Realme GT Neo3 launched in India with Dimensity 8100, 150W / 80W charging

By

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Apr 29, 2022

Realme GT Neo3 has finally landed in India. The smartphone was first announced in March in China. It goes without saying that the major attraction of the device is that it carries support for 150W SuperVOOC fast charging. Other notable features include a 120Hz AMOLED panel, a Dimensity 8100-Max chipset, and 50-megapixel triple cameras.

Apart from announcing the GT Neo3, the company also announced a couple of other products, such as the Realme Pad Mini tablet, Realme smart TV X Full HD, and Realme Buds Q2s. Here is all the information on the design, specifications, features, and price of the GT Neo3.

Design and Display

The Realme GT Neo3 measures 163.3 x 75.6mm x 8.2mm and weighs 188 grams. The double striped design on the glass back of the device represents the performance and speed that the smartphone promises. The front of the device is protected by a Gorilla Glass 5 panel.

The GT Neo3 is the first-ever Realme smartphone to feature a display with a centrally positioned punch-hole. It houses a 6.7-inch AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2412 pixels, up to 120Hz refresh rate, 1000Hz instantaneous sampling rate, 10-bit colors, and 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut. The screen is integrated with a fingerprint scanner and comes with an independent display chip for higher frame rates while gaming and lower power consumption. The smartphone boasts a 94.2 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Specifications

The Realme GT Neo3 is fuelled by the Dimensity 8100 chipset, which is paired up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM. The phone offers up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The device is equipped with a 39606mm²heat dissipation area, which comprises a 4129mm² 3D tempered VC unit and a nine-layer heat dissipation structure.

The GT Neo3 packs a 4,500mAh battery, which supports 150W SuperDart charging. According to the company, the smartphone can go from 0 to 50 percent in just 5 minutes. The GT Neo3 comes in another battery variant that houses a 5,000mAh cell. This variant carries support for 80W SuperDart charging.

The Android 12 OS with Realme UI 3.0 on top comes preinstalled on the Realme GT Neo3. The device is equipped with other features such as dual SIM slots, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, dual-frequency GPS, NFC, an X-axis linear motor, a USB-C port, Dolby Atmos powered dual speakers and Hi-Res Audio support.

Cameras

The Realme GT Neo3 has a 16-megapixel camera for capturing selfies and video calls. The rear camera setup of the device has an OIS-assisted Sony IMX766 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture. It is accompanied by an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera with a 119-degree FOV and a 2-megapixel macro camera with a 4cm focal length.

Pricing and availability

The Realme GT Neo3 with 80W charging has arrived in India in three options: 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. These models are priced at Rs 36,999, Rs 38,999, respectively. The GT Neo3 with 150W charging comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It is priced at Rs 42,999. The handset can be bought in colors like Nitro Blue, Asphalt Black, and Sprint White.

Realme India and Flipkart will carry out the first sale of the Realme GT Neo3 at 12 pm (local time) on May 4 in India. It will be also available for purchase through retail stores.

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RELATED:

OnePlus Nord Buds announced in India with 12.4mm drivers & 30hr battery

By

Sean

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Apr 29, 2022

OnePlus has just announced two new smartphones for the Indian market. But alongside the OnePlus 10R and Nord CE 2 Lite, the company also unveiled its latest truly wireless earbuds, which is the Nord Buds.

The new Nord Buds feature a 12.4mm audio drivers and comes with Bluetooth 5.2 support. The earbuds offers up to 7 hours of audio playback on a single charge but pairing it with the charging case bumps the battery life to 30 hours. Notably, a quick 10 minute charge offers an additional 5 hours of playback. The Chinese smartphone maker’s latest earbuds feature an in ear style design with interchangeable eartips.

Each individual buds packs a 41mAh battery, while the charging case houses a 480mAh battery. The Nord Buds TWS earbuds also arrives with Dolby Atmos audio support, a dedicated 94ms low latency gaming mode on select smartphones, a dual mic setup that offers AI noise reduction. Other notable features include, an IP55 protection rating, USB Type C charging port, touch controls, Dirac audio tuned, three sound presets, and even fast pairing with OnePlus smartphones as well.

The new TWS earbuds from the brand arrive in the sub 3,000 INR category and will compete with other brands like Realme, Noise, and boAt in the region. It is priced at 2,799 INR (roughly 36 US Dollars) and are offered in two color options. This includes Black Slate and White Marble. The earbuds will go on sale starting from May 10, and will be available for purchase from Flipkart, Amazon, OnePlus.in, and various offline retail stores in India.

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Poco M4 5G launched in India with Dimensity 700 SoC, 90Hz display, 5,000mAh battery, and more

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 29, 2022

As scheduled, Poco has officially launched the Poco M4 5G in India. As the leaks and teasers suggested, the latest budget smartphone from the brand is nothing but a rebranded Redmi Note 11E 5G with a different selfie camera and Android 12. For the unaware, the Redmi model quietly went official in China in March. The only difference between the two is the rear panel design.

Poco M4 5G Specifications

The Poco M4 5G sports a plastic body and comes in three colors. It measures 163.99 x 76.09 x 8.9mm in dimensions and weighs 200g.

The handset flaunts a 6.58-inch display (LCD) with a resolution of 2408 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) and a 90Hz refresh rate. The panel has a 240Hz touch sampling rate, a 1500:1 contrast ratio, and a dewdrop notch.

The device is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 700 SoC paired with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. It runs MIUI 13 for Poco based on Android 12.

The phone houses a 50MP (wide) + 2MP (depth) dual camera setup on the rear and an 8MP front-facing camera. It offers 5G connectivity (7 5G bands), dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, GNSS, and a USB Type-C port.

Other features include a 3.5mm headphone jack, a dedicated MicroSD card slot, an IR blaster, an IP52 rating, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. It has all the essential sensors like an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, and compass.

Last but not least, the smartphone is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.

Poco M4 5G Price and Availability in India

The POCO M4 5G will retail at the following price tags in India.

