Lenovo has been on a release spree in the past few days. Most of the products that have been announced are expected to be showcased at CES 2023. However, the Chinese tech giant has launched a new PC that is presently on sale in China. The product is the Legion Blade 7000K 2023 Desktop PC. The tower PC is expected to go on sale on December 29 and that is exclusive to China. We don’t know when the company will release the product for the global market.
The Lenovo Legion Blade 7000K 2023 Desktop PC is equipped with the latest Intel Core i7-13700KF processor which pairs with the powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and RTX 3070 Graphics cards. As a standard, both models come with 16GB RAM while there is a 512GB solid-state drive (SSD) onboard.
The Intel Core i7-13700KF processor was released in September 2022 and is based on Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, and Gracemont architecture. The desktop processor is primarily aimed at home systems and has 16 cores and 24 threads. It is based on Intel 7 manufacturing technology, with a max turbo frequency of 5400 MHz and an unlocked multiplier. It supports DDR5-5600, and DDR4-3200 memory.
Data released by Lenovo shows that the Intel Core i7-13700KF processor has a base power of 181W but data on Intel’s website shows that the i7-13700KF has a base power of 125W and a maximum turbo power of 256W. On the Cinebench R23 platform the processor is said to have performed better than the 241W Core i9-12900K used on the previous-gen Lenovo Legion Blade 9000K tower PC.
As for the pricing, the Legion Blade 7000K 2023 desktop PC with Core i7-13700KF + RTX 3070 + 16GB + 512GB is priced at 10999 yuan ($1573). On the other hand, the model with Core i7-13700KF + RTX 3060 Ti + 16GB + 512GB is priced at 9999 yuan ($1430). Lenovo had earlier released the Legion 7000K 2023 with Core i5-13600KF and options of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 and RTX 3060 Ti graphics card.
Chinese tech giant Huawei has teamed up with domestic startup LNDU to launch a new dashboard camera. The Huawei Smart LNDU 4K Dashcam is available in China for 569 yuan but that looks like a temporary price tag.
The Huawei Smart LNDU 4K Dashcam is equipped with a Sony IMX415 sensor, 7 sets of high-transmittance optical lenses, and a super large aperture of F1.75 to achieve 4K ultra-clear image quality. The dashboard camera supports the enhancement of picture quality in poorly lit areas. It comes with an effective pixel of 8 million, ensuring clear night vision and backlight as well as long-distance shots.
In most dashboard cameras, you’ll need to take out the memory card first, and then use the card reader to insert it into the computer to view the video. With the support of HarmonyOS Connect, users of the Huawei Smart LNDU Dashcam only need to turn on the Bluetooth of the mobile phone and touch it close to the device to pair their smartphones. In a few simple steps, the screen of the mobile phone will be used to view the live feed from the camera. Users can also share the video from their phones.
Thanks to the ADAS intelligent driving assistance function, when driving in an abnormal situation, the Huawei Smart LNDU 4K Dashcam will also initiate real-time lane departure warning, front car anti-collision warning, front car start reminder, and speed limit sign reminder, Pedestrian collision warning, all aimed at reminding drivers to pay attention to driving safety.
In addition, during the driving process, commonly used operating instructions can be realized through voice control, such as “I want to stop”, “I want to take a photo”, “turn on the recording”, etc. The voice prompt support ensures drivers won’t have to be distracted to manually operate the dashcam while driving.
Compact flagships are becoming every day rarer and the most recent ones have bigger dimensions if compared to the older ones. But they still exist and they boast amazing performances. The latest one released is the Xiaomi 13, with the same hardware department as the Pro variant, but with inferior cameras, a smaller battery, and a smaller display. There is one single device that can be considered the best rival of this phone, at least until the release of the Samsung Galaxy S23. Naturally, we are referring to the iPhone 14 by Apple. Here you can find a comparison between the main specifications of the iPhone 14 and the Xiaomi 13.
Xiaomi 13 vs Apple iPhone 14
Xiaomi 13
Apple iPhone 14
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
152.8 x 71.5 x 8 mm,
185 g
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm,
172 g
DISPLAY
6.36 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels (Full HD+), OLED
6.1 inches, 1170 x 2532 pixels (Full HD+), Super Retina XDR OLED
5G, optional dual SIM, eSIM, IP68 certification, MagSafe, Face ID
Design
It is very hard to compete with an icon. A lot of people will prefer the design of the iPhone 14 as it is iconic and sports great build quality. The handset is made with a glass back and an aluminum frame, it has the classic notch and the classic camera module of the latest iPhones, as well as better water resistance: with its IP68 certification, it is able to go up to 6 meters deep underwater without damage. Last but not least, it is more compact than the Xiaomi 13 because it has a smaller display. With the Xiaomi 13, you actually get a new design including a flat display with a very high screen to body ratio, a glass back, and an aluminum frame. It has the IP68 certification, but its water resistance is inferior as it is able to go just 1.5 meters deep without damage.
Display
The Xiaomi 13’s display looks more interesting, even though you can actually get a better color reproduction with the iPhone 14. It sports an OLED panel with a wider diagonal of 6.36 inches, a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 120 Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, HDR10+ certification, and an in-display fingerprint reader. The Apple iPhone 14 has a Super Retina XDR OLED display with a diagonal of 6.1 inches, a Full HD+ resolution of 1170 x 2532 pixels, Dolby Vision support, and HDR10 certification, but its refresh rate is standard, with just 60 Hz.
