The OPPO A7 is yet to launch, even after it’s so-called predecessor has been enjoying the sunlight for a few days now. The Oppo A7x is as close to the Oppo F9 as it gets, without the VOOC fast charging support. The Oppo A7 too shares a few similarities with another such smartphone (Oppo A5), although these specs are just rumors for now, no matter how compelling they might seem.
Going by the rumors, the Oppo A7 will feature a 6.2″ display with a resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels. That should go pretty well with the Snapdragon 450 SoC guided by the Adreno 506 GPU. RAM sizes come in at 3GB and 4GB whereas you get only one storage option, which is 32GB but it’s still expandable.
There is going to be a 13MP f/2.2 and 2MP f/2.4 dual camera set up at the back. The front will house a single 16MP f/2.0 camera with the usual AI tricks built in. This front camera is probably one of the only upgrades over the Oppo A5.
The rest of the features will probably surprise no one. Like the 802.11ac Wifi, Bluetooth 4.2, G-Sensor, OTG support or the E-Compass sensor. It does not come with NFC, although it might not be because it’s targeted markets do not really care about this feature. The last piece of information is the color options, which are Glaze Blue and Glaring Gold, which is a factor that OPPO buyers might be interested in.
Specifications of Oppo A7:
Display: 6.2 inch IPS Display
Resolution: HD+ (1520 x 720 pixels)
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
GPU: Adreno 506
Rear camera: 13MP f/2.2 + 2MP f/2.4 dual camera setup w LED flash
Front camera: 16MP f/2.0
RAM: 3GB/4GB
Storage: 32GB (expandable storage up to 256GB)
Operating system: ColorOS 5.2, based on Android 8.1 Oreo
Dimensions: 155.9mm x 75.4mm x 8.1mm; Weight: 158g
SIM: Nano
OTG: Yes
NFC: No
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, 2.4GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi
Color options: Glaze Blue, Glaring Gold
Sensors: E-Compass, Light sensor, proximity sensor, G sensor, Accelerometer
Companies play clever games to keep the hype going for their products. A similar attempt by Huawei has been noticed in the Nepali market when the company announced that their recent offerings, Huawei Nova 3 and Nova 3i will come in two other color variants, Red and Pearl White. These new variants will be available for sale in the market, starting 26th September! Previously, both Nova 3 and 3i were available in Black and Iris Purple colors and now the company has added Red and Pearl White colors for Nova 3 and 3i respectively.
The Huawei Nova 3 is available in the market for Rs. 59,900 whereas the Nova 3i comes with Rs. 38,900 price tag. Both phones feature a quad- camera setup and attractive glass design.
The Nova 3 comes with the Kirin 970 chipset, which was, featured in Huawei’s latest flagship device, the P20 Pro. Similarly, the Nova 3i is Huawei’s first device to come bearing Huawei’s new Kirin 710 chip.
TECNO might be one of those lesser-known brands in the mobile world but they do make decent smartphones. One of which is the Tecno Camon i2, a new smartphone with a most probably nice set of cameras, acceptable hardware, and decent pricing.
Starting off with the display, the Camon i2 comes with a 6.2 inch IPS (720×1500) HD+ 18:9 display at the front. You get a Quad-Core MT6739 processor (4 X 1.5Ghz Cortex A53 cores) paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The battery size comes in at 3,750mAH which should deliver some impressive screen on time going by the specs.
The smartphone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with their own custom UI on top. It also gets the face-unlock feature, gyro sensor, ambient light sensor, USB OTG support, and a fingerprint sensor. Oh, and did we mention it has a notch?
The Camon i2 shows off a nice set of cameras, at least on paper. They have been marketing this phone as a camera-centric smartphone, so maybe wait for our review for a more comprehensive conclusion. Till then, all we know is it comes with a set of 13MP+2MP dual camera set up at the back with a quad LED flash. It also has a 16MP front camera with video chat flash.
The smartphone is priced at Rs 22,995 (USD 200), for which you do get the “BEST ANY LIGHT CAMERA”, a fairly new-ish design, and a few other features here and there. The MT6739 is a definite bummer, so is the HD+ resolution, a plastic body and for the same reasons, most buyers might be disappointed.
The competition among mid-range smartphones is intriguing. These phones are trying their best to come add something new. Some bring out 4 cameras while others give us an in-display fingerprint scanner. And some give us top-notch specs in a small price tag. And there still seems to be a lot to see. These smartphones companies are battling it out, but as long as we, consumers get new and interesting stuff, it’s quite alright. We have the OPPO F9 in for review. This phone features something called a water- drop display. Does the OPPO F9 surpass its competition? Let’s find out in this review!
OPPO F9 specifications:
Display: 6.3-inch Full HD+ LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 6
CPU: Octa-core MediaTek Helio P60
OS: Android 8.1 Oreo with ColorOS 5.2 on top
RAM: 4/6 GB
GPU: Mali-G72 MP3
Storage: 64 GB
Expandable Memory: Up to 256 GB (dedicated)
Rear Camera: Dual 16 + 2 MP lens with f/1.8 aperture and f/2.4 aperture, PDAF, LED flash
Front Camera: 25 MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture
The F9 is quite an appealing device. The design is such that it gives off a shiny appearance of a glass body. At first glance, you might not even notice its plastic construction, but you will certainly feel the difference in your hands. The Huawei Nova 3i (Read review) takes the lead when it comes to premium feel, but I like what OPPO has done with the gradient back color and the diamond patterns. If only this was a glass body, I wouldn’t have wished for any improvement on the design front. I have the red version which is named ‘Sunrise Red’ by OPPO, but if you are not a fan of this color, there are other options available too.
