Page 745 – GadgetByte Nepal

HTC hints a new “U” device – HTC U12 Life maybe?

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HTC

GadgetByte

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August 25, 2018

HTC hints a new “U” device – HTC U12 Life maybe?

HTC made quite an impact in the smartphone industry with its flagships – the HTC U11 and the U12 Plus. And few months after the U12, the Taiwanese company is hinting at another U-device by the end of this month. What else can it be other than HTC U12 Life? The Life series are the cheaper alternatives to the U-series flagships. And the U12 Life should be an alternative to last year’s U11 Life.

HTC U11 Life was released on December last year. And even if it might be too early to launch U12 Life, I cannot think of any other U-device. HTC said they were going to reveal a new U device through their twitter page very recently.

And so, it leads me to believe that this new “U” device is definitely the HTC U12 Life, as we also caught some leaks of HTC’s new project code-named “Imagine Life”, back in July. So, if it is indeed the HTC U12 Life, we also have some idea about what specs it will have.

The phone will have 6.0″ of Super LCD Full-HD+ display on a plastic build, which will also sport an IP-67 Dust and Water Resistance. Under the hood, it should sport a Snapdragon 636 with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of storage. It’s sure to feature a dual camera on the rear and will most likely ship with Android 8.1 Oreo. The phone might be priced between $300 to $400! But we will have to wait until August 30 to confirm everything.

However, whatever device HTC lands, it will very well be “all for naught” in Nepal. Since HTC U12 Plus didn’t even show up in Nepal, it’s very unlikely that the HTC U12 Life will. Also, the company’s profits have been declining, and since it has shut down its operations in the neighboring country, India, no HTC device might make its way here!

HTC was one of the good smartphones in Nepal, too, and liked by many. But now, with all that’s going on with HTC, we probably won’t get any new HTC phones.

Oppo R17 Pro is Here with 3 cameras and 2 batteries

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August 24, 2018

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With the reveals of the Oppo R17, there were already talks about its sibling – the R17 Pro. And now, it is official. The Oppo R17 Pro, is here with the familiar design of the R17 – with an additional camera at the back. But also, something more peculiar – two batteries!

oppo-r17-pro-unveiled

And along with the Oppo R17 Pro unveiled, the price and availability of the R17 is also made official. It costs about 3500 Chinese Yuan, which converts to some US $510. But by the looks of it, it probably won’t be available directly in retail stores internationally. However, you can order it online, and it will begin Shipping from August 30.

Anyways, the Oppo R17 Pro features the same design as the Oppo R17 – only with bumped up specs. For instance, it features the same 6.4″ HD+ AMOLED panel, but with a slightly higher resolution of 2340 x 1080. And there’s something else that’s familiar about it. A triple lens camera setup at the back, just like the Huawei P20 Pro. However, the setup consists of a 20 MP main sensor, a 12 MP secondary sensor and a 3D Stereo Camera lens, which supposedly supports AR features.

oppo-r17-pro-unvieled

Under the hood, the phone features 8 GB of RAM with 128 GB storage. It is powered by the Snapdragon 710 processor. The display integrates the fingerprint sensor into integrated in the display itself, just like the R17. But the peculiar thing about the R17 Pro is it’s two batteries of 1850 mAh each, making it a total of 3700 mAh. Oppo claims that these two work together in tandem to give you 40% of charge in 10 minutes! But other than that, I don’t understand the point of having two different units – if they’re going to work together anyway.

Also Read: OPPO Mobiles Price in Nepal

It’s now clear how much this Pro model will cost. But I guess the availability is no different – you have to ship it through online orders. And so, it is not likely to make its way to Nepal. But even so, it is something that provides great value, and does look tempting enough to order it online.

Jisoncase Luxury Cases for your phones: Worth the price?

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GadgetByte

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August 24, 2018

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Jisoncase Luxury Cases for your phones: Worth the price?