Specs & Software
If we consider the performance of these two phones, the most important role is not played by the hardware but the operating system. They both feature flagship-class hardware departments, but the iPhone 14 is able to perform better because the iOS operating system has better optimization, even though the phone has inferior hardware. This said the iPhone 14 is equipped with an Apple A15 Bionic chipset running at a max frequency of 3.23 GHz, 6 GB of RAM, and up to 512 GB of native storage. With the Xiaomi 13, you can get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform running at a max frequency of 3.2 GHz, up to 12 GB of RAM, and up to 512 GB of UFS 4.0 native storage.
Camera
The Xiaomi 13 is equipped with better cameras on the rear side. It has a triple rear camera including a 50 MP main sensor with OIS, a 10 MP telephoto shooter with 3.2x optical zoom, and a 12 MP ultrawide lens. Unfortunately, the iPhone 14 lacks a telephoto sensor: it only has a pair of 12 MP sensors, including the main camera and an ultrawide one.
The battery found on the Xiaomi 13 is much bigger if compared to the one found on the iPhone 14 by Apple: we are talking about a capacity of 4500 mAh against just 3279 mAh. However, the difference is not huge in terms of battery life because iOS 16 has better optimization in terms of energy consumption. However, there is a huge difference in the charging speeds because the Xiaomi 13 supports 67W fast charging and 50W fast wireless charging.
Price
The starting price of the Xiaomi 13 in China roughly translates into $584 or €550 at the actual change, while the iPhone 14 starts from $790 or €744. Which one would you choose?
Oppo started the ColorOS 13 beta program for the Oppo K10 Pro last month and now it’s the vanilla model’s turn to get the taste of the latest software. The company has started recruiting public ColorOS 13 beta testers for Oppo K10 5G in China. Here are the details.
Oppo K10 5G users in China can try out the beta build of the ColorOS 13. Those who’ll apply to the program will get the chance to test all the new features Google introduced with Android 13 as well as some ColorOS exclusive goodies. The beta registrations for the smartphone will be live until December 24.
Oppo will review the applications in batches within 5 working days after the end of the recruitment period. After review, the software will be pushed on the registered devices in batches. Before updating, users should back up important to avoid loss.
To apply, interested users need to head to Settings > About Phone > Top Version Information (above “Phone Name”) > Settings button in the upper right corner > Early adopters application > Upgrade public beta.
It goes without saying that the beta build is not the same as the stable version. It could carry a lot of bugs and cause issues that may hamper one’s daily usage. It is reported that some third-party applications are not fully compatible with the software.
As mentioned, the public beta recruitment is currently limited to the Chinese region. Oppo should start a beta program for the global market sometime next year. We’ll have to wait for the January update timeline to get a specific date.
OnePlus is gearing up to introduce the OnePlus 11 in China. The launch seems imminent as the device was recently certified by the Chinese certifying authority TENAA. Its specifications were also revealed in the process. Now, the same certification authority has leaked live images of the upcoming flagship.
The design of the OnePlus 11 is not a mystery since the company has already revealed it via multiple teasers. However, we’ve only seen the back panel of the smartphone so far. Luckily, the leaked live images show the phone’s design from all sides.
As can be seen in the images, the back of the smartphone has a circular camera island with four circles – one houses the LED flash and rest three feature the cameras. There’s a Hasselblad logo in the middle of the island. On the right side, the phone features the brand’s signature alert slider alongside the power button. The volume rockers are located on the right edge.
The smartphone has a curved display with a hole-punch cutout on the right corner, which is a rare sight in 2022.
OnePlus 11 Specifications (Expected)
As mentioned, TENAA also revealed the specifications of the OnePlus 11 recently. As per the listing, the flagship phone will sport a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a QHD+ resolution of 3216 × 1440 pixels, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a fingerprint sensor. It will measure 163.1 × 74.1 × 8.53mm and weigh around 205 gm.
Powering the smartphone will be a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard storage. It will pack a 5000mAh battery with 100W fast charging support and run Android 13 out of the box.
Further, the OnePlus 11 will house a 50MP Sony IMX890 main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 32MP telephoto unit on the back. On the front, it could have a 32MP selfie shooter.
Apple could release an update for the iPhone 14 Pro that will fix a reported problem of horizontal lines on the smartphone. Some iPhone 14 Pro/ Pro Max users had reported horizontal lines that appear on their screens on startup. The lines appear randomly and disappear after a few seconds. These horizontal lines also appear when the iPhone is waking up and this was widely reported.
Apple claims that the problem is not a hardware issue but an iOS bug. Some users have reported taking their smartphones to Apple Stores for the resolution of the problem. There is also speculation that the bug is tied to iOS 16.2. However, it was also speculated that the problem extends to the previous iOS builds.
An Apple Support Representative reported on Reddit, Apple is aware of the problem and it will be resolved soon with an upcoming update. Part of the official Apple statement said that the issue was due to the drivers and it was not a hardware issue.
While the horizontal lines problem is not very prevalent, it creates concern for users. Some users have suggested some ways to get over the problem. Multiple users have reported on Reddit that turning off the AOD will resolve the problem. Another suggestion is to turn off the phone manually and reset the device. These suggestions are at best, stop-gap measures and a bug fix via an update remains the surest solution.
Apple is expected to provide more information on the issue and subsequently release the software update to fix the bug. It is unclear whether the horizontal lines issue is specific to Apple smartphone users in a particular region. If that is the case, then the update may be specific to the affected regions.