As for aesthetics, the power button is placed at the right with the volume rockers as well as the SIM/memory card slot just above it. The button placement is quite convenient and though the device is large, it’s very comfortable to reach all of them. Similarly, at the bottom, there’s a single speaker grill with the Micro USB port beside it, a noise cancellation mic and not to miss, the headphone jack. The back houses nothing but the dual cameras, an LED flash, a fingerprint sensor, which is easily reachable, and the OPPO branding just below the sensor.
The OPPO F9 feels very light on hands and is also very comfortable to hold. While the Nova 3i felt slippery, this one gives you quite a grip. But since the device is huge, one-handed use is a struggle, especially for someone with small hands like me.
Display:
A water drop display. Sounds fancy? Well, actually, it’s called so, because the tiny notch on top looks like a drop of water. And it is the smallest notch we’ve seen since the Essential phone. The small notch houses nothing but the selfie camera and very cleverly hides the speaker grills right above it. Well, there is no fancy Dual cameras on this one, but again, the question is, do you really need one?
Moving on, the device has a 6.3 inch IPS LCD FHD+ display panel. And as I already said in my hands-on review, it’s quite vibrant, has nice colors, and good viewing angles which pretty much accounts for a good display experience overall. The sunlight legibility is also excellent as the display is very bright. Also, While watching videos or playing games, the small notch is less obstructive and same is the case with Instagram stories. The F9 gives you a 19.5:9 aspect ratio with very thin bezels. So, viewing content on this one has been a pleasing experience. Another welcoming trait of this device is it’s one of the very first to feature Gorilla Glass 6, which in my opinion, is very ambitious for a mid-range device.
Cameras:
OPPO claims itself as the ‘Selfie Expert and Leader’, which is why we have to do a thorough camera test. The selfie camera definitely impresses you. It’s a 25 MP shooter with f/2.0 aperture. The selfies are bright, vibrant and pack in a good amount of colors.
You have a lot of effects for selfies too, like, Selfie Portrait effect, which is purely software. The result is however of average quality with slightly inaccurate depth sensing.
Having said that, I liked the HDR feature which makes the pictures look good in bright environments too. There’s also a super Vivid mode which helps make the pictures more colorful, but sometimes, makes photos look a little too over-saturated.
OPPO F9 Selfie Camera Samples
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There is a beauty mode which functions okay in the first levels, but after that, you start looking like a doll.
OPPO F9 Selfies| Normal Vs Beauty
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Beauty Level: OFF
Beauty Level: 1
Beauty Level: 2
Beauty Level: 3
Night selfies are surprisingly well if there is enough light, but as the surroundings get darker, you will notice grains and loss in detail. The AR stickers are there too, like its predecessor OPPO F7. But this time there are a lot more choices among stickers and they are quite fun to use. I compared the selfies of the F9 with that of the Nova 3i and found the F9’s selfies to be better in aspects like color and vibrancy. But details are slightly better preserved on the Nova 3i. However, pictures on the 3i look a bit pale when put side by side with OPPO F9. Overall, I must say that I quite like the selfie experience on this device.
Moving on to the rear cameras, there is a 16 MP primary sensor and a 2 MP depth sensor on the dual camera setup. Apart from the pictures having slightly inaccurate color reproduction, other aspects seem covered quite well by OPPO. The pictures appear to be full of life. Details are well preserved too.
OPPO F9 Back Camera Samples
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However, in the portrait images, you cannot turn off beautification which sets me off a bit. You do have various lighting options for portrait, which sounds fancy but are not very impressive. Most of the times, portrait images loose details and the edge detection is not very proper either.
OPPO F9 Portrait Samples
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The camera does identify various objects, which, again is a form of AI that almost all the smartphones seem to have these days. Upon recognizing the objects and scenery, a small icon appears on the top-right corner, indicating that the AI has successfully identified the object. It will, then, tweak some settings thereafter, adjusting the colors and so. It is not very accurate though.
OPPO F9 | Normal Vs Super Vivid Mode
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Normal Mode
Super Vivid Mode
Like with the front camera, there’s a Super Vivid mode on the back that acts to add saturation to pictures, but I liked the normal images better. The HDR feature does work but I didn’t find a lot of difference with the HDR on. Similarly, like the Vivo V11 Pro, there is Google Lens built in the cameras which is an added feature. Likewise, night time shots are okay at best.
OPPO F9 | Non-HDR VS HDR
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Non-HDR
HDR
Like the Nova 3i, there is a Pro mode, which is here called the ‘expert mode’. This gives you options to change things like ISO levels, White Balance, etc. Talking about other features, the output from the Slow- Mo feature is just average and results in loss of quality.
Also, you don’t have a 4K recording feature and videos can be recorded either in 1080p or 720p only at 30fps and there isn’t any kind of stabilization in them as well which is, very disappointing to say the least.
All in all, the pictures from the F9 are pretty good but there’s a lot of room for improvement, especially in the portrait department and video recording.
