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CES 2019: ASUS impressed the audiences with handful of laptops

GadgetByte

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January 7, 2019

CES 2019: ASUS impressed the audiences with handful of laptops

So the annual Consumer Electronics Show is now underway in Las Vegas. The 2019 edition of CES, of course, will showcase amazing technology too, but for the most part, there will be upgrades. And ASUS, the laptop manufacturer seems like it has its hands full. There are just an overwhelming amount of releases and upgrades. See some of them in here:

ASUS ROG Strix II series updated with RTX Graphics

The ASUS ROG Strix II series of gaming laptops were one of the best around. They were not quite up to the top, but have a good set of configurations nonetheless. The ASUS ROG Strix Hero II and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar II are the ones that belong to this lineup. Both these laptops have full-fledged desktop style keyboards with RGB lighting and pretty swell design and build. Both of these also have a 144 Hz display with 3 ms of response time. In addition, both of these pack the Hexa-core 8th-gen Intel i7-8750H processor, up to 32 GB RAM, and GTX 1060 graphics.

The Scar II is FPS-games based whereas the Hero II is for MOBA gamers – as differentiated by the W-A-S-D and Q-W-E-R highlighting on the keyboard respectively. The difference is that the Scar II is available in 15.6″ and 17.3″ display options while the Hero II is only in available in a 15.6″ model. And now, both these laptops are updated with RTX 2060 graphics for better gaming performance. The Scar II can have 2 graphics options, an RTX 2060 and RTX 2070, while the Hero II will ship with RTX 2060.

Of course, we will see an increment in price as well, but for now, there’s no word on it. and these laptops will be available for purchase in a few months.

ASUS Zephyrus getting bigger

ASUS gaming notebook, the ASUS Zephyrus, now, has a bigger version with a 17″ screen. The new variant is called the GX701, or the ASUS Zephyrus S 17, which is not surprising. There are not many changes in the other aspects of the gaming laptop except for the bigger screen. The Zephyrus S 17 will have the same 1080 panel, with 144Hz refresh rate and 3 milliseconds of response time.

Everything else, too, is pretty similar with the ASUS Zephyrus S 17 being powered with the 8th-gen Intel i7-8750H as well. But the new one has the RTX 20-series of graphics, with configuration available all the way up to RTX 2080. It can also pack up to 24 GB of RAM.

The screen resolution might be a bit low for the larger screen, so, we might see 1440p or 4K variants as well. But the 1080 panel on a 17″ screen is also more immersive than 15″ ones, though. While all the other aesthetics part remains the same too, yes, even the footprint of the device, this one is a bit thicker at 1.8 cm. But that is still pretty sleek for a gaming laptop. It still retains the awkward keyboard and trackpad configuration, but that doesn’t seem to be that big of an issue with anyone.

Also, an improvement over the regular Zephyrus S is that it has a separate USB-C charger if you’re not gaming. This is light enough to carry around, just like the laptop. Again, there is no word on pricing. And the Zephyrus S 17 will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2019.

ASUS ROG Mothership – Mother of Gaming Laptops?

There are so many gaming laptops these days, that many of them tend to look the same…give or take a few slight changes in aesthetics. And then, there’s the ASUS ROG Mothership – a new 17″ gaming laptop that sort of fits the name. First and foremost, a button will trigger a kickstand to pop out from behind the display, and the keyboard is detachable to be used wirelessly if you want.

All the processing components are behind the screen, and so, the ‘monitor’ or the display part is quite chunky. Hence, the requirement of the kickstand to support it. And this laptop is also powered by NVidia’s RTX 20-series graphics. Packing everything on the display part helps this laptop get better airflow, which will improve the thermals as well. Plus, the detachable keyboard means you can attach another wired gaming keyboard to play games with as well.

The screen also features a 144Hz refresh rate, 3 milliseconds of response time and NVidia’s G-Sync. Under the hood, it is powered by the Intel’s Core i9-8950HK CPU, and you can cram up to 64 GB of RAM. And if you really feel like it, you can run up to three 512 GB NVme SSDs in a Raid 0 array! But all of this doesn’t come in a small package, though. You’re looking at a 4.6 kg beast. This makes it less of a laptop, and more of a strange desktop…but you can carry it around if you don’t mind a bit of back-aches.

Of course, this is just very recent, so, no pricing information about this either. But I’d expect it to cost equal to the highest-end gaming PCs – if not more. As strange as this laptop looks, we have to commend ASUS on how it’s trying to reinvent gaming laptops.

ASUS Zenbook S13 – Worlds slimmest bezels on a laptop

ASUS Zenbooks are all about portability, but their S-series take it one step further. With the ambition of extreme portability in mind, the new and updated ASUS Zenbook S13 packs even more in its sleek body. First off, you will notice what it advertises – the slimmest of bezels on a screen at 2.5 mm! The laptop has a 13.9″ IPS screen and the bezels around it are next to invisible.