NIU has unveiled the KQi3 Max standing electric scooter with a long-distance range of 66km. The new KQi3 Max standing e-scooter can reach a top speed of 24km/h and it sports a lightweight design. NIU is a Chinese e-mobility startup with a growing portfolio of cutting-edge and innovative EVs.
The new NIU e-scooter comes with a comfortable design for good performance. A comfortable ride is something that is a difficult proposition with these small-wheeled e-scooters, especially on bumpy terrains. NIU however says the KQi3 Max comes well-kitted to deliver comfort. It has a 608.4 Wh (13Ah) battery and features four riding modes.
The riding modes are E-Save, Sport, Pedestrian, and a custom mode. The E-Save and Sport Modes have a maximum speed limit of about 14km/h and 24km/h respectively. The custom mode allows the user to set the riding parameters to suit the trip.
The NIU KQi3 Max e-scooter has a rear hub motor with a peak power of 450W. The e-scooter is thus powerful enough to climb terrains with a gradient projection of 25 degrees. The hard floorboard of the e-scooter provides sufficient space to place your feet while on the go. The floorboard also sits atop a sturdy frame housing the battery pack. The bike has a payload capacity of 120kg, which is quite decent.
The new NIU electric scooter is connectible to the NIU smartphone app. You can thus lock the bike from a distance using the app. You can also use the app to view ride data and moderate the scooters’ speed, settings, and other features. As per pricing, the NIU KQi3 Max e-scooter retails for €899 ($953) on Amazon. It is already on sale it comes with a two-year guarantee.
Chinese manufacturer Meizu has highlighted its lineup of products and activities culminating in a spring 2023 release. The company, during an event in China, provided some details of the Meizu M3 Pro high-res music player set for release in 2023. The teaser highlights some impressive features of the innovative Hi-Fi music gadget.
The M3 Pro portable music player comes with an integrated design and omits breakpoints. It features the classic design of Music Card and a return of the interactive mBack button. The new Meizu hi-res music player is also smoother to use, according to the company.
The Meizu music player is designed from premium glass and metal materials. It uses the Meizu-developed H1 Hi-Fi decoding chip offering excellent audio output. It offers 1-bit decoding and supports up to 11.2MHz oversampling for a truly immersive music experience. Original tuning is accomplished via the FlymeSound Classic Meizu acoustics.
The gadget will come with a display and 128GB of internal storage. You can also connect the device to your smartphones, PCs, and cars for Hi-Fi output. The Meizu M3 Pro is expected to be released in Q1 2023. It is currently still under development and we expect more details on the device going forward.
While the glimpses provided by the teaser are not definitive, it gives us an idea of the product. Meizu also informed the market that it had canceled the Meizu 19 Series. Rather, the Meizu 20 series will be unveiled. Meizu says that the new lineup is already at its testing stage. It will go into mass production thereafter and a Q1 2023 release is also projected.
Acer has announced the Predator XB273U F monitor with a 2K, 360Hz display, and HDR 600 certification. The Predator XB273U F has a monster refresh rate and a 27-inch screen. The device has the AUO AHVA panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1440p. The effective maximum variable refresh rate (VRR) is 360Hz and it is equipped with an Nvidia G-SYNC module.
The Acer Predator XB273U F monitor supports AMD FreeSync and has a 1000:1 contrast ratio. It is a certified VESA DisplayHDR600 and offers a 95% DCI-P3 color gamut. Connectivity options for the monitor include DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0, while dual built-in 2W speakers provide the audio backbone.
The Acer Predator delivers an 8-bit color depth and its high VRR could mean it can serve as a gaming monitor. As per its specs, it could compete with the ROG’s 2K 360Hz Swift PG27AQN monitor. The Swift PG27AQN has been launched in China at a starting price of 7,999 yuan (~$1,145). Like the Predator, the ROG monitor has a 27-inch display.
Acer has not provided pricing and release information for the Acer Predator yet. It is however projected that the new monitor will not be priced significantly differently from the ROG Swift. As per the release date, it is expected to debut in 2023. Global details for the monitor are also lacking at this time.
Acer continues to expand its lineup of high-performance laptops and gaming monitors. The Acer Global Press Conference 2023 event is scheduled for January 3 and a few big announcements are expected. Apart from laptops and monitors, Acer’s operations also include projectors, desktops, gaming chairs, and other accessories.
The Motorola Moto E series is quite popular in the budget segment and the next device to join the lineup is the Moto E13. The handset was recently spotted on the Geekbench website with a Unisoc processor. Now, folks at MySmartPrice have shared some detailed renders of the Moto E13.
Moto E13 is expected to launch soon in the Indian market as the brand’s latest budget smartphone. It will likely come with a capable camera, a decent display, and sufficient battery life. While Motorola has not revealed any details about the device, the leaked renders provide us with a good idea of what it will look like.
As can be seen in the renders, the device has a rectangular camera module with two circular rings. However, there’s only a single camera and the other cutout is for the LED flash. This is something we’ve seen on a lot of mid-range and budget smartphones launching in 2022. In the center, there’s the Motorola batwing logo.
The rear panel is curved and since this handset is budget-oriented, it will likely have a plastic back. On the right side of the device, there are the power and volume buttons. While the left edge carries the SIM tray. There is a USB Type-C port, a speaker grille, and a microphone cutout at the bottom.
The entry-level smartphone features a waterdrop notch display with thick bezels around the screen. It has an unsightly chin. Budget smartphones usually come with a 3.5mm headphone jack but that’s not the case with Moto E13.