To check out all the images in high resolution, click here
Performance:
Moving on to the performance, the Helio P60 chipset underneath, impressed us in the OPPO F7 (Read review) and the same has been used in the F9 as well. So, the performance is about the same. I did not experience any stutters while navigating, multitasking or gameplay for that matter. But, what I did, is compared the gameplay between the Huawei Nova 3i and OPPO F9 and found the F9 to have a slight edge over its rival. Regular performance between these devices is more or less similar.
However, the storage department is where the Nova 3i beats the F9 as you get 4+64 GB version here and the 3i offers you 4+128 GB version for a lesser price tag. Sure, you can expand the memory using the dedicated micro SD card slot too.
Adding on to the performance side, there is something in-built called the “Game Space” feature, which comes in handy while gaming. With this feature, you can choose to play games without any disturbances from calls and notifications. OPPO also claims that it boosts the gaming performance, but, I didn’t feel anything of that sort.
It’s fair to say that OPPO phones always have good and fast facial recognition, but, since there is no IR sensor, it’s not as reliable. But you can always rely on the Fingerprint sensor which is also one of the fastest and it’s really nice to see that it’s in a comfortable position.
The single speaker at the bottom is decent with fewer distortions, but, at loud volumes, you can feel the distortions. The audio from the 3.5mm headphone jack has an average dynamic range and response. As for call quality, I used the NTC and Ncell SIM during my review period and had no problems. Similarly, Wi-Fi connectivity is not an issue in this device and it supports 5 GHz network too.
Software:
Software-wise, you get the Android Oreo 8.1 topped with heavily customized ColorOS 5.2. I have said it already and will say it again, I am not a fan of the UI in OPPO phones or even Vivo phones for that matter. The most annoying is having to slide and delete the notifications. I mean, you either have to erase them all at once, or go one by one sliding and deleting. But unlike Vivo phones, at least, you have the search option in the settings menu.
Also, there is no app drawer and you have all your apps lying on the home screen. As for the large icons, you have different themes that you can set for your preference.
Similarly, you have an option to enable or disable navigation keys. I like it when companies provide options and let us be in control. But, the absence of LED notification lights is disappointing. It is something that I need and sadly, the F9 doesn’t have it. I guess the water drop display has its own shortcomings. There are also gesture features like many phones have, so nothing new in that department.
OPPO F9 | Software & UI
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Battery:
The OPPO F9 has a 3500 mAh battery paired with its own custom VOOC charging support. You get a 5V 4A charger that helps you gain a charge of 55% in around 30 minutes. The battery endures pretty well. There are various power saving modes that help you make your battery life better but I haven’t had the necessity to use one as the battery is very enduring in itself.
During my normal usage, which includes social media and gameplay along with work stuff and a lot of making calls, the battery gave me a full day’s support with some charge left even after. So, for normal use, the battery lasts for a little more than a day. The presence of a Micro USB is definitely a bummer here, but I think fast charging support covers for it anyway. Although a USB-C would have felt nicer.
Conclusion:
The OPPO F9 is definitely a good value for money, at least for Nepal. In India and other parts of the world, you should, however, get the Poco F1 or the Honor Play for less price. But since none of these devices are available in Nepal, the Oppo F9 is a nice package overall with good performance, excellent battery life, a decent set of cameras, good enough design and trendy notch display. Yes, the UI is something I didn’t like but I think it’s a small sacrifice you have to make.
If you are looking for a better design option, or maybe one with a more storage capacity, you may also consider the Nova 3i. Otherwise, what you get more in the F9 is faster charging, Gorilla Glass 6 protection and 5GHz Wi-Fi connectivity. Other aspects are more or less the same.
If you were planning to buy the Sony Xperia L1, you just got immensely lucky. This budget smartphone has just received a whopping discount. The phone now lies on the shelf of Sastodeal with a 40% off in its original price.
In terms of display, the Sony Xperia L1 comes with the 5.5-inch display. The display on the handset features HD (1280 x 720 pixels) resolutions packing 267 PPI in every inch. To shield the display from the scratches, the display has also been provided with the scratch-resistant glass on the top.
Sony smartphones are greatly renowned for their cameras. And the Sony Xperia L1 is one of the capable camera phones at its price. The phone boasts a 13MP camera at the back with f/2.2 aperture. And up front, there is a 5MP, f/2.2 selfie shooter. Both the cameras promise to deliver some amazing photos with a great amount of details.
The Xperia L1 is powered by the MediaTek MT6737T chipset. There is also 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. The storage on the phone can be further expanded up to 256GB via SD card. On the software side of things, the phone features Android Nougat out of the box.
In terms of battery, the phone is equipped with a 2620mAh non-removable battery. But given the specs, we can expect a decent battery life from the smartphone.
Sony Xperia L1 Specifications
Dimension: 151 x 74 x 8.7 mm; Weight: 180g
Display: 5.5 inches IPS LCD display with scratch-resistant glass for protection
Resolution: HD (720 x 1280) @267PPI, 16:9 aspect ratio
OS: Android 7.0 Nougat
Chipset: MediaTek MT6737T
CPU: Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 16GB Internal Storage, Expandable up to 256GB
Rear Camera: 13MP with f/2.2 aperture, LED Flash, 1080p @30fps
Front Camera: 5MP with f/2.2 aperture
Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity, compass
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5 mm headphone jack, A-GPS, NFC, FM Radio, USB Type C 1.0
At the similar price, users can get Nokia 2, Huawei Y3 2018, or the Motorola Moto C. Although the Nokia 2 (price Rs.11,499) comes with the whopping 4100mAh battery, it comes with a mediocre chipset, less storage, and below-par cameras. The Huawei Y3 2018 (price Rs.11,400), on the other hand, features a low-res (480 x 854 pixels) display, less storage, very average cameras, and a smaller battery. Similarly, the Moto C (price Rs. 10,900) also have low-res (480 x 854 pixels) display, less RAM, very average cameras and a smaller battery. So the Sony Xperia L1 at the price of Rs. 11,000 is a very good deal.