This raises a question about the position of the webcam. But unlike other laptops who opt for a bottom-placed webcam for thin bezels, the webcam is right on top – but on a “reverse-notch” of sorts. There is a slight bump on top of the laptop screen that houses the webcam, and it can actually help you open up the laptop more easily.

Also, at 1.29 cm thick, this could be the slimmest laptop in the world now too! And since it weighs only 1.13 kgs, we can assume it is not for power-hungry users, obviously! There are a few configurations – you can either choose one with Intel i5-8265U or an i7-8565U for better performance. It can pack up to 16 GB RAM, and if you choose, you can opt for one with NVidia GeForce M150 graphics.

Again, no word on pricing, but ASUS Zenbooks are not known for affordability. So, don’t hold your breath. This, too, will be available in the first few months of 2019.

ASUS StudioBook – a portable Workstation

By now, you must be pretty darn confused with the lineups of these ASUS laptops. Zenbook, Zephyrus, and what not and that S-series on top supposed to be more portable than the regular ones? Well, brace yourselves. There’s the ASUS StudioBook S-series now – which combines portability with a raw performance!

Now workstation might mean different things to different people. Generally, they are for business people, but this workstation has a different idea. The StudioBook is a workstation for content creators – movie editors, VR builders, and the likes. And to do so, you all know that it requires some serious power!

So, just how powerful is this thing? For starters, it comes in two configurations: the 2.2 GHz 8th-gen Intel i7-8750H or for some more power, 2.7 GHz Hexa-core Xeon E-2716M. It can also pack up to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM and a whopping 4 TB of NVMe storage! There are also plenty of ports in here – a USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, three USB As, an HDMI, and an SDcard reader as well.

Since it is a workstation for content creation, the screen needs to be just right too, and it actually is. Its 17″ display with 16:10 aspect ratio looks pretty cool, and it has about 97% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, so, no need to worry about color accuracy. But the body packs only a 57 Whr battery, which might be easy to burn through during heavy workloads.

With this, there is no need to stay glued to your desk while creating or manipulating content. And this is just another of ASUS’ innovation for its laptops. And just by looking at the spec sheet, you can guess the price range pretty easily as well.

So, these are the ASUS latest releases in the CES 2019. With all of these, ASUS seems to have its hands full… Let’s see how these hold up this year.

For More CES 2019 Coverage Click Here!

Sony Xperia XZ4 to launch with a 21:9 aspect ratio display and Snapdragon 855 SoC

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January 6, 2019

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Sony Xperia XZ4 to launch with a 21:9 aspect ratio display and Snapdragon 855 SoC

Sony has ironically been the first and last when it comes to jumping on new smartphone display technologies. Take for instance that 4k display on the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, a first for smartphones. Then they greet you with their first 18:9 display on smartphones, a whole one year late to the party. Although that is the past, the first Sony smartphone with a 2k display still remains fresh. As for now, rumors of the Sony Xperia XZ4 has come up and it features a whopping 21:9 ratio display.

Read More: Sony Mobile Price in Nepal

A 21:9 display on a smartphone isn’t something new, but Sony seems to be the first mainstream smartphone to do so. Leaked specs include a 6.5-inch panel stretched out over 166.9mm in height. You can watch the video below for an idea on exactly how it will feel to watch a movie on this said smartphone. The video was uploaded by Ice Universe, which is said to be a very reputable “leakster”. The leakster has also recently leaked some of the important details of the Samsung Galaxy S10.

The display isn’t really that tall, sizing at about the same display real estate as an iPhone XS Max vertically. But when the width comes into play, it just changes the whole perspective. One of the very possible uses of this display could be watching movies that were created in this aspect ratio, which is most of them. Apart from that, this display will offer very little functionality when it comes to real life usage.

Sony Xperia XZ4 Leaks and Speculations

That is all we are going to talk about displays for now, as the phone is said to launch with an impressive set of internals. The first of which is the inclusion of a Snapdragon 855 chipset with 6GB of RAM. Speculations of its internal storage show 64GB or 256GB, very specific. As for cameras, the back will feature a 1/2.3″ sensor with OIS and a single wide-angle sensor at the front.

Finally, the battery life is reported to be a 3,900mAh unit and will boot on Android Pie with Sony’s own UI on top. As for the launch of the Xperia ZX4, Sony might hold an event in the CES in January. If that doesn’t pan out, we will likely see it launch at the MWC in February.

GBG Bizfest 2019 held bringing together more than 100 startups!