If you have a phone, you have a case on it. Almost all of us do. Given that cases reduce the original look and feel of your phone. But you wouldn’t want to drop it and lose it all at once, would you? And so, we’re always looking for cases to cover our phones – one that will look, feel and work good. For that very purpose, we have here the Jisoncase, which is pretty close to what you want in a case.

We received a review unit from Jisoncase for the Samsung Galaxy S9, and in two weeks of slapping it on my phone, I think its simple, yet luxurious. The best thing about it is that it’s pretty slim! It appears to be made out of PC material wrapped in some suede-like material. It’s somewhat flexible, so, pretty easy to snap on and off. All of it is wrapped in the soft material, so, it won’t scratch your phone from the inside. The buttons on it are solid and give tactile feedback. Its soft lining gives you a premium feel on your hands as well – making it appear quite luxurious! This material is also washable, but rightfully, so, because it can get dirty!

However, it offers solid protection as I’ve dropped my Galaxy S9 quite a few times from table heights, and it has survived with this case so far! But I am a bit skeptical about it surviving drops from greater heights.

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Jisoncase makes luxury and premium cases with genuine materials for those high-end phones and tablets. Say, if you want something classy for your iPhone, or iPad or your Samsung flagships. Usually, they make high-quality leather cases and similar soft materials. Its all about some luxury and a bit of protection. And they also ship their products to Nepal, provided that you have an international payment method like Paypal. So, if you want a luxury case that will add to the premium-ness of your phones, Jisoncase can give you what you want – it’s slim, feels luxurious, and looks very sleek. Suits your phone just right!

Check out Jason Cases here

Google Pixel 3 XL Leaked with Single back camera Again!

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August 24, 2018

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Google Pixel 3 XL Leaked with Single back camera Again!

While there is quite the tendency for smartphone leaks and rumors, you may never have seen a full leak such as this! The Google Pixel 3 XL got leaked in all its glory. There are pictures, specs, camera-samples, and everything. This means that you can see everything you want to see about the Google Pixel 3 XL – from it’s design to its packaging. Whether these leaks are authentic or not, we don’t know… but here’s a peak as well.

Let’s start with the most noticeable feature – the infamous notch! It is not a surprise for the Pixel to jump into the hype-train either. Well, that…and we had already seen Android 9.0 Pie optimized to support notches in its review. So, yeah. And since everything was leaked by a Russian personality, all the images you see has Russian language in it.

Here’s a full view of what the Pixel 3 XL looks like. The design doesn’t seem to have changed that much. Only, this one has smaller bezels, yet there still seems to be a chin at the bottom. Why, Google? If it serves no purpose, just get rid of it! On the back, we can again see the same familiar design. While Google jumped on the notch-hype train, it still didn’t set up dual cameras. Looking at the design, it makes me feel like Google’s not even trying anymore. I mean, come on!

And there’s also an image showing what you get inside the retail box of the Google Pixel 3 XL. The package includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, charging adapter, a USB-C to USB-A adapter, and a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. However, this time around, Google seems to have included a pair of headphones, which, surprisingly looks like a wired version of Google’s Pixel buds. But don’t get too excited…we don’t really know if it is even authentic!

Here are also the specs of the Google Pixel 3 XL, if you can read it. However, we can make out that the Pixel 3 XL has a 6.71″ QHD+ resolution (1440 x 2960) and a 3430 mAh battery. Again, we can’t be very sure of the leaks, but this is what it suggests.

I, personally, feel as if these are somehow fake! Google knows how to keep secrets, doesn’t it? I mean they could have themselves leaked these on purpose, for some reason. But whatever it is, I hope it isn’t real. The design isn’t appealing at all, and call it a gut feeling…but this does not feel like the Google Pixel 3 XL to me! I have very high hopes for the device!

Google will announce the phone sometime in October, and I seriously hope that it takes a turn from all that we can see here. What do you think of these leaks? If this was the real Google Pixel 3 XL, would you even buy it?