The first thing that you will want to do when you get your Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is pop out the S-Pen and start scribbling on the screen. At least, that’s what I did. This is a device that is a lot more fun to use than your regular phones. With the S-Pen, you will start to become the artist you never were, or start to jot down things you never thought necessary.
But, the Note 9 is not just a toy! It is a powerful beast of a phone for power users. And yes, the best phone that money…well, a lot of money can buy right now. But the thing on everyone’s mind is “Is it worth a $1000”? And after full month of usage, I say, yes. Yes, it is worth every penny.
Specs Overview:
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
The design of the Galaxy Note 9 is pretty much the same to last year’s Note 8. It is a very well-crafted but not much has changed except the placement of the fingerprint sensor, which is now at a more convenient spot. The phone is quite large, and for those with small hands, it’s going to get quite a lot of getting used to. I am just stating what it is, but, if you’re going to get a Galaxy Note device, you shouldn’t complain about the size!
Other than that, nothing much has changed. You still get a headphone jack, which is good. And this is the first Galaxy Note device to have stereo speakers. It is IP68 Water and Dust Resistant, but that is not new for Samsung. The glass back looks pretty good, but it catches fingerprints very easily. There’s also the infamous Boxby button on the right, which was pretty much useless, but it’s very easy to mistake it for the volume down button. I don’t know about you guys, but I think Samsung should consider removing that…and by that, I mean the whole Bixby, not just the button.
Overall, the phone is tall, muscular and has got that premium factor to it – a classic Galaxy Note trait!
Display
A 6.4” Quad-HD+ resolution on a Super AMOLED display makes for stunning visuals. The Infinity display with 18.5:9 aspect ratio and sloping edges make everything appear superb! With OLED displays, you get perfect blacks and better colors. So, from pictures, to videos, to texts, everything is vibrant and punchy and colors are very accurate. There is no argument that Samsung’s displays are one of the best. And while everyone is giving their own version of notches to their phones, respect to Samsung for not jumping on the hype train.
The brightness levels are also pretty good, allowing good sunlight legibility overall. However, a small issue is that the edges reflect light and interrupt the display slightly. And this is actually a design trait on all curved Samsung phones. But, you will get used to it after sometime.
Also, you can adjust whether to use the QHD+ resolution or switch to Full HD+. Keeping it in Full HD+ will help you save battery, while the QHD is all about your viewing experiences.
However, the phone doesn’t have the latest Gorilla Glass 6 Protection. Instead, it settles for the Gorilla Glass 5, which works pretty well too! And that is a much needed element, as finding a good tempered glass on a Note 9 is a bit of a problem.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 inherits the same cameras from the Galaxy S9 Plus, with a few tweaks. The dual camera setup at the back combines a 12 MP lens with variable apertures (f/1.5 + f/2.4) and another 12 MP telephoto zooming lens. The biggest feature, here, is the dual aperture. It lets the camera change depending on the environment to adjust to the amount of light in your surroundings to get good pictures in all kinds of lighting conditions.
The primary lens is able to give you stunning photo quality! It maintains color accuracy, focus, sharpness and the details. The only concern is Samsung uses its Live Focus for the Portrait mode and bokeh mode. And Live Focus really needs to work on its edge detection. Sure, you can manually adjust the background blur too, but this won’t be the best bokeh mode you will see on a smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Live Focus Portrait Samples
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The secondary rear camera allows for a 2x Optical Zoom, which means that even if you zoom up to two times, your pictures will still come out as sharp as the original ones. However, lowlight telephoto images do get considerable noise.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Back Camera Samples
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Both lenses have Optical Image Stabilization to deal with your shaky hands. The camera is already an excellent one overall. The additional tweaks you will see is Samsung’s version of the AI cameras. Samsung calls it Scene Optimizer. The scene optimizer can identify about 20 subjects and supposedly, alters settings depending on what you are shooting. But it’s unlikely that you will notice that much of a difference in your photos. But no matter what, you will be getting good photos, and that’s what matters in the end, isn’t it?
Normal Vs Scene Optimizer
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Normal mode
AI Scene Optimizer Mode
Also, the scene optimizer is nothing new or groundbreaking. We’ve seen plenty of cameras with those features. But, this one also has the Flaw Detection feature, which comes quite handy. If the photo is ruined in any way, it will warn you about the scenario. For example, if someone blinks, or something disturbs the background, or if the lenses get dirty, the phone will prompt you to take the photo again. Now, this is a good way to make absolutely sure that your moments are captured quite well.
The front camera is an 8 MP shooter, and while we’ve seen pretty heavy front cameras, Samsung does just great with its 8 MP lens. You can also get the bokeh mode on your selfies with Selfie Focus. Also, many Samsung phones don’t have HDR pro feature in front cameras, but this one does. And it lets you take good selfies even in very bright conditions.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Selfie Samples
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Samsung also likes to fill its camera app with a lot of modes and options. You can also shoot Super Slow Motion videos at 960 frames per second @ 720p resolution. There’s AR Emoji (a gimmick, just like the others), and a lot of filters in the camera itself. It’s one of the best camera apps in the business – with lots of features and still easy enough to use.