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Pratima Adhikari

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January 6, 2019

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GBG Bizfest 2019 held bringing together more than 100 startups!

Google Business Group (GBG), a community of business professionals have successfully held GBG Bizfest 2019 in collaboration with Women Will, bringing together more than 100 startups in a single platform. The event was held in the premises of Galaxy Public School on Saturday and marked an attempt to help startups learn about business strategies and aid them to grow their businesses in time to come. The event started from 10 in the morning and went on till evening being attended by more than 5000 people.

More than 100 startups participated where they showcased their products and services and explained their vision and strategies to the attendees. The attendees included investors, businessmen, general people and, tech enthusiasts, students, among the others.

Something that was unique and appreciable in the Biz Fest was, entry for startups was free. In such a platform where so many investors and enthusiasts had marked their presence, startups got a wonderful opportunity for branding. Similarly, apart from exhibiting their offerings, they could make sales as well that resulted in real-time sales conversion for them.

“The whole idea of this event was to bring together all startups, industry experts, investors, etc together for the purpose of knowledge sharing and empowerment. Many participants shared their euphoria in being able to share about their start-ups to such huge mass of people. And the best part was, they could demonstrate and sell their products too.” said Miss Aditi Goyal, Co-manager, GBG Kathmandu.

Experts delivered workshops in the event where participants got a hands-on opportunity to interact directly with the leading individuals of various sectors and enhance their marketing and growth capabilities.

“We look forward to such events in the near future as Nepal is a growing market and we love to see new ideas get converted to businesses and create value for the people,” said Kushal Bhatta, one of the attendees.

Among various participants, were emerging e-commerce companies, Digital Marketing companies, and various others ICT related companies including Game developers and many others.

Honor Play 8A goes official, expect to start shipping from January 8

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January 6, 2019

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Honor Play 8A goes official, expect to start shipping from January 8

The Huawei Honor 8A, a phone previously set to launch on January 8 in CES, is now official as the Honor Play 8A. This phone is basically an Honor 8A but with the “Play” moniker in its name and a different launch date. It’s expected to start shipping from January 8, while we are now uncertain of the Honor 8A’s existence.

Speculated to be named after the Xiaomi Mi Play, it shares a lot of similarities with its rivals. Sadly it makes no resemblance to last year’s Honor Play. This is an entry-level smartphone from Honor and it does not even offer a fingerprint sensor. The exclusion might not sound so bad given its price point.

Nevertheless, Honor offers face unlock thanks to the 8MP f/2.0 camera tucked into a small notch at the top. Below the notch, you get a 6.09-inch 720×1560 pixel IPS display. Internally, the Honor Play 8A rocks the new MediaTek Helio P35 MT6765 chipset. It’s a 12nm based SoC with eight Cortex A53 cores, clocked at 2.3GHz and the PowerVR GE8320 GPU.

Also Read: Honor Mobiles Price in Nepal

Likewise, it comes with 3GB of RAM and a choice of either 32GB or 64GB of expandable internal storage. Camera setup includes a single 13MP f/1.8 main sensor at the back. On the software side, the phone runs on EMUI 9.0 on top of Android 9 Pie. Powering the device is a 3020mAh battery with support for up to 10W charging.

Dimensions of the device include 156.28 x 73.5 x 8.0mm and a weight of 150 grams. Despite being an entry level device, it does get a USB-C port. Connectivity includes Bluetooth, ac Wi-Fi, and GPS among others. It’s available in Blue, Black, Gold and Red colors. Finally, pricing starts at around $129 in China.

Honor Play 8A Specifications:

Display: 6.09-inch (720×1560 pixels) HD+ panel
Chipset: MediaTek Helios P35 SoC
CPU: Octa Core, 12nm process, clocked at 2.3GHz, Cortex A53
GPU: PowerVR GE8320
RAM: 3GB
ROM: 32GB or 64GB, expandable via MicroSD
Software: Android Pie 9 with EMUI 9.0 on top
Back Camera: 13MP f/1.8, PDAF
Front Camera: 8MP f/2.0, fixed focus
Security: Face unlock, Pattern, Passcode
Dimensions: 156.28 x 73.5 x 8.0mm; Weight: 150g
Connectivity: USB Type C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi ac, GPS
Battery: 3020mAh battery, 10W charging

Foldable Displays from BOE – We’re getting there…

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GadgetByte

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January 6, 2019

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Foldable Displays from BOE – We’re getting there…

We have not been able to get over the idea of foldable smartphones, and it’s highly unlikely that we ever will. But with smartphone companies pushing out foldable smartphones very soon, it won’t be necessary. Royole, a California based startup, became the first company to push out a foldable smartphone. The FlexPai is a phone with a 7.8″ AMOLED panel with Full HD+ resolution when unfolded. But since it is the first foldable phone, there are some aspects it could improve on.