As mentioned, the phone recently appeared on Geekbench with an ARM Unisoc T606 processor. The SoC has eight cores clocked at 1.61GHz. The benchmarking site reveals the smartphone will have 2GB of RAM and will run Android 13 out of the box.
Tecno recently introduced the new Phantom X2 5G flagship with a unique unibody design and a centered camera island. The handset certainly looks different from the rest of the smartphone pack and it even offers some impressive specifications. The device was initially unveiled in Dubai and will arrive in India in January of next year. Now, ahead of the formal debut, the Phantom X2’s pricing details have surfaced online.
Paras Guglani says the Tecno Phantom X2 5G will be available in the Indian market at a special discounted price. Interested buyers would be able to get the smartphone for as low as Rs 26,999 with bank offers. For reference, the device is sold in Saudi Arabia at a price of SAR 2,699 ($718/ Rs. 59,522).
The price is likely for the 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage version of the Tecno Phantom X2. The device is offered in Stardust Grey and Moonlight Silver colors. Its pre-orders will begin in India on January 2 and will go on sale on January 9 via Amazon.
If we talk about the specs, the Techno phone comes with a 6.8-inch curved AMOLED display that offers an FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate, and 20:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC.
For photography, there’s a triple camera unit on the back, headlined by a 64MP main camera sensor. The primary cam is accompanied by a 13MP ultrawide unit and a 2MP macro sensor. On the front, the device flaunts a 32MP shooter for selfies and video calls. The handset packs a 5160mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging. It runs Android 12-based HiOS 12.0.
At the launch of the Reno 8 series, which was a couple of months ago, Oppo said that its users would receive two major OS upgrades and four years of security updates. As promised, both devices have received the latest Android 13 OS upgrade, which is overlaid with the company’s latest ColorOS 13 UI. Aquamorphic effects throughout the UI, new Always-On Display animations, the Meeting Assistant, Multi-Screen Connect, the Dynamic Computing Engine, and enhanced privacy and security features are some of the major highlights of ColorOS 13. Here is a review of the Oppo Reno 8 Pro 5G.
What’s in the box?
OPPO Reno 8 Pro
The OPPO Reno 8 Pro 5G retail package has the following contents:
Oppo Reno 8 Pro handset
Transparent case
SIM ejector tool
80W charger
USB-C to USB-A cable
User manual
Safety Guide
Design and Display
Dimensions
Display
Size – 161.2 x 74.2 x 7.34mm
6.7-inch AMOLED display
10-bit colors
Weight – 183 grams
2412 x 1080 (Full HD+) pixels
93.4 percent screen-to-body ratio
20:9 aspect ratio
Gorilla Glass 5
Color variants
Up to 120Hz refresh rate
Widevine L1 support
Glazed Black
Up to 180Hz touch sampling rate
Under-display fingerprint scanner
Glazed Green
394ppi pixel density
Up to 950 nits peak brightness
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro has a glass back and an aluminum frame. The camera bump melts into the rear shell of the device. Overall, it has a premium appeal. On the front, there is an earpiece integrated with a speaker above the display punch-hole. The chin of the device is quite thin, which allows it to offer 93.4 percent screen space, as OPPO claims.
In September, I got the opportunity to visit the Oppo lab in Noida, India. During my visit, the company stated that the Reno 8 series is built to last because it undergoes over 300 rigorous durability and quality tests, such as free fall tests, extreme temperature tests, and others, before releasing it to the market.
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a centrally positioned punch-hole. The display simply looks gorgeous thanks to those super-slim bezels that you would normally see on a flagship phone. For a better viewing experience, while watching videos, the O1 Ultra Vision Engine offers features like Image Sharpner (upscale videos), Video Color Boost, and Bright HDR video mode. Speaking of brightness, the screen supports up to 950 nits of brightness. It offers two color profiles, Natural (sRGB color gamut) and Vivid (DCI-P3 color gamut). The colors appear more saturated on the latter.
The Reno 8 Pro offers Standard (60Hz) and High (120Hz) refresh rate options. The 120Hz RR translates to a smoother experience throughout the UI. The phone supports playback of HD content from OTT platforms as well as 4K HD YouTube videos. The display is also good for playing games.
Oppo Reno 8 Pro – ColorOS 13 key features
The ColorOS 13-based Android 13 OS upgrade for the Oppo Reno 8 Pro weighs 2.70GB. It also includes the October Android security update.
The ColorOS 13 does not offer a completely different user interface as compared to the older ColorOS 12. Instead, the new version packs several new improvements to offer an overall enhanced user experience.
Aquamorphic Design: The ColorOS 13 offers a fluid experience just like the fluidity of water. Hence, the system animation and transitions appear softer and more natural. The system theme palette is inspired by the changing color of light between sunrise and sunset.
[envira-gallery id=’504700′]
Fonts, Icons, and Layouts: The fonts are more reader-friendly even if the ColorOS 13 is used in different languages. The redesigned icons are also easily readable. The adaptive layouts provide consistent layouts on Oppo devices with different-sized screens. In addition, it offers a card-style layout, which offers different-sized cards in the Settings and first-party apps.
Enlarged Folder onHomescreen: A folder housing multiple apps on the homescreen can be kept in an enlarged state. It enables users to open internal apps with a single tap rather than opening the folder.
Quantum Animation Engine 4.0: ColorOS 13 is equipped with Quantum Animation Engine 4.0, which focuses on offering an intuitive experience by reducing as many steps as possible. With Behavioural Prediction, it reduces steps for a better navigation experience by prioritizing intended commands while using gestures.