Oppo F9 launched as Oppo F9 “Pro” in India, arriving very soon in Nepal

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August 23, 2018

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Oppo F9 launched as Oppo F9 “Pro” in India, arriving very soon in Nepal

The Oppo F9 came out very recently, and the company was also hinting at an F9 Pro. Well, the Oppo F9 Pro did come out in India. But here’s a kicker. The Oppo F9 we knew about is also the F9 Pro! And the Pro model has only very slight changes to show for its name. Anyways, they’re out in India, so, it might come out in similar fashion in Nepal as well. And it is launching on August 29 in Nepal!

Both the Oppo F9 and Oppo F9 Pro have similar specs – from the design to the battery. The only difference is in the RAM. While we knew Oppo F9 had two RAM options – a 4 GB and a 6 GB variant, the company decided that they could launch those two phones under different names in the region. And so, now we have the 4 GB RAM variant as the Oppo F9 and the 6 GB variant as the F9 Pro. Also, the Pro model sports Oppo’s VOOC fast charging whereas the regular Oppo model doesn’t.

Besides that, there isn’t a single difference between the two. Both the phones feature a 6.3″ LTPS IPS LCD HD+ display in 19.5:9 aspect ratio, which, Oppo calls the Waterdrop display. The display has a tiny notch shaped like a water drop for the front camera. While that design is considered unique, I will remind you that the Essential Phone did it first!

The cameras are also the same in both models. A dual camera setup of 16 MP sensor with PDAF and a 2 MP depth sensor at the back with a 25 MP selfie shooter at the front. Both feature the headphone jack as well. Also, there’s a 3500 mAh battery in them. But with VOOC charging on the F9 Pro, it is able to offer you 2 hours of talk time in 5 minutes of charge, while the regular F9 won’t be able to do that. The Oppo F9 and F9 Pro are powered by MediaTek Helio P60 processor. There’s 64 GB storage on board and is expandable up to 256 GB via a dedicated microSD card slot.

The difference between those two is very subtle, but the pricing is not. The regular F9 costs Rs.19,990 (INR) in India, which converts to around Rs.31,990 in Nepal. And the F9 Pro costs Rs.23,990 (INR), which converts to Rs.38,385 in here. No doubt that they will be a bit more expensive than that when they launch here though, with the taxes and all. In addition, since, these phones have already launched in India, they will launch in a few days, here.

But, we still cannot be sure how this will launch in Nepal, though. The international smartphone market scenario is different. What we now call the Oppo F9 Pro, is the regular F9 for them, so, they might see an upgraded version as the F9 Pro. Will Nepal get the international version of the Oppo F9 or follow our neighbor? I think it will the same as in India, but let’s wait until it launches, here, on August 29!

Anyway, which do you think is the better option, the F9 or the F9 Pro? If these phones launch under 40,000 price, that would be great news! But let us see.

Xiaomi’s Poco F1 launched as the most affordable phone with Snapdragon 845

Pratima Adhikari

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August 22, 2018

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Xiaomi’s Poco F1 launched as the most affordable phone with Snapdragon 845

We have always dreamt of a phone that gives power packed performance along with being super easy on our wallets. Well, it seems there is one now! Xiaomi, today has launched the most affordable phone that features the all-powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset. It’s called the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 and today, it has been officially unveiled in India.

With all the oh so high-end specifications, surely it looks like it is here to kill flagships like OnePlus 6. The device greets you with a total of 8/6 GB RAM that too it’s DDR4X RAM. Most companies don’t share what RAM they put on their devices. Likewise, you have options for 64/128/256 GB storage so you can go as per your need and liking.

