ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED Review: Double The Fun!

When I was handed the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED for a review, I was taken aback by its elegant display, or should I say, displays! This ‘Duo’ laptop series by Asus comes with a secondary display sitting right above the keyboard for additional functionality. But is that all? Having a second display surely sets the product apart from the market but is it enough for users to jump on and grab it at the earliest? The answer is quite complicated!

We’re reviewing the maxed-out UX8402Z version of the laptop which houses the powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX3050Ti graphics card inside. This itself makes it one of the best gaming laptops in the market. It comes with Intel 12th gen i9 processor and a dynamic 32GB RAM coupled with 1TB SSD. In my usage of nearly two weeks, I did not face any issues with the laptop’s performance as one would expect with its impressive specifications. However, the drawing factor here is the displays which left me thinking if we’re already in the future!

You get two OLED screens here; a 14.5-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1800) display and a smaller 12.7-inch (2880 x 864) as the secondary display. Both of these screens are a treat to look at. Asus has not cut any corners when it comes to the displays as the primary screen comes with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a peak HDR brightness of 500 nits. Also, did I mention both the displays are touchscreen? The displays are simply vibrant, and crisp, and produce bright colors. A deal breaker for some could be the matte finish over the secondary display which honestly, felt aesthetic to me. The main 2.8K display is a stunner, watching content on this screen makes it an immersive experience thanks to the OLED display technology.

The smaller 12.7-inch screen is housed right above the keyboard and certainly has an impact on the laptop as the keyboard is pushed right into the front of it. The keyboard’s form factor has been minimized which requires some getting used to. Whereas, the touchpad and its associated buttons are pushed into the extreme right corner which does cause some accessibility issues. It is up to you to decide if this compromise is worth it for the secondary display. With the entire lower frame of the laptop used to the teeth with the secondary display and the keyboard, there is no space for you to rest your wrist. The laptop is equipped with physical buttons which allow you to quickly switch between the primary and the secondary screen, adding functionality.

Even though it sports dual screens, the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo weighs only 1.75Kg, making it relatively thinner and lighter for a gaming-capable laptop. It comes with dark-blue refined magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis and a dimension of 323.5 x 224.7 x 19.6mm when shut close. The port selection is limited for a laptop in the premium segment. It comes with one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, one HDMI 2.1 port, a memory card slot, two Thunderbolt 4 Type C ports, and finally, a 3.5mm headphone jack. The webcam placed right above the primary display has a 720P resolution. A laptop sleeve is also included in the box which is added delight!

Performance

I was sent the laptop with best-in-class specifications which proved to be more powerful than I need for my day-to-day tasks. I felt like Jim Carrey from Bruce Almighty just moments away from singing the ‘I Got The Power!’ song in my office. My daily line of work includes churning out research-based articles and scripts which do not require much processing power. I was expecting my chrome browsers to not lag at any given point and that’s what I got. However, I did install Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered for PC to get a taste of gaming on this laptop, and as one would expect, it did not disappoint. The laptop handled the game like a champ giving high refresh rates consistently. The secondary display worked its charm as a music video screen while I was working on my daily tasks throughout the day. The touchscreen capabilities of both displays are a plus point! The battery life of this laptop is decent even with both displays on the entire time. I could get through my 8-hour shift easily with just one charge, however, the mileage may vary if you’re a heavy user.

The Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is no doubt a capable laptop, it has one of if not the best displays to offer in the market right now. But it is hard to recommend to everyone. If you’re a creator having a detailed eye for the color accuracy of your photos/videos, then this definitely is the laptop for you. This is a laptop for seasoned creators who know their way around Adobe’s apps like PhotoShop or Premiere Pro. If you’re an everyday user who browses the internet or streams YouTube/Netflix, there are ample options for you in the market!

Verdict

There is a novelty, then there is pricing! The maxed-out i9 version of this laptop which I used is priced at a whopping Rs 2,24,990. If you ask me, sure, the laptop is worth shelling out that much as it comes with multiple features which justify the pricing. But this might not be the case for everyone. If you’re not a heavy user, you can opt for the i5 variant of the laptop which is priced at Rs 1,44,990.