4GB + 64GB – ₹12,999 ($170)
6GB + 128GB – ₹14,999 ($196)

It can be purchased in either Poco Yellow, Cool Blue, or Power Black color options from Flipkart starting May 5.

Customers can avail of a ₹2,000 instant discount on SBI credit card and EMI transactions.

Tecno Phantom X launched in India, with curved 90Hz display, Helio G95, & more

By

Sean

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Apr 29, 2022

Tecno has just launched a new smartphone in India. It is the Phantom X that had first been announced last year. This device is the company’s top end premium model that comes with some notable specs, so let’s have a look.

The smartphone sports a 6.7 inch curved AMOLED display that has a Full HD+ resolution with a 90Hz refresh rate, 103 percent colour gamut, and a pill shaped punch hole cutout on the front. The screen even houses an in display fingerprint scanner as well. Under the hood, the device is equipped with a MediaTek Helio G95 SoC along with Mali G57 GPU. For memory, the Phantox X is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

On the back, the handset features a triple camera setup that consists of a 50 megapixel primary sensor, paired with an 8 megapixel ultra wide angle lens, and a 13 megapixel portrait camera. Meanwhile, the front houses a 48 megapixel selfie shooter and another 8 megapixel ultra wide angle lens in the dual camera setup. The smartphone is powered by a large 4,700mAh battery pack that supports 33W fast charging from its USB Type C port.

The Tecno Phantom X is available in two color options, namely Summer Sunset and Iceland Blue. So for those interested, you can check out the device on Amazon, with sales beginning from May 4. The device is priced at 25,999 INR (roughly 340 US Dollars) for its lone 8GB + 256GB model.

RELATED:

Honor leads smartphone shipments in the Chinese market in Q1 2022: Canalys

By

Jeet

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Apr 29, 2022

Honor became an independent brand from Huawei a couple of years ago and the company has been launching new devices at regular intervals in an attempt to recapture the lost market share in China as well as globally.

It appears to have achieved its goal in the Chinese market. As per the new report coming from Canalys, Honor has emerged as the leading smartphone brand in terms of shipments in the Chinese market in the first quarter of this year.

The company shipped 15 million units of smartphones in Q1 2022 and managed to have a massive growth rate of 205 percent. OPPO, which also includes OnePlus, shipped 13.9 million units to grab the second spot in the market.

Apple closely comes in at the third position with 13.8 million shipments, making it into the top three smartphone brands list for the Chinese market. Vivo and Xiaomi grab the fourth and fifth positions with 12.2 million and 10.6 million shipments respectively.

Overall, the Chinese market witnessed a massive year-on-year decline of 18 percent and a month-to-month decline of 13 percent in the first quarter of this year as the market saw shipments of only 75.6 million units.

Along with launching new popular models like the Honor 60 and X30 series, the company has been focusing on regaining the market share and for that. Along with the online, Honor is also trying to expand its footprint in the offline space to reach more customers.

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Vivo X80 and X80 Pro smartphones available for purchase in China; price starts at 3,699 yuan ($557)

By

Jeet

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Apr 29, 2022

A couple of days ago, Vivo announced its new X-series smartphones in its home country China in the form of the Vivo X80 and Vivo X80 Pro. Now, both the devices are available for purchase in the Chinese market.

The base model of the Vivo X80 with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at 3,699 yuan (~$557) while the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model costs 3,999 yuan (~$603). The 12GB RAM and 256GB model costs 4,399 yuan (~$663) while the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage model is priced at 4,899 yuan (~$738).

On the other hand, there are three models of the Vivo X80 Pro powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model costs 5,499 yuan (~$829) while the 12GB RAM and 256GB model costs 5,999 yuan (~$904) and the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage model is priced at 6,699 yuan (~$1,009).

There are model models of the Vivo X80 Pro that come powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC. The 12GB RAM and 256GB model costs 5,999 yuan (~$904) and the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage model is priced at 6,699 yuan (~$1,009).

Both the phones — Vivo X80 and X80 Pro feature a 6.78-inch E5 AMOLED display but the standard model has Full HD+ screen resolution while the Pro model has 2K resolution. Under the hood, both of them are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC but the Pro version also has two models powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

In the camera department, both models come with the company’s proprietary V1+ ISP chip (Image Signal Processor) to enhance the photography experience along with Zeiss lenses. The smartphones run the Android 12 operating system with the company’s own OriginOS Ocean custom interface on top.

The Vivo X80 is powered by a 4,500mAh battery while the Pro models are powered by a 4,700mAh battery. All these models support 80W fast charging technology while the Pro models have support for 50W wireless charging.

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Here’s the first look at the iQOO Neo6 SE

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 29, 2022

On May 6, iQOO will unveil the iQOO Neo6 SE as the successor to the iQOO Neo5 SE, which was announced in December last year. A new poster of the Neo6 SE has appeared on Chinese retailer sites like JD.com and Suning.com, where it is listed for pre-orders. The poster gives the first look at the design of the smartphone.

The image shows that the iQOO Neo6 SE’s rear design will be almost identical to the iQOO Neo6, which went official earlier this month. The rear panel of the phone has a camera module in the upper-left corner and the iQOO branding towards the bottom.

The protruding camera module has a triple camera unit and an LED flash unit inside it. The ‘Neo’ branding is also available below the rear cameras. The handset will arrive in at least two colors: orange and dark teal.

iQOO Neo6 SE specifications

The iQOO Neo6 SE will reportedly feature a 6.62-inch OLED display with a punch-hole located at the top-centre position. There is no word on the front and rear cameras of the device. The screen of the Neo6 SE will offer a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It will come equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner for security.

The Snapdragon 870 is present under the hood of the device. It is backed by a 4,700mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging. It is likely to run on the Android 12 OS and iQOO UI. The other specs of the smartphones are yet to be revealed.

The predecessor, the iQOO Neo5 SE, featured a 6.67-inch LCD FHD+ 144Hz display, a Snapdragon 870 chip, a 4,500mAh battery with 55W fast charging, up to 12 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of storage. It featured a 16-megapixel front camera, and a 50-megapixel (main) + 8-mgeapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit.