Omoji for contacts: The Oppo Contact app can use Omoji avatars to show cute, moving characters for your favourite contacts when a call comes in.
System Illustrations: Instead of showing empty spaces throughout the UI, ColorOS 13 shows some interesting illustrations.
Quick Settings: The Quick Settings user experience has been improved. One of the improvements is that it shows media playback control.
Shelf: A swipe down on the homescreen opens the Shelf, which gives access to widgets, useful tools, and a global search.
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Always-On Display: ColorOS 13 has some interesting AOD images, including “homeland,” that showcase endangered species like clownfish, polar bears, and penguins to remind users to take greater care of their environments. There are some new AODs that offer real-time information from third-party food delivery apps like Zomato / Swiggy, which show the status of the order, and Spotify. At present, only the Spotify AOD is working. Other AOD options include Bitmoji AOD and Insight AOD.
Multi-Screen Connect: The Multi-Screen Connect has been improved to offer seamless connectivity between Oppo phones and the Oppo Pad Air, as well as between Oppo phones and PC. The mirrored Oppo phone can be used to sync clipboards, sync notifications, and file transfer. In addition, it can display up to three separate screens for each app, as shown above.
Meeting Assistant: When an online meeting is going on, the Meeting Assistant can automatically detect it and optimize the network and simplify notifications to reduce distractions.
Privacy: For chat screenshots, it offers a pixelate feature, that automatically pixelates profile photos and display names. Private Safe, which allows users to store sensitive data like photos, videos, and files, can now be secured using the widely used Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
Performance improvements: Dynamic Computing Engine available on the ColorOS 13 can enhance system speed, stability, battery life, and app experience. The HyperBoost GPA 4.0 can stabilize the frame rate and reduce power consumption while playing games.
ColorOS 13 rollout status
The stable ColorOS 13 version based on Android 13 is available for devices like the Find X5, Find X5 Pro, Reno 8 Pro 5G, Reno 8 5G, K10 5G, F21 Pro, F21 Pro 5G, K10, A76, and Oppo A96.
The beta version of the OS upgrade is available for multiple devices, like the Reno 7 Pro 5G, Reno 7 5G, Reno 6 Pro 5G, Reno 6 5G, Reno 5 Pro 5G, F19 Pro+, and A74.
Photography and Other Features
Rear Camera
Front Camera
Triple cam: – 50MP Sony IMX766 – 8MP Sony IMX355 (ultra-wide) – 2MP OmniVision OV02B10 (macro)
32MP Sony IMX709 camera
MariSilicon X chip
Autofocus support
Video recording: Up to 4K at 30fps + EIS
Video: Full HD at 30fps
Slow motion: Up to Full HD at 960fps
The triple camera setup available on the Reno 8 Pro is the same as that available on the Realme GT Neo 3 and OnePlus 10R. Still, photography is one of the strengths of the Oppo Reno 8 Pro, since it features the MariSilicon X chip. It misses out on Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) but comes with support for Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). With the MariSilicon X chip onboard, it manages to shoot clearer videos in low-light conditions. The Reno 8 Pro also does a good job shooting 4K videos with good color reproduction and dynamic range in low-light conditions.
OPPO Reno 8 Pro daylightOPPO Reno 8 Pro daylight1OPPO Reno 8 Pro daylight 3OPPO Reno 8 Pro daylight 4Oppo Reno 8 Pro daylight 4 ultrawideOPPO Reno 8 Pro daylight 4 zoom (2x)OPPO Reno 8 Pro portrait selfie 1OPPO Reno 8 Pro portrait selfie 2OPPO Reno 8 Pro portrait selfie
The main camera performs well in low light, and the details are quite good, but not quite as sharp as during the day. The noise is noticeable in photos taken in less ideal conditions. By default, the camera captures 12.5-megapixel images. Since the camera shutter speed is fast, users can capture multiple shots of a moving object. Users can use the 50MP mode for detailed shots. The Extra HD mode shoots in 108.5-megapixel, but the result is similar to the 50-megapixel shots.
The portrait shots using the main camera capture photos with blurred backgrounds and more focus on the subject. The ultra-wide shots come out well when there is enough light. In low light, the details on ultra-wide images decrease. As far as the macro camera is concerned, it requires a couple of attempts to get decent images.
OPPO Reno 8 Pro regular night shotOPPO Reno 8 Pro night modeOPPO Reno 8 Pro night modeOPPO Reno 8 Pro night ultra-wideOPPO Reno 8 Pro regular shotOPPO Reno 8 Pro night modeOPPO Reno 8 Pro ultrawide indoorOPPO Reno 8 Pro regular selfieOPPO Reno 8 Pro night selfie portraitOPPO Reno 8 Pro regular night selfie portraitOPPO Reno 8 Pro macro shotOPPO Reno 8 Pro macro shot
The Reno 8 Pro captures in 32-megapixel resolution only, which means users will end up with large files. The 21mm focal length allows it to accommodate more people in a single frame. Another good thing about the front camera is that it supports autofocus, which is not common in the upper mid-range segment, and even in the flagship segment. The portrait selfies come with an impressive bokeh effect. It focuses on the subject well and does a good job at edge detection.
Shooting in low light is one of the strengths of the Reno 8 Pro, thanks to the MariSilicon X NPU onboard. In regular mode, the quality of the images is passable, but with the night mode on, it manages to capture brighter and better images with reduced noise.