The videos on this one are also pretty great. You can record up to 4K videos in 60 fps with good sound recording too. However, one thing it cannot do is record 4K HDR videos, as the Exynos 9810 chipset doesn’t support HDR video recording. Maybe the Galaxy S10 will support this feature.
To check out all the images in high resolution, click here
In addition, you might also know that the S-Pen remote allows you to open the camera app and take pictures pretty easily. It is very handy when you have to take a group selfie and fit everyone in.
Performance
The Galaxy Note 9 features the Snapdragon 845 in US and China, and the Exynos 9810 in other regions. Now, it is true that the Exynos 9810 is faster than the Snapdragon counterpart. So, the chip is very fast and delivers super performance in almost everything – from multi-tasking to gaming. You can play high-end games like Fortnite and PUBG in Ultra settings and get no lags whatsoever. Everything you throw at it, the phone can handle it. Even playing those games with the Power Saver mode on didn’t get any lags or stutters. That should give you an idea of its prowess.
Samsung may not have the fastest chip in the industry as the latest iPhones manage to get the highest Geekbench scores, but that doesn’t matter as long as it runs everything flawlessly and smoothly. Also, we only have the 6 GB RAM variant here, in Nepal, and the 8 GB RAM variant may be a bit faster. But sadly, that is not available here.
The phone also has a Water Cooling System. However, despite that, the phone does heat up considerably. While playing PUBG at Ultra Settings, the phone reached very close to 40-degree centigrade. That is normal for regular phones, but for something with a Water Cooler inside, it is concerning.
The Fingerprint Scanner at the back is a tad-bit slower than in other phones, which is pretty much noticeable. The Face Recognition and the IRIS Scanner face similar traits. And it won’t work very accurately in the dark either.
Software wise, the Galaxy Note 9 comes with Android 8.1 Oreo with Samsung Experience UI on top. Now, this UI is pretty refined and is much better optimized than the old TouchWiz. This UI has helpful cues to navigate the deep and seemingly complex operating system as well. And yes, there are plenty of Samsung bloat-ware you can’t let go, but we’ve all learnt to ignore them anyway. One thing I could do without is Bixby. It’s not as good as Google Assistant, and never will be. Which is why, I say, they should remove the whole thing.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 UI
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Notification shade
Samsung Bloatware
S-Pen Air View
Multitasking
Samsung Themes
Battery and Storage
This absolute beast of a phone also comes with a beastly battery of 4000 mAh. And while it will last you the whole day on your Full HD+ display settings, you might be looking for the charger by the end of the day in QHD+ display mode. I did expect more life from the battery, but maybe because the display is big and the phone has so many features, it didn’t live to my expectations. The Fast Charge 2.0 can charge your phone in about 1 hour 45 minutes, which is fast, but, not as fast as the Oneplus 6.
It’s battery saver mode can help extend battery life considerably. There’s also this Maximum Power Saving mode that can also extend your battery life by a day and half, but it tones down the display to HD+, disables biometric and also turns the phone dark. This feature will come handy when you’re away on a trip or so.
As for storage, the Note 9 has 2 options: 128 GB, which is the baseline model, and a whopping 512 GB that also has 8 GB RAM. Both these models have a microSD card slot which can support up to 512 GB. Now, the concept of being able to get a massive 1 TB storage on your phone is intriguing, but that option is not available in Nepal. Even so, 128 GB is ample storage space, don’t you think?
S-Pen
A Galaxy Note 9 review wouldn’t be complete without talking about the S-Pen. The S-Pen is what makes the Note 9 a Note device! And with the added Bluetooth Remote Control feature, there’s quite a lot you can do with it. Sketching and writing notes aside, the remote control function comes handy sometimes. But for the most part, its use feels forced in everyday life.
You can use the remote control to open the camera, and take pictures, which is the most you’ll use it for. It can also be used to scroll up or down in the web browsers. You can use it to play or pause media, or use it during Power Point presentations, too, and some others. But these things aren’t exactly difficult with your hand either.
However, the Air View feature in the S-Pen proves to be useful. When you take the pen out, you get quite a lot of options, which, by default are limited to Samsung’s own, but you can add or remove them according to preference.
Apart from letting you create and view your notes, there’s the Smart Select feature which can help you select require elements from the screen and use it as per your needs. The Translate function can help translate texts on the phone to many languages. There’s also this Live Message feature which can help create interesting doodled messages, but that’s too gimmicky, and hasn’t got much usage. Besides that, if you want some childhood nostalgia, you can also paint some pictures with the Coloring option.
Samsung DeX
The Samsung Dex, which enables you to use your phone as a desktop, is very much improved. Samsung has simplified the DeX experience in the Note 9. Now, you can get this “PC like experience” a lot easily, with just the HDMI to USB-C adapter. No need to get the Dex pod or anything else. Simply connect the cable, and you’re good to go!
Conclusion and Verdict
So, to conclude, the Galaxy Note 9, as I already said, is, right now, the best phone money can buy. Unfortunately, you will have to spend quite a lot of it, if you want this device.
The specs are top-notch. The design and build is close to perfection. Samsung displays are the best. The cameras need some more improvements, while the biometrics could have been a tad faster. A truckload of storage is another good point. This is a phone that offers you everything, and then some. And it will carry you easily for the next 2 or 3 years.
