fined the largest amount ever for a tech company for privacy breach!

I kinda have a love-hate relationship with Facebook. I love using it but hate how it sells my data without my consent. To be honest, in the past I did not care even a bit about how my data was handled by Facebook. There was this case reported about how the company stores un-encrypted user data in its internal servers. So what? It was after all a protected server. No third-party had access to it.

However, my perspective shifted after I learned about the Cambridge Analytica scandal. It caused an uproar all over the world and Facebook was at the center of it. Turns out, millions of Facebook user’s data were passed on to Cambridge Analytica, an upstart voter-profiling company. It is believed that the data was then used to sway elections results around the world. The most notable of them was the US Presidential election of 2016.

Facebook stayed quiet about all this until a whistleblower brought light to this event to all of us. Now, almost after a year and a half long legal proceedings that included a congressional hearing, Facebook is finally set to face the repercussions of the event. The Federal Trade Commission has levied a hefty fine of $5 billion on the tech giant! The fine is set to be the biggest one to be levied on a tech company. Now it wouldn’t be fair to say that Facebook was the sole reason for how the elections panned out but one cannot deny its role in it.

What next?

Facebook pays its fine, then what? How will our data be handled from now onwards? These questions might have popped in your head and well Facebook sort of tried answering them. Ever since the scandal made headlines, Facebook has been trying to sell itself as a privacy-focused platform. Yes, it sounds laughable but it was their prime concern for the F8 developer conference too.

The tech giants announced that they will be using end-to-end encryption on its various platforms such as Messenger and Instagram. This announcement seems much clearer than the one Mark Zuckerberg gave during his congressional hearing. No one can actually say what the future holds but let’s keep occur fingers crossed and hope for the best about our data and Facebook!

Maybe after this, they’ll finally learn the lesson, and be more serious?

Honor 8s: Dual textured design but what else?

0

Honor is relatively a new brand for the Nepali smartphone market. And it has just a handful of devices in its lineup. The cheapest Honor phone available in Nepal is the Honor 8s. Let’s find out the specs, updated price, and availability of  Honor 8s in Nepal.

Honor 8s Overview:

Entry-level devices usually come with a bland and highly normal design. But Honor, unconventionally, wrapped the Honor 8s with a dual-textured back, due to which the handset looks quite striking. The body is made of plastic however, the phone doesn’t look cheap.

Going by the specs, the handset features a 5.71-inch display with a tiny notch on the top. Maintaining the standards of entry-level devices, the phone comes with HD+ resolution. The display features a notch on the top of the screen to house the 5MP selfie camera. The bezel on the bottom is more evident than on the side and it features the logo of Honor. There’s no fingerprint sensor on the device for biometrics.

On the performance front, there is Helio A22 chipset complemented with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. On top of that, you get a dedicated slot to let you expand the storage further up to 1TB.

In the lens department, the Honor 8s sports a 13MP camera module on the rear. On the front, a 5MP selfie snapper rests snuggly on the notch. Even if there is no fingerprint scanner on the phone, you can unlock the device via Face Unlock feature. In doing so, this same 5MP camera comes into action.

When it comes to the software, Honor 8s boots on Android 9 Pie out of the box. Honor has also included EMUI 9 Lite software overlay to add some flavors to native software experience. The phone is powered by a 3020mAh battery and gets a Micro USB port for charging.

Honor 8s specifications:

  • Display: 5.71-inch LCD IPS display
  • Resolution: HD+ (720 x 1520 pixels), 19:9 aspect ratio @ 295PPI
  • Chipset: MediaTek Helio A22
  • CPU: Quad-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
  • GPU: PowerVR GE8320
  • OS & UI: Android Pie (v9.0) with EMUI 9 Lite on the top
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Storage: 32GB, up to 1TB expandable storage (Dedicated SD card slot)
  • Rear Camera: 13MP, f/1.8, LED flash
  • Front Camera: 5MP, f/2.2
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity
  • Battery: 3,020mAh; Uses Micro USB Port
  • Colors: Blue, Black, Gold

Honor 8s Price in Nepal & Availability

The price of Honor 8s in Nepal is Rs 11,590 for the 2/32GB variant. The device is available through select online and offline retail shops.