Good

Vibrant Primary OLED screen

Bad

No Wrist Support

Ugly

Touchpad Placement

Rating – 4/5

Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED Specifications:

14.5-inch 2.8K OLED display
Intel 12th Gen i9 processor with Nvidia RTX3050Ti
32GB RAM
1TB PCIe SSD
Windows 11

Samsung Z Fold4 (Review) – A foldable’s London expedition

If you are holding the Galaxy Z Fold3 in your hand, you might be convinced that upgrading to the Z Fold4 might not be required by the end of this review. It’s lighter, the camera is bumped up, and the hinged mechanism is more refined and well-integrated. There is no comparison that can be thrown in since it’s a segment blurring the lines between a tablet and a smartphone. The whole gist of this version of the Z Fold – Lots of things are a little nicer; nothing is radically better.

Take, for instance, the screens; the hinge and bezels are a little smaller than on the Fold3, making the 6.2-inch cover screen more operationally practical. It has a 2316 x 904 resolution and a 23.1:9 aspect ratio – a little wider than the Fold 3’s 2268 x 832 display with a 24.5:9 ratio. Texting and typing on the keyboard require a lot more concentration, and if I kept hitting the wrong keys, I would blame my wider thumb.

The main screen still measures 7.6 inches like last year’s, now with a 2176 x 1812 resolution and 21.6:18 aspect ratio compared to 2208 x 1768 and 22.5:18. The screen is humongous from smartphone standards, and a slight shift in aspect ratio really doesn’t make any big difference. All the screens (inner & outer) offer up to 120Hz refresh rates, so scrolling is very smooth and refined.

The ZFold 4 has a 4400mAh battery and lasts a whole day easily with heavy usage, but more than a day is asking for trouble. There’s no change to wired charging speeds at 25W, but wireless charging has been fastened at 15W versus 11W. There is a small catch though you will have to use Samsung’s own fast wireless chargers. To be honest, for a serious multitasking folding phone, this is the only game in town and is a unique proposition.

Powering the Galaxy Z Fold 4 across all regions is Qualcomm’s new 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset. There isn’t a version of the device with an Exynos alternative, a change from Samsung’s release strategy with S-series phones, and that’s a good thing. Gorilla glass Victus+ and 18% stronger flexible glass are welcome additions.

Overall, the phone has 5 cameras with an in-display 4MP camera as well, but the main 50MP camera has innate capabilities both during day and night. The 12MP Ultrawide sensor and 10MP telephoto, this time with OIS like the primary camera, bring 3x optical and 30x digital zoom. The improved camera algorithms similar to something named Ultra at the end brings improved camera performance in all lighting conditions.

One UI running on 12GB DDR5 RAM based on Android 12L brings software enhancements like no other phone. While operating, what is intuitive is a desktop-style taskbar that stacks up all the most commonly used apps and sits at the bottom of the screen. It can also be pulled up when you’re in other apps, allowing you to open multiple apps simultaneously without jumping back to the home screen.

Weight-wise, it’s not too bulky; though it looks like a heavier gadget, it still holds a brag factor at the dinner table, and you will always proudly keep it in the centre of everyone’s attention. If you’ve been sitting on the bench and waiting to dive into the fold revolution, then it’s a good time to do that with the ZFold4, or maybe wait for it to come out with another iteration and hopefully with a wider screen for ease of typing without folding out. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted, and plonking down Rs 1,54,999/- means you are already living a life!

2022 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event

Samsung launches 5 new products – Fold 4, Flip 4, Watch 5, Watch 5 Pro and Buds Pro 2

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event witnessed the launch of 5 new products from the house of Samsung. An iterative update to the existing line-up of foldable devices, the new Galaxy Fold 4 and Galaxy Flip 4 have improved to match performance and style as per consumer demand. Samsung also announced the updated Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and an exciting take on rugged watches for outdoor use, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Alongside these launches was an improved and innovative Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2. Let’s take a quick look at what has improved compared to their predecessors.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 4

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 was well received after their Note series feature, the S-Pen, was introduced as a part of the package. The Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 improves over the Fold 3 in many more minor iterative changes. The most significant change is the reduction in the overall weight of Fold 4, weighing 263 gms compared to 271 gms of Fold 3.