RELATED:

iPhone 14 series display panel images reveal pill-and-hole design

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 29, 2022

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 14 series in September this year. Several reports have revealed that some of the iPhone 14 models will sport a smaller notch, while others will have a pili-shaped cutout and a hole. A Twitter user (@SaranByte) shared a leaked image on Weibo. It showcases the display panels of the iPhone 14 lineup.

As can be seen in the leaked image, the iPhone 14 lineup includes four models, such as the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 14 Max, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The image suggests that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will sport a pili-shaped cutout and a hole. for the Face ID sensors and front camera. Both devices are rumored to house a 6.1-inch and a 6.7-inch OLED display.

iPhoen 14 lineup displa panels — iPhone 14 lineup display panels

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will have a notch, which looks similar to the iPhone 13 series. Both models are speculated to feature a 6.1-inch and a 6.7-inch OLED screen.

The above-mentioned Twitter user claimed that the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models will have thinner bezels, as reported by other sources before. In addition, the Pro models will sport a taller aspect ratio of 20:9 aspect ratio.

Recent reports have revealed that the iPhone 14 series will be blessed with an upgraded front camera, which will come with autofocus support and an f/1.9 aperture. The back of the iPhone 14 line is rumored to have a main camera with 48 megapixels.

It is speculated that the iPhone 14 and 14 Max will feature the Apple A15 Bionic chip and LPDDR4x RAM, whereas the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will get the all-new Apple A16 Bionic chipset and LPDDR5 RAM. All four models are likely to feature 6 GB of RAM.

RELATED:

Realme GT Neo3 launch event: how to watch the livestream

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 29, 2022

Realme GT Neo3 is all set to launch in India today (April 29). The handset was announced earlier this month in China and is now making its way to India. One of the major highlights of the device is that it carries support for 150W SuperVOOC charging. The launch event will see the arrival of a couple of other products, such as the Realme Pad Mini tablet, the Realme Smart TV X Full HD, and the Realme Buds Q2 TWS earbuds. Here is all the information on how to watch the Realme GT Neo3 launch event.

Realme GT Neo3 launch event: how to watch it?

The launch event will begin at 12:30 pm today (April 29) in India. Realme will be live-streaming the event through Realme India’s YouTube channel. It will be viewable through Realme’s other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook. Here is a look at all the devices that will be announced at the event.

Realme GT Neo3 specifications

The Realme GT Neo3 has a 6.7-inch AMOLED FHD+ 120Hz display with an in-screen fingerprint scanner, a Dimensity 8100 chip, up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage, and a 4,500mAh battery with 150W SuperVOOC charging. It has a 16-megapixel front camera, and a 50-megapixel (main) + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit. It runs on the Realme UI 3.0 flavored Android 12 OS.

Realme Pad Mini specifications

The Realme Pad Mini has an 8.-inch IPS LCD display, a Unisoc T616 chipset, up to 4 GB of LPDDR4x RAM, up to 64 GB of storage, and a 6,400mAh battery with 18W charging. It has a 5-megapixel front camera and an 8-megapixel rear camera. It runs on the Android 11OS and Realme UI.

Realme Smart TV X Full HD specifications

The Realme TV X Full HD will come in 43-inch and 40-inch screen sizes. It features an LED display powered by the Chroma Boost Picture Engine with HDR10 support. It will also offer other features such as MediaTek’s quad-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage, 24W quad stereo speakers with Dolby Audio support, Android TV 11, and a bezel-less design.

Realme Bud Q2s specifications

The Realme Buds Q2s TWS earbuds will come with a 10mm bass boost audio driver. It will carry support for AI ENC noise cancellation for calls and Dolby Atmos support. It promises 30 hours of playback time. Lastly, a 10-minute charge will allow the Buds Q2s to last for up to 3 hours.

RELATED:

Google Pixel Watch’s purported price and availability details leaked

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Apr 28, 2022

The tempo of leaks relating to the unreleased Google Pixel Watch could point in one direction – an imminent launch. The past couple of weeks has seen a raft of rumors and pictures connected with the Pixel Watch. Now, another leak has provided new details about the pricing and availability of the Pixel Watch.

The Google Pixel Watch is rumored to be launched this year and the most recent leak showed the device on a man’s wrist. The new details leaked relate to its price, availability, and some previously unknown aspects of the device itself. The details emanated from a tweet by tipster Yogesh Brar who hints that the price of the Pixel Watch will range between $300 and $400. The pricing range shows that the Pixel Watch could be more expensive than a Fitbit wearable. It is projected to be in the same price range as the Apple Watch Series 7 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.

Got some info on Pixel Watch from a relatively new source

1) Google Samsung partnership here as well.
2) Same sensors as Galaxy Watch (ECG & more)
3) new WearOS 3.1 build
4) 2 sizes, atleast 4 color watch bands.
5) Limited release, priced between $300-400

— Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) April 27, 2022

Brar’s tweet also says that the Pixel Watch will not be globally available, but only a few markets will get the device. This trajectory is similar to what has been for the Pixel phones so far. It is also rumored that the Pixel Watch will be powered by Samsung’s Exynos chipset. This will signal an increasing partnership between Google and Samsung. It has already been said that the Pixel Watch will run on WearOS 3.1 and it will come with a similar sensor lineup as the Galaxy Watch.

There is no specific release date yet for the Pixel Watch and many of the speculations are difficult to verify. For now, Google is still keeping the optics of the Pixel Watch under wraps. Therefore, much of the details about the Pixel Watch remain highly speculative.

RELATED:

OPPO Find X5 Pro vs Vivo X80 Pro: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Apr 28, 2022

After launching the foldable phone Vivo X Fold and the big phablet Vivo X Note, Vivo came up with another series of flagship phones: the most advanced device of this series, for now, is the Vivo X80 Pro, at least until the launch of the Pro+ variant in Q3 2022. Chances that the Vivo X80 Pro will hit the whole global market are higher if compared to the Vivo X Fold and the X Note and that is the reason why this device is very hot. But will it be able to compete with other flagships available globally? There is no better way to understand it than by comparing it to other top-tier flagships. Here is a comparison between the specifications of the Vivo X80 Pro and the OPPO Find X5 Pro.