And another company, which is a screen manufacturer has unveiled its version of foldable displays. BOE, a Chinese company had the same idea. It has released a demo of its OLED panel that has a very minimal fold radius of 1 mm.

The demo shows a 7.65″ of AMOLED panel with a WQHD resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. Other features reveal that it has 380 nits of brightness, a really low response time of 1 millisecond and a color gamut of 118% on the NTSC scale. While these are not very impressive features for an OLED screen, the company has addressed the aesthetics part of the foldable display.

The bend/fold radius on this device is only 1mm, which is the smallest up to now. And that looks pretty neat while bent. It might not matter to everyone, but aesthetically, it is pretty satisfying to have.

The company also claims about 100,000 bends to give an idea of its durability. Yes, that is not a very big number for a smartphone, but for now, it is only in its demo stages, i.e. it is still in its Prototype Model. So, when it does come out commercially, we might see a more durable panel. For now, it seems like we’re getting somewhere with foldable displays.

And we’re not sure which smartphone company will be the first to integrate this panel. But yes, we’re expecting quite a few of those in 2019!

Huawei P30 renders surface online – No surprises

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January 6, 2019

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Huawei P30 renders surface online – No surprises

So, with the Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro behind us, we are looking at another flagship from Huawei from the P-series. The Huawei P20 Pro is still the highest rated smartphone by DxOMark (at the time this article was written). But besides the camera, the phone in itself, was a great phone overall, although a bit on the expensive side. Nevertheless, it was a pretty well-received phone by the people.

And now, it is near about time for a new P-series flagship to hit the markets. So, if you hear more P30 rumors and such, don’t be surprised. There is also now a CAD-based render and a 360-degree video showing all sides of the phone. And to say the least, the phone does not look surprising at all.

The Huawei P30 has the same glass body in dual-tone gradient colors, which Huawei seems to be very fond of. It’s a glass back has a similar texture to that of the Mate 20 Pro as well. Of course, you get the triple-camera setup at the back on a slight camera bump with the LED flash below it. There is no fingerprint sensor at the back, which can only mean we’ll get an in-display fingerprint sensor.

On the front, the screen measures around 6″, and features a water-drop notch on top housing the front camera. This is not surprising at all, as we’ve seen such many phones throughout 2018. And by the looks of it, we’ll see phones with similar designs throughout the year.

The only surprise, here, is that the phone still seems to retain the 3.5 mm headphone jack! And since the Mate 20 Pro did away with it, the P30 Pro still having is a good thing, albeit a surprise.

In terms of specs, we might be expecting a 38 MP main lens as a part of the triple camera setup and a 24 MP selfie camera. The cameras should be one of the best, knowing the cameras on Huawei flagships. Underneath, we’ll surely find the Kirin 980 chipset. And in terms of software, the phone is sure to have Android 9.0 Pie with EMUI 9.0 on top.

So, the Huawei P30 might be a new flagship, but I, for one, have no excitement in it. There seems to be nothing different, at least on the outside. Let’s see what the phone will bring.

Also Watch: Huawei Mate 20 Pro Review!

Xiaomi to host an event this January 10: Here is every thing you need to know

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GadgetByte

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January 6, 2019

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Xiaomi to host an event this January 10: Here is every thing you need to know

Xiaomi has been in the news a lot lately, a chunk of it thanks to their event scheduled for January 10. While we are expecting a lot of Xiaomi this year, let’s start off with the Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2. It’s expected to launch with a 48MP rear camera. Though this won’t be the first to come with such a huge pixel count camera, that achievement goes to Huawei.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mobiles Price in Nepal

Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2

This smartphone will feature a punch hole display to accompany the front-facing camera. Rumored specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoC and triple camera set-up at the back. Consequently one of the three sensors will sport a 48MP sensor.

The Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 is expected to launch on January 10, 2019, in an event in China. Pricing is expected to be at around 20,000 Indian Rupees. In addition, it’s predecessor, the Redmi Note Pro was a high-end offering, though availability was limited to China.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7

There are no solid hints that the Redmi Note 7 will also launch in the January 10 event. Although a lot of leaks and rumors for it have surfaced on the internet lately. Most of it thanks to the Chinese certification website TENAA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcpCPLmkwd8

According to the listing, the device will come with a 6.3″ display and may pack that 48MP sensor, although the listing specifies a 12MP sensor. This device will also get a 3,900mAh battery. The Redmi Note 7 will come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage, while the other two include 6GB + 64GB and a 6GB + 128GB version.