This is Samsung’s lightest Fold series phone since its inception in 2019. The outer construction is aircraft-grade aluminum, while the glass sandwich now consists of Gorilla glass Victus and 18% stronger ultra-thin glass. The dimensions and form factor largely remain identical to the Fold 3, while the hardware leaps in terms of processor, display, camera and software. Running on Android 12 over an improved Samsung One UI, the Fold gets an interesting taskbar with multi-window support and flex mode.

Starting with the processor, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 gets the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor improving the NPU required to post-process images and videos to a new level. The camera setup is now identical to the Samsung S22 series, and a new 50MP camera with 2.0-micron pixels improves over the Fold 3’s 1.8-micron pixel allowing more light capture. The optical zoom has been enhanced from 2x to 3x, while a digital zoom of 30x improves the Fold 4’s zoom capabilities from 10x on the Fold 3. This also enables Galaxy S22 series Nightography to capture 23% brighter images in low light conditions. The triple-camera setup is further aided by improved NPU enabling AI ISP, OIS and VDIS. With a Veritas certificate of 200K folds, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 improves on the durability of its hinge. An adaptive S-AMOLED display now features a 1-120Hz refresh rate with a maximum brightness of 1300 nits. The Fold 4 continues with a hidden in-display front camera, and wireless and reverse wireless charging.

Galaxy Z Fold4
Display	Main Screen	7.6-inch QXGA+* Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display (2176 x 1812, 21.6:18) 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (1~120Hz)*Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Fold4’s Main Screen size is 7.6-inch in the full rectangle and 7.4-inch with accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.
	Cover Screen	6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display(2316 x 904, 23.1:9)120Hz adaptive refresh rate (48~120Hz)*Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Fold4’s Cover Screen size is 6.2-inch in a full rectangle and 6.1-inch accounting for the rounded corners. The actual viewable area is smaller due to the rounded corners and camera hole.
Dimension & Weight	Folded	67.1 x 155.1 x 15.8mm(Hinge) ~ 14.2mm(Sagging)
	Unfolded	130.1 x 155.1 x 6.3mm
	Weight	263g
Camera	Cover Camera	10MP Selfie Camera F2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 85˚
	Under display camera	4MP Under Display Camera F1.8, Pixel size: 2.0μm, FOV: 80˚
	Rear Triple Camera	12MP Ultra Wide Camera F2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123˚50MP Wide-angle Camera Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 85˚10MP Telephoto Camera PDAF, F2.4, OIS, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 36˚*30X Space Zoom includes 3x Optical Zoom and 30x digital zoom with AI Super Resolution technology. Zooming in past 3x may cause some image deterioration
AP	4㎚ Octa-Core Processor
Memory	12GB RAM with 1TB internal storage 12GB RAM with 512GB internal storage 12GB RAM with 256GB internal storage *Availability may vary by market or channel. Actual storage space may vary by market, model, file size and format.
Battery	4,400mAh (typical) dual battery* *Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 4275mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.
Charging	Super Fast Charging* : Up to 50% charge in around 30mins with 25W adapter or higher Fast wireless charging 2.0* Wireless PowerShare***Wired charging compatible with QC2.0 and AFC. Results from internal Samsung lab tests, conducted with 25W Travel Adapter while it has 0% of power remaining, with all the services, features and screen turned off. Actual charging speed may vary depending on the actual usage, charging conditions and other factors. 25W Power Adapter sold separately. Use only Samsung-approved chargers and cables. *Wireless charging compatible with WPC **Wireless PowerShare is limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with WPC Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy Z Fold4, Z Flip4, S22 series, Z Fold3 5G, Z Flip3 5G, S21 FE 5G, S21 series, Z Fold2, Note20 series, S20 series, Z Flip, Note10 series, S10 series, S9 series, S8 series, S7 series, S6 series, Note9, Note8, Note FE, Note5, and wearables such as Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Buds2, Buds Pro, Buds Live, Watch5, Watch5 Pro, Watch4, Watch4 Classic, Watch3, Watch Active2, Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Buds. May not work with certain accessories, covers, or other brand devices. May affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment.
Water Resistance	IPX8 *IPX8 is based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Not dust-resistant.
OS	Android 12L One UI 4.1.1
Network and Connectivity	5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E** 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth® v5.2 5G services are only supported in 5G network enabled locations. Requires optimal 5G connection. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. Availability of LTE model varies by country and carrier. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. **Wi-Fi 6E network availability may vary by market, network provider and user environment. Requires optimal connection. Will require a Wi-Fi 6E router.
Sensors	Capacitive Fingerprint sensor (side), Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, Proximity sensor, Light sensor
Security	Samsung Knox, Samsung Knox Vault
SIM Card	Up to two Nano SIM* and one eSIM** SIM card sold separately. Availability may vary depending on market and carrier. *eSIM availability may vary depending on software version, region and carrier. Check with your carrier if your mobile network plan supports eSIM.
Colors	Graygreen, Phantom Black, Beige [Samsung.com Exclusive] Burgundy* Availability may vary by market.