At the same time, it has amazingly insane benchmark scores. Battery- wise you have 4,000 mAh capacity and it is also equipped with Quick charge 3.0. Display wise, it’s not as huge as others in trend. It has a 6.18-inch IPS LCD screen FHD screen. Software-wise, you get the latest Android Oreo with MIUI 9.0 on top. Xiaomi has claimed that the Poco F1 runs on a modified version of Android and you get your own Poco launcher. Likewise, Xiaomi also promises to provide faster updates on its Poko phones. Surprises don’t end yet as the device carries 4G+ support along with Bluetooth 5.0 support. Well, unlike the other flagships, it does not compromise on the headphone jack.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mobiles Price in Nepal

Xiaomi Pocophone F1 Specifications:

Operating System: Android Oreo 8.0
Display: 6.18-inches IPS LCD, 16M colors
Resolution: 1080 x 2246 pixels
CPU: Octa-core 4×2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 385 Silver
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
GPU: Adreno 630
RAM: 6 or 8 GB
Storage: 64 or 128 or 256 GB
Rear Camera: 12 MP f/1.8 + 5 MP depth sensor, Dual LED flash, Panorama, HDR, etc.
Front Camera: 20 MP f/2.0
Video: 2160p@30fps
SIM (s): Dual SIM (nano-SIM, Dual standby)
Battery: 4,000 mAh Li-Po non-removable with Quick charge 3.0
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/c/b/g/n, WiFi Direct, Hotspot, Bluetooth 5.0
Sensors: Fingerprint (rear- mounted), Accelerometer, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer, Compass, Infrared Face Recognition.
Price (6/64GB): INR 20,999 (Rs. 33,600 or $300)
Price (6/128GB): INR 23,999 (Rs. 38,400 or $343)
Price (8/256GB): INR 28,999 (Rs. 46,400 or $415)
Price (Armoured Edition, 8/256GB): INR 29,999 (Rs. 48,000 or $429)

Also watch:

New MacBook Air coming out?

GadgetByte

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August 21, 2018

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So there have been rumors flying that Apple is launching a new MacBook this year, sometime around September. And with that, speculations are high: Will it be a new MacBook again, or for the love of God, a new MacBook Air? While Apple did refresh its 12-inch MacBook in June of last year, it also regularly updates its MacBook Pro. But, as for the MacBook Air…it’s the definition of “consistency”. It still features the same outdated 5th-gen processor, low-res screen, wide bezels, and still costs a $1000! But as 2018 is the 10th anniversary of MacBook Air, we gotta ask. Is a new MacBook Air coming out?

Well, Apple is definitely set to launch a new laptop around September, as per reports. Previously, rumors were that the launch was going to happen in the 2nd half of 2018, and now, it’s most probably going to happen in September. And what’s more? This one is meant to be an inexpensive laptop – designed for people on a budget, mostly students and the likes. The low cost model will sport the same design as the current MacBook Air. It will still have the same 13-inch screen but with higher resolution and Apple’s Retina display! In addition, it will also have slimmer bezels. But more importantly, will they put in new-gen chips in them?

We’re eager to see what Apple means by low-cost, though. Current MacBook Air models cost $999 now, and the 12-inch MacBook costs $1300! If they could refresh the new model and cut off the price by a couple hundred dollars, wouldn’t that be great? But it’s Apple…so, fingers crossed! Let’s hope that the new inexpensive models of MacBooks will be the refreshed MacBook Air.

And while a new MacBook Air might really come out, Apple is also working on the new Mac Mini! Either one should release in September, along with the new iPhone, maybe. And the reports say that if there are delays, it won’t push later than October. Either way, we’re looking at an inexpensive laptop from Apple. And there are high chances that it will be a new MacBook Air.