Model Name Price in Nepal Available stores
Honor 8s Rs 11,590 Neoteric

At this price, going for Honor 8A Lite makes more sense as it comes with a better processor and more RAM unless you are way tight on budget.

Daraz introduces Dmart: Online shopping destination for all the household products

Daraz, the leading eCommerce platform in Nepal, is gearing up to te the absolute online shopping destination. Daraz has almost everything: from electronics like smartphones and laptops to fashion wear. And now, Daraz is adding grocery items on its shelf, with the objective to be the one-stop solution for all items. This led to the introduction of Daraz Dmart section on the website. It encompasses items like rice, dal, cereals, to your favorite snacks, beverages, skin care products, cleaning supplies, etc. So, even your daily basics are easily accessible through your fingertips.

Daraz Dmart also includes some exclusive products, exclusive deals, and certified organic products on the store. And also offers attractive discounts on some selected products, ranging from 3% to 50%. Furthermore, Dmart offers exclusive discounts on baby care products at the end of every month. You can also purchase baby care products like diapers at wholesale prices. So, it somewhat saves the hassle of visiting retail stores to get such products. Similarly, Daraz also claims the availability of STC products like salt, flour, daal, etc. at reasonable prices.

daraz dmart services

In addition to the regular grocery items, Daraz also promises to deliver a wide range of household products. Not only common ones but also those which are not usually available in local stores. In the diverse inventory of its products, users can browse through and select products from sanitary napkins, pet care items and diapers to chocolate bars. Moreover, Dmart constantly brings in new arrivals every second week of the month adding to its already diverse range of items.

After the introduction of Daraz Dmart, Jai Kavi, Managing Director of Daraz Nepal, says “The cheaper price, the great offers, along with competitive prices and delivery service are the major factors that make Dmart stand out from the rest. With new features and even greater assortments, we continue to establish Dmart as a better alternative approach to traditional grocery shopping.”

In addition, Daraz is also offering a free delivery service on the purchase of Rs. 1,500 or above. Since the household items are often bought in bulk, the service sounds reasonable. Daraz also promises to deliver the products in 24 to 48 hours for the customers inside Kathmandu valley. And for the outside valley customers, Daraz will deliver in 2-4 days .

OnePlus 7 Launched in Nepal: True Flagship Killer?

0

OnePlus’s strategy, this time around, focused mostly on the OnePlus 7 Pro. The phone launched first, before the actual OnePlus 7, and made a name for itself. But it’s price had people talking about whether it was still a flagship killer… And frankly, I thought it was not one now, either. However, maybe the OnePlus 7 is the true flagship killer? Anyways, let’s learn more about Oneplus 7 and its price in Nepal.

Oneplus 7 Overview:

OnePlus 7 is the toned-down variant of the Pro. While most of the internals remain the same, a lot of the features fall short. This makes it look like an upgraded version of the Oneplus 6T actually.

Starting off with the aesthetics, the OnePlus 7 is smaller, at 6.41″ display, with Full HD+ resolution compared to QHD of the Pro. Also, it doesn’t get the 90 Hz Fluid display of the Pro but the regular 60 Hz. However, it still features the Gorilla Glass 6 protection.

OnePlus 7T Display 2

 

Another compromise is the camera and it’s a major one! While flagships these days have a triple camera, the OnePlus 7 doesn’t. On top, its dual-camera setup comprises a primary lens and a depth sensor, which, you find on almost all kinds of smartphones these days. So, I’m not sure you can even call this a flagship phone now. In addition, it doesn’t have the fancy pop-up cameras, either. And it’s notch houses the 16 MP selfie camera, which is the same on the pop-up module, as well.

However, it doesn’t compromise on power. It rocks the Snapdragon 855 processor with two RAM variants – a 6 GB and an 8 GB model. However, you only get the 8 GB model in Nepal. Also, it features the in-display fingerprint sensor on it.

In terms of battery, it again has a smaller 3700 mAh battery and the slightly slower 20-Watt Fast Charging. OnePlus still calls it Warp Charging, but it’s not as fast as the one on OnePlus 7 Pro.

So, OnePlus 7 is a mixed bag of emotions. I’m not sure if we can call it a flagship even, and while it is a value for money device, it’s just not all the way up there.