However, is there a reason not to get the Note 9? Actually, yes. This phone, no matter how many features it has, still lacks a “wow” factor. This is particularly more noticeable if you have a Galaxy Note 8 or Galaxy S9 Plus. If you’re coming from those phones, then, this phone will not provide you anything new. It is not worth a $1000 or Rs.110000.
But if you’re using anything below that, like the S7 Edge or Galaxy Note 5, then, this phone will appeal to you. It has a lot of improvements over those, and a lot of power. The ideal user for this kind of phone is someone who wants the best of everything and at their fingertips. You get a phone, a PC or a TV in your pocket, and if you’re a devout S-Pen user, that’s a bonus. You’re not likely to get anything better, until maybe the next Pixel arrives, or the S10 probably.
But it all depends on you. If you absolutely want everything that it offers right now, then, go for it. But, if you can do without an S-Pen, or all those bells and whistles, or on a budget, there are quite a lot of great options available.
Pros:
Top-notch specs
Stunning AMOLED QHD+ display
Bigger battery
S-Pen Remote
Great camera with Flaw Detection mechanism
Cons:
Very few innovations over Note 8 or S9 Plus
Old design to the Note 8
Camera’s Live Focus is not comparable to the Portrait mode
Xiaomi is officially here in Nepal, and the company held its first event today. It shared its plans and strategies from here onwards and also launched four new devices.
The Xiaomi Mi A2, Mi A2 Lite, Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A, are the company’s new mid-rangers of various price ranges that were unveiled today. All these devices enter the saturated mid-range mobile phone market looking to emulate the success of their predecessor but with quite a competitive pricing.
From the event, we got to know that Xiaomi has opened an office here in Nepal to control the selling, and marketing of the Xiaomi phones and products. Beforehand, two different distributors had the sole authority to sell the company’s devices here.
With the new business model and strategies, we can expect Xiaomi to focus more on the customers by providing high-grade devices at a cheaper price tag. And we got to see the first demo of those strategies through the new smartphones.
We got to interview Mr. Sanket Agrawal and Mr. Saurabh Kothari, officials from Xiaomi, regarding the company’s arrival in Nepal and their future plans. They stated on how the company follows the customer-first model and how they will do the same here starting with the four new Mi and Redmi devices.
The officials also stated that Xiaomi will now be more aggressive with the pricing and is working to bring in new devices according to the needs of the customers. And for those waiting for the Poco F1, well the device is launching soon, probably after Dashain
Here are the four new devices that were launched today:
Xiaomi Mi A2
The Xiaomi Mi A2 is the direct successor to the widely popular Mi A1. The A-series of Xiaomi comes under Google’s Android One project out of the box. This device is 5.99-inch tall and has an 18:9 aspect ratio. It features a metallic unibody design with a vertical camera compartment. The dual rear cameras measure 12- and 20-megapixel and are capable of capturing 4K videos. On the front sits a 20-megapixel selfie camera.
The Xiaomi Mi A2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset and has 4 GB of RAM. It has a 3,000 mAh battery that is supported with Quick Charge. However, it lacks the headphone jack due to its slim design.
The Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite, like its name suggests, is the lite variant of the Mi A2. Unlike the Mi A2, this device has followed the trend of sporting a notch on the IPS LCD display that is 5.84-inch tall. It has a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor aided by 3 or 4 GB of RAM which has 64 and 32 GB storage respectively.
On the optics front, this device comes with dual 12- and 5-megapixel cameras. There is a 5-megapixel selfie shooter on the front. Like the Mi A2 and the older Mi A1, this smartphone is also an Android One device. It has a large 4,000 mAh battery with no fast charging technology.
Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A
The Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A are the cheapest phones launched today by Xiaomi. Both the devices come with a 5.45-inch HD+ IPS LCD display. The Redmi 6 is powered by the MediaTek Helio P22 chipset whereas the Redmi 6A has the MediaTek Helio A22 chipset. Both the devices have a 3000 mAh battery.
The Xiaomi Redmi 6 is more expensive among the two and features a dual camera setup. It has more storage than the Redmi 6 and comes with 3 and 4 GB of RAM.
The Redmi 6A is the successor to the Redmi 5A and the Redmi 4A. It is the cheapest device launched today. This device has a single 13-megapixel rear camera with a 5-megapixel selfie camera.
Xiaomi Mi A2, Mi A2 Lite, Redmi 6 & Redmi 6A Price in Nepal
The Xiaomi Mi A2 was expected to be priced above Rs. 35,000. However, Xiaomi has priced the 4 GB + 64 GB variant at Rs. 30,999. Likewise, the 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage variant of the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite is priced at Rs. 20,999. The higher-end 4 GB and 64 GB version will sell for Rs. 24,499.
The Xiaomi Redmi 6’s 32 GB and 64 GB variants are priced at Rs. 16,499 and Rs, 18,499, respectively. The cheapest of the devices launched today, the Redmi 6A will be priced at Rs. 12,999. All these devices will go on sale starting 30th September 2018.
Verdict
For a couple of years now, the Nepali consumers have asked for well-performing smartphones in a cheaper price tag. But that has not been the case for a long time. Even the smartphones that are available for cheap in the international market come at a costlier price. Due to the profit margins, the marketing and business model for selling products, and tax, the prices of phones skyrocket.