The smartphone’s leaked image also reveals a glossy gradient finish at the back. We also get an exact number for the dimensions of the phone at 159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1mm. Similarly, other smartphones on the Redmi 7 lineup include the Redmi 7, Redmi 7a and the Redmi 7 Pro, all expected to make their way to India.

For now, these are all leaks and speculations, with the full story to be revealed on January 10. The event will take place in Beijing at exactly 1400 local time. As always we will keep you updated with the event.

Also, watch our Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro review in Nepali:

Xiaomi Mi8 Lite Debuts in Nepal with 24MP Selfie Camera, No headphone jack

Pratima Adhikari

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January 5, 2019

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Xiaomi Mi8 Lite Debuts in Nepal with 24MP Selfie Camera, No headphone jack

Xiaomi has officially launched the Mi8 Lite in Nepal. Priced at Rs. 31,999, it can be considered as a cheaper variant of its flagship phone, the Xiaomi Mi8. The phone will be available from Sunday, 6 January 2019 onwards on Xiaomi’s online store, Daraz, and offline stores.

The Xiaomi Mi8 Lite features a glass back unlike other metal-clad Xiaomi phones. In terms of specs, the Mi8 Lite is a mash-up of Mi A2 and Note 6 Pro. It borrows the display and rear camera of Note 6 Pro, and the performance of Mi A2. It has a 6.26-inch IPS LCD notched Display with Full HD+ resolution, a dual 12MP+5MP rear camera, and a Snapdragon 660 SoC.

What’s changed here is a selfie camera, which is a whopping 24MP Sony IMX576 sensor. There’s a 3350mAh battery, which is adequate, but not as big as 4000mAh of Note 6 Pro. It comes with a type C port and has support for fast charging, but you need to buy a fast charger separately since you don’t get a fast charger inside the box.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcpCPLmkwd8

The Xioami Mi8 Lite lacks headphone jack just like the Mi A2. Is it a big of a deal? Let us know in the comments. Other specs include a dual 4G SIM, microSD card slot, dual-band ac WIFI, Bluetooth 5.0, and a rear-facing fingerprint sensor.

Also Read: Pocophone F1 No longer available in Nepal

Xiaomi Mi8 Lite Full Specifications:

Display: 6.26-inch (2280×1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 2.5D curved glass
Chipset (SOC): Qualcomm Snapdragon 660
CPU: Octa Core 14nm (Quad 2.2GHz Kryo 260 + Quad 1.8GHz Kryo 260 CPUs)
GPU: Adreno 512 GPU
RAM: 4GB DDR4X
ROM: 64GB storage, microSD slot up to 256 GB
Software: Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI
SIM: Hybrid Dual SIM
Back Camera: 12MP rear camera with LED flash, Sony IMX363 sensor, 1.4μm pixel size, f/1.9 aperture, 5MP secondary camera, Samsung S5K5E8, 1.12um pixel size
Front Camera: 24MP front-facing camera with Sony IMX576 sensor, 1.8um pixel size
Security: Fingerprint sensor
Dimensions: 156.4×75.8×7.5mm; Weight: 169g
Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz) 2×2 MIMO , Bluetooth 5 LE, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C
Battery: 3350mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite Price in Nepal Analysis & Competition:

Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 6 Pro in Nepal like a month ago for Rs. 29,000 and since the specs of Mi8 Lite is slightly superior than the Note 6 Pro, the pricing of Rs. 31,999 is somewhat justified. However, like the Redmi Note 6 Pro, the pricing of Mi8 Lite is still high when you consider the international pricing is US$200.

The Mi8 Lite also has a fair share of competition with Huawei Y9 2019 now priced at Rs. 31,490 and Honor 8X now available in Nepal for Rs. 32,490. And we still have the Mi A2 that comes with a superior camera and stock Android experience. So, is the Mi8 Lite really worth it? Do you think its better than the Y9 2019 or Honor 8X? Let us know in the comments.

Colors Pride 5X available for purchase in retail stores!

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January 4, 2019

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Colors Pride 5X available for purchase in retail stores!

Lately, the smartphone market seems to be populated with a number of handsets, especially mid-range and flagship phones. So it is really hard to find a decent phone at an entry-level segment. And to fill that void, Nepali smartphone brand Colors has brought a new smartphone. This time, the smartphone has brand presented the Colors Pride 5X, which seems to be targeted at the budget-conscious customers.

Colors Pride 5X Overview

The notable feature on the Colors Pride 5X is its camera. The smartphone comes with a dual camera set up at the back, which is a rare feature at its price. The camera duo at the back comprises of an 8MP primary camera backed by a 0.3MP secondary shooter for depth sensing. So with the dual camera on the board, the handset is also capable of capturing portrait images.