OPPO Find X5 Pro vs Vivo X80 Pro

	OPPO Find X5 Pro	Vivo X80 Pro
DIMENSIONS	163.7 x 73.9 x 8.5 mm	164.57 x 75.3 x 9.1 mm
DISPLAY	6.7 inches, 1440 x 3216 pixels (Quad HD+), AMOLED	6.78 inches, 1440 x 3200 pixels (Quad HD+), AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, octa-core 3 GHz	Mediatek Dimensity 9000, octa-core 3.05 GHz or Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, octa-core 3 GHz
MEMORY	8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB	8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 12, ColorOS	Android 12, OriginOS
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 50 + 13 + 50 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.4 + f/2.2 32 MP f/2.4 front camera	Quad 50 + 8 + 12 + 48 MP, f/1.6 + f/2.2 + f/1.85 + f/3.4 32 MP f/2.45 front camera
BATTERY	5000 mAh, fast charging 80W, fast wireless charging 50W	4700 mAh, Fast Charging 80W, fast wireless charging 50W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	5G, dual SIM slot, reverse wireless charging, IP68 waterproof, eSIM	5G, dual SIM, IP68 waterproof, reverse wireless charging

Design

We think that in 2022 there is no phone which can beat the OPPO Find X5 Pro in terms of design. It has not only an amazing ceramic body but it is made with a very complex process to achieve all those seamless curves. It is a stunning device in both its color variants made of ceramic and, in the Chinese market, it also comes in an additional color option with a vegan leather back. The Vivo X80 Pro is less impressive but still a beautiful phone built with the most premium materials: there is a color option made of glass and aluminum, one made of vegan leather, and one made of ceramic. Which one would you prefer?

Display

The displays of the OPPO Find X5 Pro and the Vivo X80 Pro are very close, but the Vivo flagship wins the comparison because of two aspects. The first is the presence of the new LTPO 3.0 technology improving the energy consumption, and the second is the presence of an ultrasonic fingerprint reader with better performance. These are no differences impacting the image quality, though. For the rest, these displays are pretty much the same: two AMOLED panels with adaptive refresh rate, a Quad HD+ resolution, the HDR10+ certification, and one billion colors. Note that the OPPO Find X5 Pro has superior stereo speakers and a different position for the punch hole, while the Vivo X80 Pro has a slightly wider 6.78-inch diagonal.

Specs & Software

Both the OPPO Find X5 Pro and the Vivo X80 Pro come in two variants with different processors, but these processors are the same: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and MediaTek Dimensity 9000, paired with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. The Dimensity Edition of the OPPO Find X5 Pro is exclusive to the Chinese market and maybe it will be the same once the Vivo X80 Pro hits the global shelves. So it is essentially a draw, but you should note that the Find X5 Pro includes the eSIM technology, while the X80 Pro does not. Both the handsets run Android 12 out of the box, but with different user interfaces on top.

Camera

If you are looking for a superior camera setup, then the Vivo X80 Pro is a better choice for you. It is equipped with a 50 MP main camera with gimbal OIS and laser autofocus, an 8 MP periscope sensor with 5x optical zoom, and OIS, a 12 MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and a 48 MP ultrawide camera, all with Zeiss optics. The OPPO Find X5 Pro comes with the MariSilicon X proprietary ISP improving night photography, but it lacks a periscope camera.

Read More: Vivo X80 launched with Dimesnity 9000, Sony IMX866 triple cameras, 2K display, & more

Battery

The battery of the OPPO Find X5 Pro is bigger with a capacity of 5000 mAh and, given that the components of these two devices are similar, it will most likely offer a longer battery life. The charging technologies are the same: 80W fast charging through the cable and 50W wireless charging.

Price

The OPPO Find X5 Pro costs €1300/$1365 globally, while the Vivo X80 Pro is still unavailable globally and it starts from €800/$840 in China. Overall, the OPPO Find X5 Pro features a better design and a bigger battery, while the Vivo X80 Pro has better cameras. Which one would you pick?

OPPO Find X5 Pro vs Vivo X80 Pro: PRO and CONS

OPPO Find X5 Pro

PRO

Wider availability
Better design
Bigger battery
eSIM

CONS

Inferior cameras

Vivo X80 Pro

PRO

Superior rear cameras
Two variants with different chipsets
LTPO 3.0
Ultrasonic fingerprint reader

CONS

Smaller battery

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Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro with ECG & NFC launched in China

By

Sudhanshu

-

Apr 28, 2022

At today’s Huawei Mate Xs 2 Chinese launch event, Huawei also debuted several new products, like the Huawei MatePad SE and the Huawei Band 7. Other than these products, the brand launched its new flagship smartwatch, the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro. Let’s take a look at its specs and features.

Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro specs & features

The new smartwatch from the Chinese tech giant goes with a classic design featuring a circular dial. The smartwatch comes in two variants in China – 43mm and 46mm. The display size on the 46mm version is 1.43-inch while the 43mm version features a 1.32-inch display. Both variants get a high-definition AMOLED display, ceramic body, and sapphire glass.

The GT 3 Pro runs on HarmonyOS which enables features like Bluetooth calls and support for multiple apps. The smartwatch also offers an e-wallet and has NFC support built-in.

One of the highlight features of this smartwatch is the ECG functionality to check the user’s heart’s rhythm and electrical activity. This feature on the smartwatch has been approved by medical authorities of China, making the GT 3 Pro a certified second-class medical device.

Other health-related features offered by the smartwatch include heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, body temperature detection, sleep monitoring, stress monitoring, and more.

The smartwatch has support for over 100 sports modes, out of which 18 are “professional” modes. One of these sports modes is Golf, for which the GT 3 Pro smartwatch comes with 300+ golf courses pre-loaded. The smart wearable has a 5ATM waterproof rating and has support for a “free diving” mode.