However, Xiaomi looks to change all of that with its new business model. A lot of Nepali customers had expected the Chinese giants to take this step in the past. But better late than never right?
According to Xiaomi Nepal, the company will receive only 5% profit margin on its devices just to make the price competitive. This is the perfect example of a company thinking only about the customers.
Today’s event was an example of how Xiaomi is going to do its selling here in Nepal. And it has definitely set an example for other smartphone companies in terms of pricing!
MI Nepal, in an event, organized very recently, unveiled two new entry-level phones in the Nepali market. The phones add more phones to the Xiaomi Redmi lineup. The Chinese tech giant launched the Xiaomi Redmi 6 and the Xiaomi Redmi 6A in Nepal. While these phones have been available for over 3 months, they’re just making their way here. Both are the successors to last year’s Redmi 5 and Redmi 5A. And similar to last year, the Redmi 6A is the lighter version of the Redmi 6. However, both of these phones don’t have the trending notch on their displays.
The Xiaomi Redmi 6 is an entry-level phone and should be popular among consumers looking for budget phones. Even with its low price tag, it offers all the basic must-have features in 2018. The phone comes with a 5.45″ IPS LCD display with HD+ (1440 x 720) resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. The Redmi 6 packs a dual camera setup at the back. The setup consists of a 12 MP lens with PDAF, and a 5 MP depth sensor; both with f/2.2 aperture. The front camera is a single 5 MP lens. Both the cameras are capable of capturing 1080p videos at 30 fps.
Under the hood, an entry level 2.0 GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P22 chipset powers the device. Internationally, the phone comes in 3 GB or 4 GB RAM choices, but here in Nepal, we only get the 3 GB RAM variant. However, there are options for storage. You can choose from either a 32 GB variant or a 64 GB variant. However, there is a microSD card slot in it that enables you to expand your storage up to 256 GB. It packs a 3000 mAh battery, which might be small, but for an entry-level phone, it should be enough. Also, the phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo topped with MIUI 9 on top.
Display: 5.45″ IPS LCD HD+ (720 x 1440) resolution with 18:9 aspect ratio
Back Camera: 12 MP lens with PDAF, f/2.2 aperture + 5 MP depth sensor
Front Camera: 5 MP
Processor: 2.0 GHz Octa-core MediaTek Helio P22
RAM: 3 GB
Storage: 32 GB / 64 GB (expandable up to 256 GB via microSD)
Battery: 3000 mAh
OS: Android Oreo 8.1 with MIUI 9
Security: Fingerprint sensor and AI Face Unlock
Colors: Black, Blue, and Gold
Latest Price: Rs. 16,499 (32 GB) / Rs.18,499 (64 GB) [Last updated on: December 6, 2018]
Xiaomi Redmi 6A overview
The Xiaomi Redmi 6A is a lighter version of the Redmi 6. It falls in the lower entry-level segment. The phone features more or less a similar form factor to the Redmi 6, but compromises on quite a few aspects. It features the same 5.45″ IPS LCD display with HD+ resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. However, it packs a single 13 MP camera at the back with f/2.2 aperture and PDAF (Phase Detection Auto-Focus). It is capable of recording 1080p videos @30 fps. The front camera is the same at 5 MP with f/2.2 aperture but cannot record 1080p videos.
Under the hood, a 2.0 GHz quad-core Helio A22 chip powers the phone. And just like the Redmi 6, the phone is available in two RAM options internationally, but we only get the 2 GB variant in Nepal. So, the storage is also limited to 16 GB, but there is a dedicated microSD card slot. It also packs a similar 3000 mAh battery. In addition, this phone, too, runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with MIUI 9.0 on top.
The Redmi 6A is a budget phone that cost Rs.12,999 in Nepal.
Xiaomi Redmi 6A Specifications:
Display: 5.45″ IPS LCD HD+ (720 x 1440) resolution with 18:9 aspect ratio
Back Camera: 13 MP lens with PDAF, f/2.2 aperture
Front Camera: 5 MP with f/2.2 aperture
Processor: 2.0 GHz Quad-core MediaTek Helio A22
RAM: 2 GB
Storage: 16 GB (expandable up to 256 GB via microSD)
Battery: 3000 mAh
OS: Android Oreo 8.1 with MIUI 9
Security: AI Face Unlock
Colors: Black, Blue and Gold
Latest Price: Rs. 12,999 [Last updated on: December 6, 2018]
MI Nepal recently organized an event in Kathmandu. In the event, the Chinese tech giant unveiled four of its products for Nepal. Among the four, two of them are Xiaomi MI A2 and Xiaomi MI A2 Lite. Both of them come with the stock version of Android in them and dual camera setup at the back. But how good are the smartphones in terms of specs? Let’s find out here.
Xiaomi MI A2 Overview
Last year’s Xiaomi MI A1 was a huge hit, not only in Nepal but also in the global market. Xiaomi smartphones are often criticized for its heavily customized MIUI. And in the Xiaomi MI A1, the brand ditched its beloved UI and adopted the pure or the unadulterated stock Android. Since Xiaomi smartphones are always feature-packed, the inclusion of the stock Android in the MI A1 added an extra aspect to love the handset. Continuing with the stock Android, Xiaomi had brought the successor the MI A2, which was launched a couple of months back in the global market. Better late than never, Xiaomi brought this handset finally in Nepal after two months of its launch in the global market.