OnePlus 7 Specifications:

  • Design: Glass body, Aluminum frame
  • Display: 6.41-inch Optic AMOLED panel with Full-HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass 6, water-drop notch
  • Rear Camera: Dual, 48 MP (f/1.7, PDAF, OIS), NightScape 2.0 + 5 MP depth sensor
  • Front Camera: 16 MP with f/2.0, Auto-HDR
  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
  • CPU: Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 485)
  • GPU: Adreno 640
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB
  • OS: Android Pie (v9.0) with OxygenOS 9.5 on top
  • Sensors: In-display Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyro, proximity, compass
  • Color Variant(s): Mirror Gray, Red
  • Battery: 3700 mAh with 20-Watt Warp Charge

OnePlus 7 Price in Nepal & Availability [Updated]

The OnePlus 7 is available in Nepal for the price of Rs.67,000. This price is for the 8GB RAM, 256GB storage variant.

Model Name Price in Nepal
Oneplus 7 (8GB,256GB) NPR 67,000

 

Buying a Graphics Card? Here are a few things you must know!

Whenever you’re buying something, it’s a good idea to have some info beforehand. This it truer in case of electronics, gadgets and computer equipment. And so, here are a few things you need to look out for before buying a graphics cards. If you don’t have a PC already – take notes. And if you already have one, this info will come in handy for your next one. After all, a GPU is an expensive investment. If you want to game and have better viewing experience, these are a must, because Intel’s Integrated Graphics are as useful as a fork to have your soup. So, here’s a simple graphics card buying guide.

For the novices, let me just clarify that there are two major (or only) players in the GPU market – AMD and NVidia. Of course, there are OEMs like Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, EVGA, Zotac and a few others, with their own GPUs. But, all of them employ the same basic chip from AMD or Nvidia. The OEMs are actually responsible for making circuit boards, cooling systems alongside to market their own products.

They are allowed to tweak the chips up to a certain extent, which is a pre-established number by the chip makers. And more often than not, AMD and Intel both commission assembly plants to create completely functioning GPUs, known as reference cards. That gives the OEMs an idea on how to power, connect and cool their chips. But the reference cards usually don’t live up to or benchmark on par with the OEM’s, but they’re still available for purchase.

With that said, here are a few things you need to consider before actually buying a new shiny GPU.

Budget

It is always a good idea to start with a budget. Set aside a maximum amount of money you can spend on this particular piece of hardware. Usually, the amount to spend should account for 35-40% of the total cost (of the PC). But that’s variable to your needs, because these cards can cost anywhere from $75 yo over $1200. So, just set up your mind on how much you can spend on a GPU, the following points should take care of the rest.

Also Read: MSI Graphics Cards Price in Nepal

Specifications

It goes without saying, the specifications of a particular graphics plays a vital role in the decision-making process. But then again, if you glance upon the spec sheet for a particular GPU, there’s always an overwhelming number of variables. Take for example this complete specs sheet for the RTX 2080 SUPER over at Nvidia’s official website. There is the GPU engine specs, memory specs, display support all way to the dimensions of the graphics card itself.

Nvidia RTX 2070 specs

This is enough for many to scratch your heads. But the good news is, you don’t need to know what each of the specs mean. All you need from the specs list is the graphics chip inside the GPU and the all the features it supports (Technology support section). For any particular chip, you can always know more about it from its benchmark charts rather than its specs sheet. So what you do here is find two graphics chips, one from AMD and one from Nvidia around your budget. Then, compare their benchmark scores and feature set.

RTX 2080 Super Feature Set

And by feature set, we mean if it supports Ray-Tracing or Nvidia’s new DLSS technology, or if it’s G-Sync compatible. You usually find these in Nvidia cards, but AMD has a different set of advantages like Radeon Image Sharpening or Free Sync or Radeon Anti-Lag. Apart from the raw processing power of these chips, these features can help you decide on which cards you actually want.

Take, for instance, the Nvidia RTX 2060 SUPER and the AMD RX 5700XT. Both cards cost $400, and while the 5700XT smokes the 2060 SUPER when it comes to raw performance, most people will still choose the RTX 2060 because it offers hardware-level Ray-Tracing.