The Dimensity 8100-Max, a customized version of the D1800 chip for Oppo phones, powers the Reno 8 Pro. The chip competes with the Snapdragon 888 chip from the Qualcomm camp. Like the flagship phones from 2021, the device offers LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1. With a massive 256GB of built-in storage onboard, the device does not offer a microSD card slot.
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The bundled 80W charger can fully charge the Reno 8 Pro in just around 35 minutes. According to Oppo, the Reno 8 Pro promises 1600 charge cycles, and its Battery Health Engine (BHW) helps prolong the battery lifespan. In addition, the Reno 8 series will offer smooth performance even after 4 years. OPPO has made this claim after carrying out nearly 500 tests to achieve the 36-month Fluency Rating A mark from TÜV SÜD.
The gaming experience on the Reno 8 Pro is enhanced with a 360Hz touch sampling rate, stereo speakers, good haptic feedback via an X-axis linear motor, and an ultra-constructive cooling system. The placement of the fingerprint sensor seems to be a bit low. However, there is no issue with its performance. Also, I did not encounter any issues with its connectivity features.
The Reno 8 Pro will get the latest Android OS upgrades until the second quarter of 2024. It will also get security updates for four years. The ColorOS 13’s new improvements that I mentioned above enhance the overall experience on the Reno 8 Pro.
Verdict
In some markets, the Oppo Reno 8 Pro faces competition from phones like the OnePlus 10R and Realme GT Neo 3. These phones pack similar specs, but the Reno 8 Pro excels in the selfie photography department. The Reno 8 Pro misses out on OIS and packs a smaller battery compared to its competitors. However, the Reno 8 Pro is not only impressive in hardware but also offers better software and customer support.
Apart from black and green, there is a special limited-edition version called the Reno 8 Pro House of the Dragon, which comes in a special package that includes exclusive House of the Dragon-themed accessories. Readers can learn more about it here. It costs Rs 45,999 (~$554) and is available for purchase through Flipkart in India. The regular Oppo Reno 8 Pro is also priced at Rs 45,999.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this OPPO Reno 8 Pro 5G review are solely mine based on my experience. The review highlights some of the best features of ColorOS 13 on Oppo’s recommendation.
Honor is all set to introduce a new flagship killer smartphone –Honor 80 GT– that will offer much more bounce for the ounce. The handset will debut in China next week and it will be accompanied by the new Honor Pad V8 Pro.
Honor 80 GT will arrive as the fourth phone in the 80 series unveiled only last month. However, it will have a different design and will offer the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset at an affordable price. It will also boast a dedicated display chip for enabling a fast and efficient refresh rate.
Continue on to find out everything that’s known about this device ahead of its official announcement.
Honor 80 GT Launch Date
Honor recently posted a teaser on its official Weibo handle, confirming the launch date of the upcoming Honor 80 GT. The smartphone will debut in the company’s home country China next Monday, December 26.
The device will share the stage with a new Honor tablet, called Honor Pad V8 Pro (roundup). The launch event will commence at 7:30 pm (local time) and it will be live-streamed via Weibo and other leading Chinese video streaming platforms.
Honor 80 GT Design
The design of the Honor 80 GT is entirely different from the rest of the 80 series models. There’s a large rectangular camera module, aligned vertically, unlike other devices with camera islands shaped like an “8” or infinity.
The smartphone will have a flat OLED at the front with a punch hole for a single selfie camera. It will be 7.9mm thick and have curved side frames. The device will be available in two colors and a special edition.
It will have the power key and the volume buttons on the left side and the right side will remain empty. The company is said to be using a plastic frame on the device to keep the cost low. It could have a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power key.
The bottom of the device will include a microphone hole, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grille. There will be no 3.5mm headphone jack.
The Honor 80 GT will get a flat OLED display with an FHD+ resolution, up to a 120Hz refresh rate, and a punch hole cutout. The panel could offer a 360Hz touch sampling rate and high brightness.
The gaming-focused smartphone will draw power from Qualcomm’s older Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 Soc. Rumors suggest the device will use a low-frequency version of the chip with the prime Cortex-X2 core running at 3.0Ghz and the three Cortex-A710 Gold cores clocked at 2.5GHz
The chipset could be paired with up to 16GB RAM and 256GB storage. On the software front, the phone will boot MagicOS 7 based on Android 13.
Honor recently revealed that the device will be equipped with a VC (vapor chamber) liquid cooling mechanism. It will also feature 74mm thermal materials to keep the temperature under control. The handset will be backed by a 4,900mAh battery with support for 66W fast wired charging.
For photography, the Honor 80 GT will feature a triple camera unit, headlined by a 54-megapixel primary camera. It likely uses the Sony IMX800 sensor, which was also seen on the Honor 70 series from earlier this year. Details about the other two cameras are yet to be known.
Honor 80 GT Expected Price
The official pricing of the Honor 80 GT will be revealed during the launch (of course), but don’t let that curb your enthusiasm. Leaker Digital Chat Station claims the upcoming Honor smartphone will be priced at around 3,000 Yuan (roughly $429).
If the leaker’s words are anything to go by, this is a very competitive pricing and will likely make the device a popular option. We’ll learn all details about the Honor 80 GT on December 26. So, stick around if you don’t want to miss out.
Meizu has officially announced the upcoming release of its Meizu 20 smartphone. The company has confirmed that the device will be launched in spring 2023 and is currently in mass pre-production. The Meizu 20 has been highly anticipated by fans of the brand, as the company has not released a top of the range device in recent years, leading to speculation about the future of the company.