Talking about its battery, Huawei claims up to 14 days of battery backup for the larger 46mm model (8 days with heavy use) and 7 days for the smaller 43mm model (4 days with heavy use). The brand also claims that a 10-minute charge will be enough for the smartwatch to last a full day.

Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro price & availability

Huawei has priced the 43mm Watch GT 3 Pro at 2488 Yuan ($375), while the 46mm model has a price tag of 2688 Yuan ($406). There is also a special Porsche Design model of the watch which is priced at 4,700 yuan ($709). The Watch GT 3 Pro is available for pre-order right now in China and will go on its first sale on May 5.

RELATED:

Huawei Band 7 with 1.47-inch AMOLED display, heart rate monitor launched in China

By

Sudhanshu

-

Apr 28, 2022

Earlier today, Huawei held a launch event in China headlined by the Mate Xs 2 foldable smartphone. The brand also launched new AIoT products at the event like the Huawei Band 7, so let’s take a closer look at the new smart band from the Chinese tech giant.

Huawei Band 7 specs and features

Successor to the Band 6, the new wearable measures 9.99 mm thick and weighs just 16 grams. It has a 1.47-inch AMOLED display with 194 x 368 pixels resolution. Having an AMOLED display gives the watch access to the “Always On” feature without consuming much energy.

It has a button on the right edge for turning the device on or off and to help input commands. The Huawei Band 7 also features multiple sensors like an accelerometer, gyro sensor, and heart rate sensor. It also houses a SpO2 sensor which can help users detect signs of sleep apnea by monitoring their blood-oxygen levels during sleep. The Huawei band 7 also features a reminder function for menstrual cycles.

The smart wearable features 96 sports modes including swimming and can track the number of calories the user has burned during their workouts and sports activities.

The smart band comes with 5ATM protection meaning it can withstand the wearer diving around 50 meters underwater with the Band 7 on. Huawei claims that with a full charge, the battery will last up to 14 days, but this is the best-case scenario with moderate use, and using the “Always On” function will significantly decrease the battery life. Other than that, the smartwatch has over 7000 watch faces and is also available in an NFC-enabled variant.

Huawei Band 7 pricing & availability

The Huawei Band 7 standard variant costs 269 yuan (~$40) while the NFC variant is priced at 309 yuan (~$46) in China. The smart band is available for pre-order and will commence its first sale on May 5.

It comes in four color options – Wild Green, Flame Red, Obsidian Black, and Nebula Pink.

RELATED:

Realme GT2 first sale goes live in India today

By

Anurag

-

Apr 28, 2022

Realme GT 2 went on sale for the first time in India. The Chinese manufacturer launched the smartphone in India a week ago. The main highlight of the smartphone includes the Snapdragon 888 SoC, 120Hz AMOLED display, a 50-megapixel triple rear camera setup, and a 5,000mAh battery with SuperDart 65W VOOC fast charging support.

The Realme GT2 has arrived in India in two storage variants- 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. These models are priced at Rs. 34,999 and Rs. 38,999 respectively. The smartphone comes in Paper Green, Paper White, and Steel Black color option and can be purchased via Flipkart and Realme.com.

Realme GT2 specifications

The Realme GT2 has a 6.62-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate with a resolution of 1,080×2,400 pixels. The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 888 SoC. Realme GT2 features a triple rear camera setup that includes a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 sensor and a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 selfie camera sensor at the front.

The device is fueled by a 5000mAh battery that comes with SuperDart 65W VOOC fast charging support. Realme GT2 runs on Realme UI 3.0-based Android 12 OS. The smartphone measures 162.9×75.8×8.6mm and weighs up to 199.8 grams.

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[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFFU33BfUd4[/embedyt]

Nothing Launcher Beta is now available on Play Store

By

Pranav Sawant

-

Apr 28, 2022

Nothing in its March event promised the release of Nothing launcher this month. Now, the Nothing launcher is officially available to download. With the launcher’s release, we get a taste of what we’d expect from the upcoming Nothing Phone (1).

Nothing Launcher is currently available on Play Store and you can install it to experience the awaited dot-matrix User Interface. However, only select devices can install the launcher and use it. As of now, Google Pixel 5, Pixel 6, Samsung Galaxy S21 series, and the Galaxy S22 series models are supported. It appears that the brand is keeping up to its premium experience promise as all of these devices are flagships.

If you are a OnePlus owner, do not worry, as the brand has also confirmed support for OnePlus models in the future. Also, some users tried Installing the launcher on the OnePlus 10 Pro and surprisingly it’s working.

The Nothing Launcher is currently in the beta stage and offers only the basic features. Right when you install and set it up, you’ll see the Nothing Wallpaper that we saw in the event last month.

In addition to this, the font gets changed to the dot matrix-style font. There are currently two widgets in the launcher that appear to be automatically set on the home screen. There’s the weather widget and the clock widget. The launcher also brings elegant-looking app folders.

Apart from this, there’s not much to look at in the launcher, at the moment. Since it is currently in the first beta stage, we expect more features to be added in the forthcoming beta versions.

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Huawei launches affordable MatePad SE tablet in China

By

Sudhanshu

-

Apr 28, 2022

Earlier today, Huawei launched the Mate Xs 2 foldable smartphone at its Full-Screen launch event in China. The company also launched the MatePad SE affordable tablet featuring a 10.1-inch display. So let’s take a closer look at its specs and features.

Huawei MatePad SE specs & features

The Huawei MatePad SE has a 10.1-inch full HD (1920 x 1200p) IPS display. It has thick bezels around the display and offers a screen-to-body ratio of 80%.

The device has a thickness of 7.85 mm and weighs about 450 grams. Under the hood, it carries 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The device is aimed at a younger audience and has various interactive features like a children’s playground and education center to aid in learning.

The tablet runs on HarmonyOS 2.0 and features Huawei Histen 7.0 sound effects combined with Harman Kardon’s cutting-edge sound technology. The device is offered in two variants, WiFi only and WiFi + LTE. For optics, it features a 5MP primary camera and a 2MP front camera for selfies and video calls.