Similarly, on the front, users will be greeted with a 5MP selfie shooter. There is also a dedicated LED flash to lighten up the faces, especially while taking selfies on the low-light settings. This front camera also comes into action while unlocking the handset via Face Unlock feature. There is also an in-built beauty mode for the camera enthusiasts, who want instant beautification in the real time.

“We focus on providing the best smartphone experience from continuously evolving our approach to meet the global standard in a mid-level price range,” said Mr. Pratik Jalan, Managing Director. He further adds up, “The COLORS Pride 5X builds on the legacy of our Pride Series and we are known for innovation and bringing change is the society in various forms.”

On the display front, the smartphone comes with a 5.45-inch IPS display. In terms of resolution, the phone features HD+ (1440 x 720 pixels) in the trendy 18:9 aspect ratio. And for the protection, there is also the Dragontrail glass on the top of the display.

The handset also packs plenty of horsepower. The 3000 mAh battery on the phone can provide backup for nearly a day on the normal use.

Also Read: Colors Mobile Price in Nepal

Colors Pride 5X Specifications

Display: 5.45-inch Full View display with Dragontrail glass protection
Resolution: HD+ (1440 x 720 pixels); 18:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: MT6739WA
Processor: 1.3 GHz Quad Core processor
RAM: 2 GB
ROM: 16 GB; Expandable up to 128GB
Software: Android Oreo (v8.1)
SIM: Dual SIM (3G + 4G); Micro SIM
Rear Camera: 8MP + 0.3MP, LED flash
Front Camera: 5MP, LED Flash
Battery: 3,000mAh removable battery

Colors Pride 5X Price in Nepal

Apart from bringing in various features in a budget price, Colors Mobile Nepal had started with something new. The retailers who were willing to sell could pre-book the Colors Pride 5X between 10-15th of December via COLORS SMART app which is available on Google Play Store for free. Since the pre-booking period is now over, the phone is now available for sale at retail stores in Nepal.

The price of the handset is Rs. 11,999. The USP of Colors Pride 5X is the presence of Dual rear cameras at a budget price, Facial unlock feature and fingerprint sensor.

Huawei Mate 20 pro Review: The Innovator of 2018

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January 4, 2019

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Huawei Mate 20 pro Review: The Innovator of 2018

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is probably one of the most talked about smartphones from this year. It has won the hearts of lots of reviewers, and it even won that blind smartphone camera test from MKBHD. And at a time where each smartphone has to win the innovation game to be in the race, the Mate 20 pro definitely stands out in the crowd.

The Huawei Mate 20 pro is an absolute beast of a device and if you are thinking of getting it, you should. To tell you why this article will give you not just 6 but 7 major aspects that make this device a worthy purchase.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro Specifications

Display: 6.39-inch AMOLED display, Gorilla Glass protection
Resolution: Full-HD+ (1440× 3120 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 538 PPI
OS: Android 9.0 (Pie) with EMUI 9.0 on the top
Chipset: Huawei’s HiSilicon Kirin 980, 7nm mobile platform
CPU: Octa-core (2×2.6 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2×1.92 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU: Mali G76 MP10
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB; Nano memory (NM) card slot for memory expansion (Uses SIM2 slot)
Rear Camera: Triple camera – (40 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/1.7″, PDAF/Laser AF) + (20 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.7″, PDAF/Laser AF 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), 1/4″, 5x optical zoom, OIS, PDAF/Laser AF), Leica Optics, Dual-LED flash
Front Camera: 24 MP, f/2.0
Sensors: Face ID, Fingerprint (under display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass
Connectivity: Dual SIM (Nano SIM + Nano SIM/NM), Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C, No 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery: 4200mAh with Supercharge technology (40W fast charging), Supports Wireless Fast charging (15watts) and reverse wireless charging
Colors: Emerald Green, Midnight Blue, Twilight, Pink Gold, Black
Latest Price: Rs. 1,29,900

Design

The first aspect I will talk about is the design. Well, looking at the phone, at first sight, you definitely get some good reactions. The green version of the Mate 20 Pro has this pattern design on the back, that sets itself apart from the rest of the traditional glass backs. The new design looks great and once you run your nails through it, you kind of want to do it again and again. But, if asked, one should definitely go for the Green version because it looks way more appealing than the regular Black version. Plus you get textured back with the Green one.

But this back is somewhat a negative aspect of this device as well because the glass back is very slippery. And although it looks very premium, you will have to be extra careful whenever using it. One piece of advice, if you are using this device, cover it with a case at all times. Plus that will also help get rid of the fingerprints that cover up the back.

The power button here comes in a different color, so that’s a neat touch. And even with the large size, the buttons are placed in an ergonomic fashion. There is a metallic bracket on the middle, just like most of the glass-built phones.