However, the news of the Meizu 20’s release has been met with excitement, as it marks the return of the company to the top of the range market. While no official information about the design or specifications of the Meizu 20 has been released, it is expected to feature Qualcomm’s latest high-end chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen2.
This would make the Meizu 20 a powerful and advanced device, capable of handling the most demanding tasks and providing a smooth and efficient user experience. There have also been rumors that the Meizu 20 may be accompanied by a Pro model, although this has not been confirmed. An official teaser for the Meizu 20 has also been released, a short clip that leaves fans in suspense about the potential capabilities of the upcoming device.
The teaser does not reveal much about the phone, but it has generated excitement and speculation about the device’s potential to be a flagship product for the company. The Meizu 20’s release will be a significant event for the company, as it looks to make a strong comeback in the highly competitive smartphone market.
With the expected inclusion of the Snapdragon 8 Gen2 chipset and potentially a Pro model, the Meizu 20 has the potential to be a strong contender in the top of the range market. It will be interesting to see if the Meizu 20 can live up to the hype and solidify the company’s return to the flagship market.
Microsoft has just confirmed that it is planning on releasing a couple of new exclusive games for its Xbox series and Windows PCs. This is big news for the Xbox and Windows platform and the games will be arriving from none other than the popular Bethesda studio.
As of right now, Bethesda is known to be working on Starfield, which will be exclusive to the Xbox and PC. Apart from that, the studio is also working on The Elder Scrolls VI is also expected to be an exclusive that will be skipping the Nintendo and PlayStation as well. Furthermore, Microsoft’s lawyers have revealed that they are working on bringing one more exclusive title, which will bring the total Xbox exclusive lineup to a total of three from Bethesda.
According to the official response, “Xbox anticipates that three future titles all of which are designed to be played primarily alone or in small groups — will be exclusive to Xbox and PCs.” Unfortunately, it is still unclear, which title is the third game in the exclusive lineup. There is no clear indication as to which series it will be a part of considering Fallout is kind of in a hiatus, but Fallout 5 is supposedly planned to launch sometime in the future.
On other other hand, there is also an Indiana Jones game in the making as well. Recently, Microsoft has been on a spree of acquisition that has it buyout various studios. This move also had it include multiple titles into the Xbox and its Game Pass exclusives lineup. Regardless, this is a great move by Xbox since the lack of true and diverse exclusives had it struggle against its competitors like Nintendo and Sony PlayStation.
TSMC, the world’s largest chipmaker, is considering building its first European plant in Dresden, Germany. The plant, which could begin construction in 2024, would meet the growing demand for locally-manufactured chips from Europe’s car industry. A team of senior executives from TSMC will visit Germany in the new year to discuss government support and the local supply chain’s capacity to meet the company’s needs.
A final decision on whether to invest billions of dollars in the plant will be made soon after the visit. TSMC is in talks with several materials and equipment suppliers to determine if they can invest in the company’s proposed chip plant in Dresden, Germany. If the plant is built, it will focus on producing 22-nanometer and 28-nanometer chips using over 50 types of equipment and more than 2,000 materials, such as chemicals and industrial gases.
These chip technologies will be similar to those that TSMC plans to make at a factory in Japan with Sony. Nanometers refer to the size of the transistors on a chip, with smaller nanometers indicating more advanced and powerful semiconductors. As global chipmakers like Intel and Samsung expand their capacity, TSMC is considering entering the European market. The three largest chipmakers in the world have committed to investing at least $380 billion over the next decade to build new factories in Taiwan, South Korea, the US, Japan, Germany, Ireland, and Israel.
The Chips Act, passed by Congress in the US last year, has attracted around $200 billion in private investment in the country’s chipmaking capacity, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. The rapid expansion of the semiconductor industry has raised concerns that there could be an excess supply of chips if the global economy experiences a significant slowdown. However, market research firm Mordor Intelligence predicts that the global semiconductor market will grow at a rate of around 6% per year between 2021 and 2025, indicating that demand for chips is likely to remain strong.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) decision to build a plant in Dresden would be beneficial for the European Union, which is trying to reduce its reliance on importing semiconductors from Asia. The EU approved 43 billion euros in subsidies in 2021 to encourage chipmakers to locate in Europe.
Honor will be holding a launch event on December 26 in China. The brand will be launching two new devices at this event – the Honor 80 TG smartphone and the Honor Pad V8 Pro tablet. So far, the brand has confirmed many of the specifications and features. Six of these features will be making their debut on a tablet for the first time in the world. So let’s check out the details.
Starting with the display, the Honor Pad V8 Pro will be the first 12.1-inch tablet to arrive with an IMAX Enhanced-certified panel. This essentially means that the tablet will be able to stream IMAX Enhanced titles from Tencent Video and iQIYI in the Intended quality.
This is a 2.5K resolution panel that will also be the world’s first to offer 144Hz resolution on this large of a display. And keeping up with the above mentioned features, it will also have a natural light eye protection technology baked in – also a first for a flagship tablet.
The Dimensity 8100 chip will be making its tablet debut on the Honor Pad V8 Pro. This is a solid mid-range chipset that gives previous-gen Snapdragon 888 a run for its money. The chip is based on a 6-nm node and comes with 4 Cortex-A78 clocked at 2.85GHz and the remaining 4 cores at Cortex-A55 at 2.00GHz. The SoC also has the Mali-G610 MC6 GPU clocked at 912 MHz included on the chipset, making it quite capable in gaming scenarios.