Huawei MatePad SE pricing & availability

Huawei has priced the at 1499 yuan ($226) for the WiFi-only variant and at 1699 yuan ($256) for the WiFi + LTE variant. Pre-orders of the device have commenced in China and it will go on the first sale starting May 6 in the domestic market.

Currently, it is unknown if or when the company plans to launch the affordable tablet outside of China, so stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

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OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite debuts as the cheapest OnePlus 5G phone in India

By

Pranav Sawant

-

Apr 28, 2022

OnePlus has officially launched its cheapest 5G smartphone in India dubbed the Nord CE 2 Lite. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G comes with a 120Hz high refresh rate display, triple cameras, and a 33W fast charging support. With the phone’s release, it will compete with the likes of the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and Realme 9 Pro.

Display and Design

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G comes with a similar design as the Nord CE 2. However, it is actually a rebranded version of the Realme 9 Pro that launched earlier this year in India. The device sports a patterned design on the back around the camera island and has a plain surface in the lower half.

It sports a punch-hole display with thin bezels on all three sides except for the bottom. It has a noticeable chin at the bottom. The smartphone features a 6.59-inch LCD display with an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Specifications

Since it comes in the budget segment and will compete with the other similar priced phones, OnePlus has used the popular Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G SoC in the Nord CE 2 Lite. It is an octa-core chipset that has Adreno 619 GPU and is based on a 6nm process. It comes in two RAM options, where users get to choose between 6GB or 8GB of RAM that is paired with 128GB of internal storage. It also has a microSD card slot for expandable storage up to 1TB.

It packs a 5,000mAh battery and supports 33W fast charging technology. With this, the phone can go up to 50% in just 30 minutes of charging. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port at the bottom.

The smartphone boots on OxygenOS 12.1 and has the Android 12 OS underneath. OnePlus has promised 2 years of major Android updates and 3 years of security updates.

Cameras

Coming to the cameras, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G comes with an AI triple camera system at the rear. The phone has two former sensors placed vertically one after another, and has the third lens slightly shifted to the right-center. It also has an LED flash beside the third lens.

The rear setup goes by a 64MP main lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 4CM macro shooter. On the front, it has a 16MP snapper for selfies and video calls.

Pricing, Colors, and Sale details

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G is priced at Rs. 19,999(~$261) for the base variant with 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and Rs. 21,999(~$286) for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage. The smartphone comes in two color options – Blue Tide and Black Dusk.

It will go in an open sale starting April 30 at 12 PM local time in India. It can be purchased from Amazon.in, OnePlus.in, Reliance digital, and Croma stores.

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China Q1 2022 smartphone sales drop by 14% YoY although Honor showed a jump of 11.4% in market share

By

Pranav Sawant

-

Apr 28, 2022

Ever since the start of this year, Chinese phone makers have been releasing devices in all segments, whether it be budget, mid-range, or the higher-end flagship segment. The region has seen increased premium phones largely due to the downfall of Huawei. Despite all the flagships and other phones making their way to the market with impressive specs sheets, the smartphone market in China doesn’t seem to show healthy growth. As per a new report, China’s Q1 2022 smartphone sales have dropped by 14% year-on-year.

Counterpoint Research has shared a few numbers that show that the smartphone market in China has been undoing in comparison to previous years. As per the company’s Q1 2022 report for China’s smartphone market share, most of the brands excluding Apple and Honor have shown poor performance as compared to Q1 of last year.

Despite that, in Q1 2022, Vivo stands on the top with a 19.7% market share. Next comes Oppo with an 18% market share and it is followed by the other brands. Honor and Apple are two brands that showed a good increase in Q1 2022 as compared to Q1 2021. Apple’s market share increased from 14.7% to 17.9%, while Honor showed the highest jump from 5.5% to 16.9% market share. That’s an 11.4% increase, the highest on the chart.

This jump by Honor is primarily because of the new Honor 60 and Magic 4 series, as noted by Counterpoint. A part of Apple’s market share increase is likely because Huawei users look at Apple as a premium phone alternative in China.

Coming to Xiaomi, the brand didn’t show any growth, rather it was the opposite with a 0.3% decline. However, Xiaomi is said to pick up the pace with the recent release of its Redmi K50 series. The Redmi 10A is also expected to help the brand in the super-budget segment. That being said, the <$400 segment is expected to show good stability as we move further.

Realme showed a nominal growth with an increase of 0.4%. It appears that Realme’s new models released in Q1 2022 are helping the brand increase its market share.

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The Best Xiaomi 12 Pro Alternatives in India

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Apr 28, 2022

Yesterday, at the Xiaomi Next event in India, the company finally announced the Xiaomi 12 Pro for the country. It is currently the most-premium slab smartphone offered by the firm. The device made its initial debut in China at the end of December, followed by a European launch in March.

The Xiaomi 12 Pro is priced at ₹62,999 and ₹66,999 in India for the 8GB + 128GB and the 12GB + 256GB memory configurations respectively. But for a limited time, the phone will be sold at ₹58,999 and ₹62,999 (₹4,000 off).

On top of the introductory price, customers can get an additional ₹6,000 discount on ICICI Bank credit card and EMI transactions. So the effective price of the Xiaomi 12 Pro comes down to ₹52,999 (8GB + 128GB) and ₹56,999 (12GB + 256GB).

The handset offers premium features like a 6.73-inch 2K LTPO 2.0 curved AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and 120W fast charging support. It arrives with 50MP triple cameras with wide, ultra-wide, and zoom lenses. It is the only smartphone in the price segment housing quad speakers tuned by Harman Kardon.

But not everyone would like to purchase it due to various reasons. For those people, we have compiled a list of alternatives they can look for. These competitors of Xiaomi 12 Pro come from 4 different brands, namely iQOO, Oneplus, Samsung, and Apple.

Let’s take a look at these models one by one. But before, here are the entire specifications of Xiaomi 12 Pro.