Also Read: Asus Graphics Card Price in Nepal

Bottlenecks

No matter how powerful your graphics card might be, it always depends on your CPU to fully utilize its potential. If your processor cannot process enough data and transfer it to your GPU, your end result will suffer. Bottlenecks can occur in many forms. Maybe your manufacturer claimed 150 fps on certain titles but your maximum fps hovers around 80 fps or maybe the game-play just isn’t smooth…

bottleneck checker

However, this goes both ways. Pairing a powerful CPU with a mediocre GPU is also not a good idea. A Core i3-8300 with a GeForce GTX 1080Ti should be a good example. According to an online bottleneck calculator, you stand to lose out on 40% of the potential performance of your 1080Ti, and that’s under the perfect circumstances. Also, if you are utilizing a 100% of the CPU, it’s going to heat up fast, and that only makes things worse.

Just do a quick bottleneck calculation and if the CPU is slightly more powerful than your GPU, it’s fine. But if the GPU is dragging your CPU down, or vise versa, and you don’t have plans of upgrading your CPU in the future, considering buying a cheaper GPU and invest the rest on upgrading your RAM or storage or even better OEM packaging.

You can check for any bottleneck issues here.

OEM Packaging

OEMs are typically manufacturers who resell another company’s product under their own name and branding” – Webopedia.

As already discussed, the manufacturers can put their own heat sinks, circuit boards, and third-party add-ons. Even after you decide on a graphics chip, the actual buying process still has a few steps. Maybe you searched online for the particular chip only to be bombarded by a bunch of models for the graphics chips all under different models, housing, prices, and different manufacturers altogether with different specs.

1660Ti newegg

Yes, that will happen, and it is probably better to look up for the reviews of the particular cards for their performance and cooling advantages. The answer to why you should not just go for the reference cards is because, OEMs can be cheaper, offer better cooling, can be overclocked, offer better build quality, offer more flexibility and will definitely look better. Plus, not all GPUs get a Founders Edition treatment.

Also Read: Asus Motherboards Price in Nepal

Compatibility

There are basically two things you need to consider in the compatibility department. The first is the power supply. A GPU requires lots of power and your PSU (Power Supply Unit) is responsible for delivering just that. Make sure your PSU has enough power throughput to support your new GPU. You can check the requirement of your GPU for the minimum wattage it needs to function. If you are buying a new CPU altogether, try and get a PSU with more than the minimum requirement so you have more flexibility for upgrades later.

Compatibility list

There there is the casing, which may or may not fit the particular graphics card you just choose. This one is a bit hard to explain so here are a few steps I personally use when I need to recommend a casing and also the PSU. Just follow the following steps:

  1. Go to https://pcpartpicker.com/list/
  2. Choose your casing, GPU and PSU
  3. Look out for any compatibility issues in their notes section
  4. Try a different configuration to solve the issue

Conclusion

Other than that, if you are a new system builder, it’s always a good idea to run it through the above-mentioned website (this) so you don’t face any compatibility issues. The other thing not mentioned here is Nvidia’s SLI or AMD’s Crossfire. You really shouldn’t be looking at multi-GPU setup unless even the top end graphics card has failed to deliver as per your requirement. There are other uses for it but it basically can deliver anywhere from 20-90% more power as compared to a single GPU setup depending on the drivers, the card itself or the link itself.

But we still recommend, even after you have found the perfect GPU for yourself, check out a few reviews first.

Realme 3i spotted on GeekBench: Major specs revealed ahead of the launch

0

Realme X is one of the most sought after smartphones right now. After creating quite a buzz in China, the handset is also launching in India on the 15th of July. But seems like there will be another one device, which will make a debut in the event. Indian e-commerce website Flipkart is promoting a Realme 3i as “Smartphones Ka Champion” (Champion of the Smartphones). So it might really be happening.

Despite the fancy teaser, we are yet to know about the features of the Realme 3i officially. But the features couldn’t remain under the veil for a long time. The phone recently appeared on GeekBench, which divulged some of the key specs of the device.

According to GeekBench, the device will feature MediaTek Helio P60 chipset. And the device which showed up on GeekBench had 4 GB of RAM. But there could be other variants when it makes its official debut. Also, the phone was running on Android Pie, like most smartphones of 2019.