Talking about the software side of things, the Pad V8 Pro is the first tablet from the brand to feature the MagicOS 7.0 operating system. Lastly, the tablet also comes with the Honor SuperNote feature. This feature is essentially a helper for work and study. Through system-level integration, it enables features like recording while broadcasting, and changing video to notes in seconds.
Other than these features, the device is confirmed to feature thin bezels, and an eight speaker setup for immersive sound. The last bit of information available on the tablet confirms 33W fast charging support.
With the launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, various brands are working on launching their next gen flagship smartphones that will feature this chipset. Red Magic is one such company with its upcoming Red Magic 8 Pro series being one such model, so here is a roundup of all the details we know ahead of its December 26 launch event.
Design
The upcoming lineup of phones from the Chinese smartphone maker will consist of two models. This includes the Red Magic 8 Pro and the 8 Pro+ model. Both models are expected to be quite similar in terms of specifications but with minor differences. Both the the Red Magic 8 Pro and 8 Pro+ are expected to feature a flat rear panel and edge design. Furthermore, the company might be planning on launching two variants of for both of the phones, with one featuring a transparent design that offers us a look at some of the key internal specs and the RGB fan housed under the hood for cooling.
The brand has dedicated its smartphone models to gaming, with past models also featuring a small physical fan. So its no surprise that the next gen variant with the latest and greatest Qualcomm chip also features it as well. The brand also teased the cooling mechanism of the device, stating that it features the largest volume of VC cooling ever from the company’s history thanks to its size of 2068mm³. On the other hand, the other variant has a conventional rear cover, but it is unclear if it is a matte or glossy back. The rear also has a triple camera setup that is stacked vertically while the front sensor is housed underneath the display panel on the front.
Specifications
The Red Magic 8 Pro series is expected to sport a similar sized display on the two variants. Meaning, the front has a tall 6.8 inch OLED display that has a resolution of 2480 x 1116 pixels. Furthermore, this panel will also offer a high 120Hz refresh rate and a 93.7 percent screen to body ratio. Under the hood, the new flagship series will be equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC that will be paired with either 8GB, 12GB, or 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of internal storage.
For optics, the device will feature a triple camera setup on the rear, which consists of a 50 megapixel primary sensor, an 8 megapixel ultra wide angle lens, and a megapixel depth or macro sensor. The front houses an 8 megapixel selfie shooter that is believed to be housed under the display. However, the exact make of these sensors are still unclear at the moment.
Other features include the ultra linear dual stereo speakers that will support Snapdragon sound, 96kHz lossless audio, and 48ms low latency. One of the aspects that differentiate the base Pro and Pro+ model is the battery size and charging rates. The former is expected to house a large 5,000mAh battery pack that supports 120W fast charging, while the latter has a humongous 6,000mAh battery pack that supports an even larger 165W fast charging rate. But both models will boot Android 13 OS based Red Magic UI out of the box.
DIZO has quietly launched a new TWS earphone in India. It is dubbed the DIZO Buds Z Power and is an upgraded version of the Buds Z Pro that debuted earlier this year. The latest audio device from the Realme TechLife brand is an affordable offering. It competes against the likes of other TWS earphones offered by brands like Noise, boAt, Redmi, and others in the market. Read on to know what the DIZO Buds Z Power offer out of the box.
The DIZO Buds Z Power are semi-in-ear TWS earbuds with a stem and silicone ear tips. They are IPX4-certified water-resistant. Users can control various functions by tapping on the stem of the earbuds.
On the audio front, the DIZO Buds Z Power are equipped with a 10mm dynamic driver. They feature environmental noise cancellation for clear quality on calls. There is also a bass boost+ algorithm. The TWS earphones come with an 88ms low latency mode for gaming.
The DIZO Buds Z Power are backed by a 380mAh battery unit and are claimed to offer 30 hours of battery life with the pebble-shaped charging case. Each earbud is claimed to deliver 7 hours of usage and a 10-minute quick charge is said to offer 3 hours of playback time.
The DIZO Buds Z Power are priced at Rs 1,999 and are offered in Leaf Green, Onyx Black, and Pearl White colours. The TWS earphones can be purchased from Flipkart and retail stores across the country.
Apple has confirmed that all three of its 2022 Apple Watch models, including the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE, and the Apple Watch Ultra, are equipped with their own GPS systems. This marks a significant departure from previous models, which relied on the GPS of a nearby iPhone to save battery life on the watch.
When the Apple Watch was first released, it relied on a nearby Apple Watch for processing. However, this changed with the release of the Apple Watch Series 3 in 2017, which offered cellular connectivity and allowed the device to make calls without the presence of an iPhone. The following year, the Apple Watch Series 2 introduced its own GPS system, although it still relied on the GPS of a nearby iPhone whenever possible.
In addition to the larger batteries, the Watch Ultra and the iPhone 14 line also feature dual-band GPS frequency, which provides more accurate location data in large cities. Dual-frequency GPS measures its accuracy in centimeters, while single-frequency GPS delivers accuracy to a distance of 5 meters. This makes the dual-band GPS particularly useful in urban environments where the density of buildings and other structures can interfere with location accuracy.
The shift towards self-sufficient GPS capabilities on the Apple Watch highlights the progress that the device has made towards independence from the iPhone. While the Apple Watch was once reliant on the iPhone for processing and location data, it has now become a standalone device with its own GPS system and the ability to make calls without the presence of an iPhone. This makes the Apple Watch an increasingly versatile and convenient device for a wide range of activities and tasks.
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