Also read: Huawei Mobiles Price in Nepal

Display

Let’s talk about the display now. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro comes with a 6.4-inch display with a notch on the top. Even though the Mate 20 features the waterdrop notch, this one here has this wide notch which houses Face Recognition sensor. There is a little bit of a chin on the bottom, and the talking points about this display are the curves on the left and right which are not as immersive as other curved phones.

But it’s the same display that shines brightly here. This is probably the second best display on any Android smartphone right now, after the Galaxy Note 9. You should actually hold the phone on your hand to know its quality.

The AMOLED panel helps with the WQHD+ display to result in a crisp one that is well saturated and quite vibrant. It gets bright, without any obstruction under direct sunlight. Now in the previous years, one would probably say that phones other than Samsung’s had a lot to do in terms of display, but this time, it’s actually great. There is nothing to complain about. And the viewing angle is great too like you would want on a flagship phone. The device also lets you toggle its resolution. So, just like in some of the Samsung devices, the Mate 20 Pro has an option to change the resolution. This definitely helps with preserving battery. However, unlike Samsung, the display only shows the time, date and battery percentage with the Always-on-display toggled, there is no support for 3^rd party app notifications with the feature.

Performance

Now let’s talk about the aspect which can actually make or break a smartphone, the performance! The Mate 20 Pro is among the couple of smartphones that features a 7nm chipset. The Kirin 980 is a direct competitor to the Snapdragon 845. And what a great work Huawei has done with this CPU. There are fast phones, and then there are the faster ones. Well, Huawei’s new device lies among the top ones on that list, as I have had absolutely no issues whatsoever with the phone. I am using the Galaxy Note 9 as my primary device, and reviewing the Mate 20 Pro, well I think they are neck-to-neck. Both the phones have served me well without lagging behind or stuttering.

While playing games too, the graphical side of things links well with the CPU to provide users with the best result possible. Games like PubG has been a great experience. Now there was this issue I faced at first. I could not play PubG on High Definition and HDR setting, which is weird for a phone that comes in a hefty price tag. But after a couple of updates, there have been no problems.

The A12 Bionic chipset from Apple is the fastest, but the Mate 20 Pro with its Kirin 980 is not so far behind. Check out the scores from some of the benchmark tests I conducted on the phone.

Software and UI

On to the software now, the Mate 20 Pro runs on Huawei’s very own EMUI on top of Android Pie. We have been praising Huawei for bettering their software over the years, but it’s high time Huawei starts thinking about the future of EMUI. There are still unwanted apps on the device that are forced on to the user. If a user really wants these apps, they will download it. Yes, there is ample RAM and the chipset is fast, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Huawei can push unwanted applications to its users.

Also, its UI is still reminiscent of iOS, and the settings app clearly tells the tale here. And even with the customizations in place, Huawei really needs to work on its software, if it really wants its phones to shine brighter than the rest. But there is still a silver lining, some of these customizations here, like the knuckle gesture to capture screenshots, come in really handy.

Camera

The Huawei P20 Pro was the first smartphones with triple lenses. Fast forward to the present, there are lots of smartphones with 3 cameras, and the Mate 20 Pro is an addition to that list. However, the cameras that are on this device serve a different purpose than the ones on the P20 Pro.

For starters, there is an ultra-wide camera instead of a monochrome sensor, and wow doesn’t this really work.

Even when the subject is closer, the camera can really work its way to bring out the widest view possible. You will definitely need a good DSLR camera with a wide lens just to capture something like this, and here is the mate 20 pro doing it with its Leica branded lenses. This feature comes in handy when you have a lot to capture in a small space. Check out some wide angle samples below:

Huawei-Mate-20-pro-wide-angle-camera-samples

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The wide-angle mode is displayed as 0.6x while the phone can get up to 5x hybrid zoom. And going through the 0.6x to 3x to 5x, there is no significant loss in quality. So, that’s a plus.

Huawei Mate 20 pro Normal vs Wide angle samples

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Then there are normal samples with the best of image quality. The pictures come out having a mixture of a good amount of saturation and colors. They are sharp and are really pleasing to the eye.

Huawei Mate 20 pro normal camera samples

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Huawei smartphones are known for overexposing images at times, and while the Mate 20 Pro has really improved on this aspect, there are times where the pictures are slightly overexposed. The color tone is correctly done, though, as it is natural, and the dynamic range is great! The shadow details and highlight details are well pronounced on the pictures. HDR also helps to cut down on the exposure at times to help shoot a better “colored” photo.

Talking about the portraits, well, I think Huawei should be doing better work here. The pictures with the portrait mode, images came out with an unnatural cut. It, however, does a good job by identifying all the faces on the picture. But if the depth of field is taken into account, some pictures come out with a good surrounding depth even when you don’t tap on the pictures for focus.