However, that’s all we know from GeekBench. But owing to earlier teasers, there will be a tiny notch on the display, resembling the Realme 3. In the next teaser, Realme has also self-praised the handset as “Most Stylish Champion”, “Big Battery Champion”, “Display Champion”, and “Camera Champion”. They’re kind of tooting their own horn, but we’ll found out how these proclamations will turn out. But as far as the rumors go, the Realme 3i is expected to be an affordable variant of the Realme 3. So this device might pan out to be another value-centric budget smartphone.

Entry-level Honor Play 8 launched with a water-drop notch

0

Strengthening its entry-level lineup, Honor has launched yet another affordable smartphone. Dubbed the Honor Play 8, this phone brings some modest features in the budget territory. But this smartphone is not entirely a new device. It’s basically the re-branded version of Honor 8S, which is launching really soon in Nepal.

Overview

As one would expect from an entry-level device, the Honor Play 8 also comes with a plastic back. But unlike the rest, it comes with a dual-tone finish, which gives a unique look to the device.

On the display part, the phone gets a 5.71-inch IPS LCD panel with HD+ resolution. The display has a tiny notch on top. And this minuscule notch acts as home to the 5 MP front camera. Apart from taking selfies, the front snapper also serves to use the Face Unlock feature. Since the phone doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor, the Face Unlock feature is the bio-metric security feature. Talking about the rear camera, Honor Play 8 gets a 13 MP shooter, which comes with HDR features.

The device is powered by a Quad-core MediaTek Helio A22 processor, paired with 2 GB of RAM. You also get 32 GB of onboard memory on the phone, which is expandable up to 512 GB via a dedicated microSD card slot.

Software-wise, the phone runs on Android Pie out of the box. Honor has also added its own custom skin EMUI 9 on top. There’s also a 3020 mAh battery included. However, there is no fast charging support.

honor play 8 battery

Honor Play 8 specifications:

  • Display: 5.71-inch LCD IPS display
  • Resolution: HD+ (720 x 1520 pixels), 19:9 aspect ratio @ 295PPI
  • Chipset: MediaTek Helio A22
  • CPU: Quad-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
  • GPU: PowerVR GE8320
  • OS & UI: Android Pie (v9.0) with EMUI 9 on the top
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Storage: 32GB, up to 512TB expandable storage (Dedicated SD card slot)
  • Rear Camera: 13MP, f/1.8, LED flash
  • Front Camera: 5MP, f/2.2
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity
  • Battery: 3,020mAh; Uses Micro USB Port
  • Colors: Blue, Black

Honor Play 8 Price & Availability

This device debuted in Russia a few months back. The device was priced at RUB 8,490 ($130/€120) at that time. But this time, the Chinese smartphone maker launched the device at an aggressive price in its home nation. The price of the device has been set at CNY 599 (~ $87). And the device is already up for purchase in China. The device is available for purchase at Vmall, TMall, JD and Suning, and on other retail stores as well.

Nokia Beacon 1: A Mesh Router capable of Dual-Band Communication

When Nokia launched the Beacon 3 router last year, it followed a different approach with a more homely looking device instead of antennas projecting out of a box. Of course, there are others like this such as Amazon’s Eero and Netgear Orbi. But Nokia’s venture into home accessories is a new thing. And now, it launched the Nokia Beacon 1 – a similar mesh router with some limitations but new features, too!

For perspective, Nokia’s Beacon 3 is a $200 mesh-router that offers speeds of up to AC3000. The Nokia Beacon 1 is a similar mesh-router, cheaper at $129, works on the same 802.11 ac Wi-Fi standard, but is limited to speeds of only AC1200. In layman’s terms, that number refers to the maximum theoretical bandwidth (in Mbps) the router is capable of reaching.

nokia beacon 1 mesh router

But despite that, the Beacon 1 has some new features that enables it to make the most out of its available bandwidth. It’s Intelligent Channel Selection feature allows it to switch between available 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz channels or bandwidths. This means, that it can pick the best one with less congestion. Also, it will avoid interference with local devices like micro-waves, or some audio equipment, or such. It can identify the devices in your network and optimize their connection accordingly. For instance, if you’re streaming movies on your laptop, it can prioritize that device and choose a less congested channel. For now, this is the only affordable home router capable of switching between channels automatically.