The smartphone looks sleek and slim with a mere thickness of 7.3mm. It is also light in terms of weight as it weighs just 168 grams. On the display front, Xiaomi has provided a 5.99-inch LTPS LCD display, which is said to have better color accuracy and viewing angles than the mainstream IPS display. This display is shielded by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the top for the protection. On the resolution side, Xiaomi MI A2 features Full-HD+ resolution in an 18:9 aspect ratio and with the pixel density of 403 PPI. So the content on the display can be expected to look sharp and crisp.
As mentioned earlier, the phone features stock Android since the device is the product of the Android One program. It originally comes with Android Oreo (v8.1) out of the box but will receive all the regular updates and software patches from Google for two years.
On the performance front, the MI A2 got a substantial upgrade. The phone comes with the Snapdragon 660 chipset over the Snapdragon 625 on its predecessor. It comes coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. But unlike its predecessor, the MI A2 does not have a micro SD card slot for the memory expansion. So users have to be satisfied only with the internal memory of the phone.
The camera was the standout feature on the MI A1. And by looking at the specs, MI A2 seems to possess similar trait when looked into its specs. The phone features a dual camera at the back, which is a combination of 20MP and 12MP sensors. Both of the cameras feature f/1.8 aperture. In terms of the selfie, MI A2 embraced a 20MP shooter on the front. The selfie shooter also has soft LED alongside in order to capture images even in the low light settings.
Most of the specs in the MI A2 look appealing. However, there are also some aspects, where the smartphone disappoints quite heavily. The phone features a small 3000mAh battery and there is no 3.5mm headphone as well. Not to forget, there is no SD card slot either.
Last year, Xiaomi released only one smartphone with the Stock Android. But in 2018, the brand produced two smartphones under the Android One program. And Xiaomi MI A2 Lite is the second Android One phone of Xiaomi this year after the MI A2. And as the name cues, the MI A2 Lite is cheaper among the two when it comes to price.
In the smartphone market flooded with the notched display, MI A2 Lite is the Xiaomi’s take on providing a notched display on the Android one phone. The phone features a 5.84-inch IPS display with a narrow notch on the top. The similar also comes with Full-HD+ resolution in a 19:9 aspect ratio packing 432 pixels in every inch.
Since the Xiaomi MI A2 Lite is also an Android One phone, it also comes with a stock Android version of Android lacking all sorts of bloatware. And just like the MI A2, the A2 Lite will also receive regular updates and software patches from Google itself for two years.
The handset comes with the Snapdragon 625 chipset backed by 3/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB of onboard storage. There is also a facility to expand the storage further up to 256GB via SD card. And a dedicated SD card slot has been provided for that very purpose. In terms of camera, there is a dual camera setup residing meticulously on the back. The combination of 12MP and 5MP sensors is said to be capable of capturing excellent portrait images. On the selfie front, there is a 5MP front shooter, which comes with f/2.0 aperture.
Despite being low on price, the A2 Lite is better than the A2 in terms of battery. Xiaomi MI A2 Lite can surely provide a prolonged battery backup with its humongous 4000mAh battery. And unlike the MI A2, the A2 Lite does not disappoint in the audio department since there is a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS + GLONASS, Micro USB 2.0
Dimensions: 3 x 71.7 x 8.8 mm; Weight: 178g
Battery: 4000mAh
Colors: Blue, Gold, and Black
Latest Price: Rs. 20,999 (3/32GB) | Rs. 24,499 (4/64GB) [Last updated on December 6, 2018]
The smartphones will go on sale all over Nepal starting from the 30th of September. Given the price and specs, do you think it would be a good buy? Let us know in the comment section.
After the Huawei P20 Pro made sensations with its triple cameras, we have come across another smartphone with triple rear camera sensors, but this isn’t a Huawei device. This time, it’s Samsung! Samsung recently launched the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018, which among other things seems to provide features that even flagship smartphones don’t give. Well, this seems like a new strategy for standing out in the market in the upper mid-range segment.
The Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 features a 6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display. Keeping up with the trend, the device offers you a slightly curved front with the side frame being made of aluminum. The phones comes in three memory variants, 4 GB/ 64 GB, 4 GB/ 128 GB or 6 GB/ 128 GB variant.
The star of the show still remains the triple camera setup. Samsung phones are always praised to give good cameras to consumers and with the triple camera setup definitely sets the standard and expectations high. At the back, there is a 24 MP primary sensor with f/1.7 aperture, an 8 MP f/2.4 aperture wide- angle lens and a 5 MP f/2.2 depth sensor. Similarly, the front features a 24 MP f/2.0 sensor for selfies.
Adding to the features, there’s a side-mounted fingerprint sensor just like what we saw on the Galaxy J6 Plus. Likewise, it also comes with Dolby Atmos for headphones and audio.
Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 Specifications:
Operating System: Android Oreo 8.0 with Experience UI
Sensors: Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass.
[Latest Price: Rs. 43,990] [Last updated on June 3, 2019]
Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 Price in Nepal:
The Galaxy A7 comes at an international pricing of €350 ($410). As it is with all Samsung phones, the price is expected to be consistent with the international pricing. Similarly, the device is said to launch between this Dashain and Tihar, according to Samsung Officials.
As of now the smartphone lineup in Galaxy A series comprises of Galaxy A6 Plus, A6, A8 Star, and A8 Plus 2018. Similarly, the mid-range segment consists of J- series smartphones, the latest among those is, Galaxy J7 Duo, J8, J7 Pro, etc.