BUILD	Aluminum Frame + Glass Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT	163.6 x 74.6 x 8.16mm 205g
DISPLAY	6.73-inch curved AMOLED Panel, 3200 x 1440 (QHD+) Resolution, 10-bit Color Depth, 1Hz-120Hz Refresh Rate (LTPO 2.0), 1500 Nits Peak Brightness, Dolby Vision, Centered Punch Hole
CHIPSET	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC
RAM & STORAGE	8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage
SOFTWARE	MIUI 13 based on Android 12
REAR CAMERA	50MP Main Camera with OIS, 50MP 115° Ultra-wide Camera, 50MP 2x Telephoto Camera
FRONT CAMERA	32MP Front-facing Camera
CONNECTIVITY	Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC
PORTS	USB 2.0 (Type-C)
OTHER FEATURES	In-display Optical Fingerprint Sensor, Quad Stereo Speakers by Harman Kardon, IR Blaster
BATTERY & CHARGING	4,600mAh Battery, 120W Fast Wired Charging, 50W Fast Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging

Best Xiaomi 12 Pro Alternatives in India

Prev Next

1. iQOO 9 Pro

The iQOO 9 Pro is the biggest competitor of Xiaomi 12 Pro in India. It is priced at ₹64,990 (8GB + 128GB) and ₹69,990 (12GB + 256GB) in the region. Depending on the variant you choose, it costs roughly ₹2,000 or ₹3,000 more than the Xiaomi 12 Pro.

For extra cash, the iQOO-branded phone offers better camera hardware, at least on paper. It comes with gimbal OIS for the primary camera and a wider (150˚) ultra-wide camera capable of clicking macro shots.

It arrives in two options, one with a glass back and another with an aramid fiber back. The former version flaunts an exclusive BMW M Motorsport colorway.

Though it has been two months since its release in India, the brand is still offering a ₹6,000 discount on transactions via all debit/credit cards and EMI. Hence, its effective price drops to ₹ and ₹58,990 and ₹63,990.

BUILD	Aluminum Frame + Glass/Aramid Fiber Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT	164.8 x 75.2 x 8.8mm 204g (Aramid Fiber)/210g (Glass)
DISPLAY	6.78-inch curved AMOLED Panel, 3200 x 1440 (QHD+) Resolution, 10-bit Color Depth, 1Hz-120Hz Refresh Rate (LTPO 2.0), 1500 Nits Peak Brightness, Centered Punch Hole
CHIPSET	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC
RAM & STORAGE	8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage
SOFTWARE	Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12
REAR CAMERA	50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN5 Main Camera With Gimbal OIS, 50MP 150° Ultra-wide + Macro Camera, 16MP 2.5x Telephoto Camera with OIS
FRONT CAMERA	16MP Front-facing Camera
CONNECTIVITY	Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC
PORTS	USB 2.0 (Type-C)
OTHER FEATURES	In-display Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor, Dual Stereo Speakers
BATTERY & CHARGING	4,700mAh Battery, 120W Fast Wired Charging, 50W Fast Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging

2. Oneplus 10 Pro

The Oneplus 10 Pro is another strong competitor of the Xiaomi 12 Pro in India. For a very long time, Oneplus has been the preferred brand in the premium segment in the country. For the unaware, India is the only region where the company enjoys this position.

Because the brand has built a premium image among Indian consumers. Additionally, its products are relatively cheaper here than in other international markets.

Coming to the Oneplus 10 Pro, the device flaunts a unique design. It not only comes with the fan-favorite OxygenOS but also a 150˚ ultra-wide camera and a 3.3x telephoto camera. The camera system is also backed by Hasselblad’s software optimization.

Talking about price, the Oneplus 10 Pro is costlier than both Xiaomi 12 Pro and iQOO 9 Pro. It retails at ₹66,999 and ₹71,999 for 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256B memory variants respectively.

Buyers can get a ₹4,500 discount on SBI credit card and EMI transactions. Therefore, the effective price of the phone is ₹62,499 and ₹67,499.

BUILD	Aluminum Frame + Glass Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT	163 x 73.9 x 8.6mm 201g
DISPLAY	6.7-inch curved AMOLED Panel, 3216 x 1440 (QHD+) Resolution, 10-bit Color Depth, 1Hz-120Hz Refresh Rate (LTPO 2.0), 1300 Nits Peak Brightness, Punch Hole at Top Left Corner
CHIPSET	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC
RAM & STORAGE	8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage
SOFTWARE	OxygenOS 12.1 based on Android 12
REAR CAMERA	48MP Sony IMX789 Main Camera with OIS, 50MP Samsung JN1 150° Ultra-wide Camera, 8MP 3.3x Telephoto Camera with OIS
FRONT CAMERA	32MP Sony IMX615 Front-facing Camera
CONNECTIVITY	Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC
PORTS	USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C)
OTHER FEATURES	In-display Optical Fingerprint Sensor, Dual Stereo Speakers, Alert Slider
BATTERY & CHARGING	5,000mAh Battery, 80W Fast Wired Charging, 50W Fast Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging

3. Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

Though the Galaxy S22 Plus is out, it is way costlier than the Xiaomi 12 Pro in India. So the best option from Samsung is none other than the Galaxy S21 Plus. However, it is difficult to find one, especially online.

The handset was released in the country priced at ₹81,999 (8GB + 128GB) and ₹85,999 (8GB + 256GB). But now, it can be had for only ₹61,999 from retailers like Reliance Digital. You can also avail of additional bank discounts.

Despite being a year old, the Galaxy S21 Plus is still a good smartphone to consider. It not only has IP68 dust/water resistance but will receive three more Android updates. You also get useful features like Samsung Dex, Samsung Pay, USB 3.2 (Type-C) port, and more.

Having said that, if you happen to get a good deal on the latest Galaxy S22 Plus, then that’s a better option.