Besides that major difference, the Beacon 1 is smaller, and only has one gigabit Ethernet LAN and one WAN port. Whereas, the Beacon 3 sports one WAN port and 3 LAN ports. In addition, the Beacon also has a Bridge mode. This comes in handy to use it as an Access point, for the router from the default ISP.

Another good thing about the Beacon devices is that they work with the Beacon app on your phone. That app makes for easy installation and also features a detailed heat map showing the network signal strength around the house. So, you can also know where the signal is the strongest or the weakest.

That’s a lot of interesting features for a home router. If only we could get such routers here in Nepal as well…

Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 215: Brings trendy features to the entry-level smartphones

Did you know Qualcomm had 200-series chipsets? Well, they do, but are long forgotten. These Snapdragon 200-series chipsets are for entry level smartphones. But with the mid-range market expanding rapidly, the company was focusing on its Snapdragon 600 and 700-series processors. And so, after 4 years , Qualcomm announced another Snapdragon 200-chipset, the Snapdragon 215. It’s a successor to the Snapdragon 212, launched back in 2015.

So, yes, the Snapdragon 215 surely took a considerable amount of time. After such a long time, we expect significant upgrades. And it actually does.

Snapdragon 215 Overview

While the older SD212 had a 32-bit Cortex-A7 processor, the new SD215 comes with 64-bit Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at 1.3 GHz. With this switch, Qualcomm promises a steep 50% boost in performance.

On to the graphics front, Qualcomm embedded the Adreno 308 GPU. It’s the same which is also employed by the SD 425, which was targeted at budget and lower-midrange phones at its launch. With that GPU, the SD215 will deliver a 28% bump in graphics performance.

And since multiple camera setups are a trend even on low-end phones, there’s a dual ISP in the Snapdragon 215 as well. This enables it unleash new possibilities in the entry-level camera phones, too. With the new Image Signal Processor on board, the chip can handle a single 13MP camera module, or two 8MP camera modules. This means the upcoming entry-level phones might be able to capture portrait images – at hardware level. Another notable upgrade on the optics department has to be its ability to record 1080p videos. The older SD212 could only record up to 720p.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 chipset first things

On the display side, it’s the same old story, though. The chip supports a maximum display resolution of 720p. But unlike the older SD212, which merely supports the 16:9 aspect ratio, this one can go up to 19.5:9.

Furthermore, the company managed to improve connectivity as well. The new chip comes with the support for Wi-Fi 5 (Wi-Fi ac) and Bluetooth 4.2. There is also the inclusion of NFC. That means even the upcoming entry-level devices will support the Android Pay feature. In addition, with VoLTE and EVS Voice calls (“Ultra HD Voice Calls”) support, the call quality can be expected to improve.

There surely are a lot of advancements. But even after all these years, some things haven’t changed. The first thing is the modem on this SoC. It still houses the X5 LTE modem (150/50 Mbps). Also, memory support is the same, too – LPDDR3 RAM, eMMC 4.5 built-in storage and UHS-I micro SD cards.

The Snapdragon 215 also promises a better battery life. Qualcomm has incorporated Hexagon digital signal processor (DSP), with which, users can get 10+ hours of video playback, 20+ hours of voice calls or days of music playback. However, the new chip only offers Quick Charge 1.0. The Snapdragon 212 used to support Quick Charge 2.0 charge, which used to accept power injection up to 18-watts. But the newbie can only handle power up to 10-watts. This is an odd step down, because after so much improvements, why compromise here, though?

Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 VS Snapdragon 212

Snapdragon 215 Snapdragon 212
Fabrication 28nm 28nm
CPU 4x Cortex-A53 (64-bit, 50% faster) 4x Cortex-A7 (32-bit)
GPU Adreno 308 (28% faster) Adreno 304
Modem X5 (150/50Mbps) X5 (150/50Mbps)
Camera 13MP or dual 8MP, 1080p video 8MP, 720p video
Display 1560x720px 1280x720px
Charging Quick Charge 1 Quick Charge 2
Connectivity Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1