Huawei Mate 20 pro camera samples Portrait images

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In terms of night time, the Mate 20 Pro does exceptional work in capturing the best of photos. There is ample saturation, details on the pictures, and the contrast and color tone are very natural. You will certainly love taking a stroll with the Mate 20 Pro during night time too.

Huawei-mate-20-pro-night-time-camera-samples

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There is also a Night Mode on this phone, and while that might sound impressive, the feature has some conditions applied. While the Pixel 3 actually changes night into day with its Nightscape, the Mate 20 Pro’s Night mode only works when there are slight hints of light on the subject. However, when there is no light focusing on the subject, the picture is just dark.

On the front lies a 24MP camera for taking selfies. One thing the Mate 20 Pro has in common with its Samsung compatriots is the selfie. Samsung still has a lot to do with the selfies on its flagships, and the Mate 20 Pro is no different. There are phones from Oppo and Vivo that take a better detailed and better-colored image. So, we can completely skip saying the tech jargons to conclude that the selfie camera is just okay on this phone.

Huawei-Mate-20-pro-selfie-samples

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The video quality is great though. Even with shaky hands, you can expect stabilized videos with this one! The stabilization was again seen in the videos captured during night time. However, there were lots of hints of noise on it.

Check out high-resolution samples here.

Battery

The battery on this device is large, it’s the largest on 2018’s flagship measuring at 4200 mAh. In comparison, the iPhone XS Max has 3174 mAh battery, while the OnePlus 6T features a 3700 mAh battery. The Note 9 is the only one that comes close with its 4000 mAh one in place. The most amazing thing about this aspect except for the battery life itself is the fact that Huawei has included such a large battery inside this slim body.

Let’s talk about battery life now. While using the Mate 20 pro on the highest resolution, it battery provided me 6-7 hours of on-screen time. It might look a lot less for a phone with a large battery, but this is the figure that came up during heavy usage. I gamed a lot, went through a lot of applications, and made the phone really work its way! You can easily last for around 6-7 hours with this battery under normal usage. So, if you are looking for great battery life on a flagship smartphone, this is the one you should get.

However, there is this issue most of us have to deal with. Whenever the battery percent touches 2, the phone automatically shuts down, which is a bummer for someone who forgets to keep track of the battery life.

On the brighter side, this battery is backed up by Huawei’s Super Charge 40W technology that charged up from 0 to 100 % in just around an hour. So, apart from Oppo R17’s Super VOOC charge, this is the fastest you can get right now.

Extras

The final aspect to be covering here is the extras. Now, this might not sound like a major piece of a smartphone, but we have gotten to a point where they can actually make or break a smartphone.

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro has an under-display fingerprint scanner that’s fast. Now, there are times when it didn’t read my print 100% of the time, but over time, it can get faster. Huawei also has its dual user feature which can be triggered through two different fingerprints.

In front lies the 3D face unlock which Huawei claims is among the most accurate. To make it that accurate, Huawei has the infrared camera and a flood illuminator on the notch of the device. While it is definitely accurate, this sensor takes some time before unlocking the phone. The pause is minimum, but you do notice it.

The phone is IP68 just liked its competitors, so you can definitely use it for some underwater pictures.

The reverse charging on this device sounds quite impressive. No, it won’t come in use most of the times, but during emergencies, you will be able to offer help to your friends letting them charge their dying phones. It works 100% of the times, and kudos to Huawei for this innovation. But this charging is very, very slow then you expect. It’s even slower than any charger you pick up from a store. So, it will take a lot of time before Huawei actually gets this right.

The speaker on this phone is great as well. I have liked watching movies on this stereo setup. If you look closely, there are no speaker grills on the bottom of the phone. This is because Huawei has placed the speaker inside the USB C port. Yes, the audio actually plays from inside the port. But the sound isn’t as loud as I expected. And when you’re charging the phone there is a slight change in the sound level.

There are some areas where Huawei should have gone with something else. Like the storage. The Mate 20 Pro available in Nepal comes with 128 GB internal memory. For its expansion, it has Huawei’s nano SD card slot which isn’t as popular as the microSD card slot and will cost a lot more than a normal card. And apart from that, it is not available in the Nepali market as well. So, the 128GB variant is the only option you have right now.

Conclusion

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is an expensive phone. It’s even more expensive than the Note 9 here in Nepal. But this device here packs in a lot more than all the other flagship smartphones offer. It is the innovator of 2018, and will really make a great couple with someone like a business person, or as GSM Arena said, travels a lot. Also, it is a great phone with good cameras. Huawei has done a lot of homework to bring out this beast of a phone and Kudos to Huawei for this!

Also Watch: My pick for the best flagship phones of 2018!