BUILD	Aluminum Frame + Glass Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT	161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm 200g
DISPLAY	6.7-inch Flat AMOLED Panel, 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) Resolution, 120Hz Refresh Rate, 1300 Nits Peak Brightness, Centered Punch Hole
CHIPSET	Exynos 2100 SoC
RAM & STORAGE	8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage
SOFTWARE	One UI 3.1 based on Android 11, Upgradable to One UI 4.1 based on Android 12
REAR CAMERA	12MP Main Camera with OIS, 12MP Ultra-wide Camera, 64MP 3x Telephoto Camera
FRONT CAMERA	10MP Front-facing Camera
CONNECTIVITY	Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, GNSS, NFC
PORTS	USB 3.2 (Type-C)
OTHER FEATURES	In-display Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor, Dual Stereo Speakers, IP68 Dust/Water Resistance, Samsung DeX
BATTERY & CHARGING	4,800mAh Battery, 25W Fast Wired Charging, 15W Fast Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging

4. Apple iPhone 12

The last handset is our list is the Apple iPhone 12. The one and a half years old iPhone is still a good option but if you can find a great deal on iPhone 13, then it would be even better.

The iPhone 12 currently starts at ₹65,900 in India. However, most retailers are selling it at a cheaper price. For instance, as of writing this article, Amazon had listed the device at ₹54,900. You can make use of available bank discounts to further lower the price.

Anyway, as mentioned earlier, iPhone 13 is a better option if you could somehow find it around the same price as Xiaomi 12 Pro. Because the iPhone 12 is infamous for its battery performance. The iPhone 13 officially starts at ₹79,900 in the region.

BUILD	Aluminum Frame + Glass Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT	146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm 164g
DISPLAY	6.1-inch Flat AMOLED Panel, 2532 x 1170 Resolution, 60Hz Refresh Rate, 1200 Nits Peak Brightness, Dolby Vision, Wide Notch
CHIPSET	Apple A14 Bionic SoC
RAM & STORAGE	4GB RAM, 64GB/128GB/256GB Storage
SOFTWARE	iOS 14 , Upgradable to iOS 15
REAR CAMERA	12MP Main Camera with OIS, 12MP 120˚ Ultra-wide Camera
FRONT CAMERA	12MP Front-facing Camera
CONNECTIVITY	Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, GNSS, NFC
PORTS	USB 2.0 (Lightning)
OTHER FEATURES	Face ID, Dual Stereo Speakers, IP68 Dust/Water Resistance
BATTERY & CHARGING	2,815mAh Battery, 20W Wired Charging, 15W MagSafe Charging, 7.5W Wireless Charging

Huawei Mate Xs 2 with Snapdragon 888 4G, outward folding OLED display launched in China

By

Sudhanshu

-

Apr 28, 2022

Two years after the launch of the Huawei Mate Xs, the company has launched its successor, the Huawei Mate Xs 2. The premium foldable smartphone is unlike other foldable available on the market as it features an outward folding design. So let’s take a closer look at what all the Mate Xs 2 brings to the table.

Design & Display

Design-wise, the device is similar to its predecessor as it has an outward folding design rather than an inward one found on traditional foldables. While folded, the display stays in place due to a latch mechanism and when released, it opens partway thanks to the spring-loaded hinge.

The body of the Mate Xs 2 is made of materials like aviation-grade titanium alloy, ultra-light fiberglass, and ultra-light and super-strong steel making the foldable weigh just 255 grams. Huawei has used a microfiber material for the back panel of the device.

When folded, the screen of the device measures 6.5-inches, and unfolding the Mate Xs 2 gives a larger screen area diagonally measuring 7.8-inches. Talking about the display, it is an OLED panel with 2480 x 2200 pixels resolution when expanded (2480 × 1176 pixels while folded). The screen has 120 Hz refresh rate, 240 Hz touch sampling rate, 1440 Hz PWM dimming, and 424ppi pixel density. The panel is capable of displaying 1.07 billion colors and covers the P3 wide color gamut.

Specs

Under the hood, the smartphone houses a Snapdragon 888 4G SoC with the Adreno 660 GPU on board. The device is offered with 8GB of RAM and 256/512GB storage. Huawei has also introduced a Collector’s edition which is offered in 12GB RAM and 512GB storage configuration. Both the variants can have their memory expanded by up to 256GB with Huawei’s Nano Memory Card.

Software-wise, the Mate Xs 2 runs on HarmonyOS 2 out of the box which brings new smart multi-window and quick-swipe gestures to accommodate for the large screen. It also has an adaptive UI engine with a self-learning layout and optimization. The top 300 apps on the AppGallery have been officially adapted for the big screen of the Mate Xs 2.

The battery on the Huawei Mate Xs 2 has a 4600mAh capacity while the Collector’s edition comes with a bigger 4880mAh battery. Both variants come with 66W fast charging support which the company claims can refill the battery to 90% in just 30 minutes. To keep thermals under control, the device has incorporated a Graphene liquid cooling system.

The Mate Xs 2 also offers support for Huawei M-Pen 2s Stylus which comes with a 4096-level high-pressure sense and an 82mAh battery capable of continuously writing for 10 hours and offers a standby time of 40 days. It uses Bluetooth 5 for connectivity.

Other features of the Mate Xs 2 include tri-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/ Beidou/ NavIC, USB Type-C, and headphone support via USB Type-C connector. The device also covers all the standard 2G, 3G, and 4G bands.

Camera

For photography, the Mate Xs 2 has a triple rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel primary with f/1.8 aperture, a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera with f/2.2 aperture, and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture, OIS and 3x optical zoom capability. The camera is capable of clicking pictures in 8192 × 6144 pixels resolution and supports 1080p@960fps super slow motion videography.

On the front, we have a 10.7-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.2 aperture. Other than that, Huawei has upgraded the XD Optics computing optics, mirroring smart shooting, dual-screen synchronous framing, easy click, and AI accurate elimination.

Pricing & Availability

The Huawei Xs 2 comes in three different colors namely Elegant black, Brocade white, and Frost purple. They can also be matched with the same color leather protective case and bracket which acts as a stand for the foldable device.

The device’s price for the Chinese market is as below:

8GB+256GB – 9999 yuan ($1,512)
8GB+512GB – 11,499 yuan ($1,739)
12GB+512GB – 12,999 yuan ($1,965)

The Huawei M-Pen 2s Stylus has a price of 599 yuan ($90)

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