Crazy Xiaomi smartphone deals from Banggood

GadgetByte

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August 21, 2018

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Crazy Xiaomi smartphone deals from Banggood

Banggood is a Chinese online retail store that sells almost everything. With a vision to provide you with “best bang for your buck”, it also delivers all over the world. In addition, you can choose to pay with over 30 different currencies as well. Also, from time to time, they have great deals on various items for you. And now, they are offering great deals on Xiaomi smartphones! With discounts ranging from 15% to 30%, you can buy many Xiaomi smartphones from the site as of now. What kind of deals? Explore all the crazy Xiaomi smartphone deals from Banggood here:

1) Xiaomi Redmi 6A

The Xiaomi Redmi 6A is a budget-friendly smartphone. It packs a 5.45″ LCD display with HD+ resolution. Featuring 13 MP camera at the back, and a 5 MP selfie camera, it’s also capable of recording HD videos. It runs on Helio A22 chipset. There are 2 GB and 3 GB RAM options with 16 GB and 32 GB storage respectively, which are also expandable via microSD. The 2 GB / 16 GB phone costs $129 internationally, while Banggood is offering it at a 15% discount! And if you use their coupon, you can get it for as less as $96!

Coupon Code: 8BGR6A16G

Check it out here

2) Xiaomi Mi 8 SE

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is a toned-down version of the flagship, Xiaomi Mi 8 for those who prefer a smaller device and a cheaper price tag. It features a large 5.88″ Super AMOLED FHD+ display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Dual cameras of 12 MP + 5 MP rest at the back. Under the hood, a Snapdragon 710 chip powers the phone with 6 GB / 4 GB RAM options. The 4 GB RAM variant has 64 GB and 128 GB storage to choose from. For now, while the price of the 4 GB / 64 GB option is around $353, you can get it in Banggood at 22% less discount, and go up to $285 if you use their coupon!

Coupon Code: 8BGM8S464GB

Check it out here

3) Xiaomi Mi Note 3

Though Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 might be old, it’s still quite a powerful smartphone. For those of you who still like the fingerprint sensor at the front, this is a good way to go. It features a standard 5.5″ FHD LCD display. With dual cameras of 12 MP + 12 MP at the back, it’s powered by Snapdragon 660 with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. While the price of the Mi Note 3 is around $500, you can get it for 31% discount at Banggood. The price can go up to $306 with their provided coupon!

Coupon Code: 8BGMN2128

Check it out here

4) Xiaomi Redmi 5

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 is another lower-mid-range smartphone. Featuring a large 5.7″ HD LCD display, it is powered by a Snapdragon 450 processor. It has a 12 MP primary camera and 5 MP secondary camera. You can choose from 3 GB RAM with 32 GB storage or 2 GB RAM with 16 GB storage variants. As for now, the 2 GB variant option is up for grabs for at 21% discount! Futhermore, with the coupon, you can get it in as less as $109!

Coupon Code: 8BGR516CL

Check it out here

5) Xiaomi Mi 8

The Xiaomi Mi 8 is Xiaomi’s flagship that is sold only in China. However, since it’s available for purchase internationally through online markets. The flagship phone features a large 6.21″ Super AMOLED HD+ screen. It also has a dual 12 MP camera setup at the back with a 20 MP front camera. It is powered by Snapdragon 845 with 6 GB RAM. You get various storage options to choose from: 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB! The 64 GB variant is available for 22% off whereas the 128 GB variant is up with 17% discount at Banggood. Further, with coupons, you can get them at $380 and $420 respectively.

64 GB version – Coupon Code: 8BGM86411

Check it out here (128 GB)

128 GB version – Coupon Code: 8BGMI128GB20

Check it out here (64 GB)

Also Read: Xiaomi Mobiles Price in Nepal

So, these are the crazy deals offered by the site till now. We’ll surely let you know if they come up with more such deals. Stay tuned!

Has ZTE Bounced back with Axon 9?

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ZTE

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August 20, 2018

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It wasn’t to many’s knowledge that ZTE had taken a bad hit and was on the verge of collapse. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer that we mostly know for ZTE Blade and ZTE Axon series was struggling with a 7-year ban on it by the US Government. The reason was ZTE using US components in their phones in regions it wasn’t supposed to. Plus, there were some international trade violations and such. Further, it went down deeper trying to hide its allegations. Why ZTE did that; we’ll never know. But the result was a 7-year ban which blocked ZTE from buying chips from any American companies. This forced ZTE to stop its production facilities, and halt global smartphone sales.

After going through such an ordeal, ZTE paid a fine of US $ 1 billion to have its ban lifted. This only happened after months long of back-and-forth between the Chinese and American governments. But, that paid off finally, as now, the firm can operate in the US, but will have to re-brand their name in the US. Even so, ZTE is not all in the clear. The US Commerce Department will closely monitor all its actions from now on.

However, for now, ZTE is back. And probably, it is going to bounce back with a bang! Very recently, the company hinted at a new smartphone launch at the IFA – The Global Innovators Show in Berlin. Based on the tweets, the company will be present at the IFA with “Leading 5G innovations” and there were leaked images hinting at a new phone, most probably, the Axon 9! While ZTE needs to rebuild its image, we are looking forward to the new phone.

And if it does bounce back, it also means more affordable smartphones in the Nepali market as well. ZTE has affordable mid-range smartphones in Nepal. And with its comeback, maybe we’ll have even more options to choose from.

Also Read: ZTE Mobiles Price in Nepal

What do you think of ZTE phones? In addition, will ZTE’s comeback make any difference here? Let us know your opinions.

DisplayMate says Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has the best display ever

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GadgetByte

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August 20, 2018

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DisplayMate says Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has the best display ever

According to DisplayMate, an establishment that tests displays with their propriety testing methods, has announced that the Note 9 has one of the best if not the best display on the market. Since the inception of Galaxy Note 4, every Samsung flagship has been awarded this title. And yet again, DisplayMate says Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has the best display ever!

Putting actual facts into the context, the Note 9’s display covers 113% of the DCI-P3 and 142% of the RGB color space. The panel can also reach a maximum brightness of 710 nits in manual and 1050 nits in automatic mode. It also offers just 4.4% reflectance, one of the lowest ever recorded.

Following are the exact records that Samsung’s new flagship either broke or matched:

Highest Absolute Color Accuracy (0.5 JNCD) – Visually indistinguishable from perfect.
Smallest change in Peak Luminance with the Image Content APL (2 percent).
Smallest shift in Color Accuracy and Intensity Scale with the Image Content APL (0.7 JNCD).
Highest peak Display Brightness (1,050 nits with 710 nits at 100% APL).
Largest Native Color Gamut (113% DCI-P3 and 142% sRGB / Rec.709).
Highest Contrast Ratio (Infinite).
Lowest screen Reflectance (4.4 percent).
Highest Contrast Rating in Ambient Light (239).
Smallest brightness Variation with Viewing Angle (27 percent at 30 degrees).
Smallest Color Variation of White with Viewing Angle (1.3 JNCD at 30 degrees).
Highest Screen Resolution 3K (2960×1440) – 4K doesn’t appear visually sharper on a Smartphone.

The Galaxy Note 9 also brings in a lot of other features other than the great display. It also has one of the biggest internal storage options on a smartphone, a full 512GB. Not to mention it’s expandable through a microSD card, with a technical total of up to a full Terabyte.

While we are on the subject of displays, users can now turn the resolutions all the way up to QHD+ without worrying about charging intervals. The 4000mAh battery should easily hold up the Note 9 in its full glory, unlike Samsung’s previous flagships.

The smartphone also comes with a few other features like liquid cooling, up to 8 GB of RAM, slightly better design choices, a slightly better camera, newer colour options and a newer improved S Pen with its own battery. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is up for pre-orders since August 17th for Rs. 109,900 for the 6 GB RAM / 128 GB ROM version. Sadly, the 8 GB / 512 GB version is not available for Nepal.

Samsung really does have the best of the displays? Don’t you agree? Or do you think there’s something better? Let us know.