Samsung Galaxy Flip 4

The teaser site images created an illusion of flat sides on the Samsung Galaxy Flip 4. In-person, the sides are curved and feel more ergonomic to hold. Like the Fold 4, the Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 gets the newer improved Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and an enhanced Samsung One UI running over Android 12. The Flip 4 also gets an improved display with 18% strengthened ultra-thin glass featuring a brighter 900 nits display with dynamic S-AMOLED switching between 1-120Hz refresh rate. The glass sandwich now features a Haze glass finish for improved ergonomics. A robust set of Samsung Galaxy S21 FE cameras are implemented on the Galaxy Flip 4, significantly improving overall camera performance with 65% brightness in images and videos. Night-photography also comes included on the bold new camera deco. It also gets improved AI ISP, OIS and VDIS.

The hinges have been reduced by 1.2mm, an engineering marvel from Samsung engineers. The battery capacity has improved to 3700 mAh, a 10% improvement from its predecessor Flip 3. The ultra-thin glass too has improved in strength by 18%. The new Galaxy Flip 4 also gets intuitive multi-angle capture, seamless vlogging mode and a hands-free camera experience. The cover screen gets unique customisations with improved One UI and AI responses.

Galaxy Z Flip4
Display	Main Screen	6.7-inch FHD+* Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display (2640 x 1080, 22:9) 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (1~120Hz)*Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Flip4’s Main Screen size is 6.7-inch in the full rectangle and 6.6-inch with accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners and camera hole.
	Cover Screen	1.9-inch Super AMOLED Display* 260 x 512*Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Flip4’s Cover Screen size is 1.9-inch in the full rectangle and 1.8″ with accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.
Dimension & Weight	Folded	71.9 x 84.9 x 17.1mm (Hinge) – 15.9mm (Sagging)
	Unfolded	71.9 x 165.2 x 6.9mm *The thickness of Galaxy Z Flip4 when unfolded does not include the frame of the Main Screen.
	Weight	187g
Camera	Front Camera	10MP Selfie Camera F2.4, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 80˚
	Rear Dual Camera	12MP Ultra Wide Camera F2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123˚
		12MP Wide-angle Camera Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, Pixel size: 1.8μm, FOV: 83˚
AP	4㎚ Octa-Core Processor
Memory	8GB RAM with 512GB internal storage 8GB RAM with 256GB internal storage 8GB RAM with 128GB internal storage *Availability may vary by market or channel. Actual storage space may vary by market, model, file size and format.
Battery	3,700 mAh (typical) dual battery *Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 3595mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.
Charging	Super Fast Charging: Up to 50% charge in around 30mins with 25W adapter* or higher Fast Wireless Charging 2.0* Wireless PowerShare*Wired charging compatible with QC2.0 and AFC. Results from internal Samsung lab tests, conducted with 25W Travel Adapter while it has 0% of power remaining, with all the services, features and screen turned off. Actual charging speed may vary depending on the actual usage, charging conditions and other factors. 25W Power Adapter sold separately. Use only Samsung-approved chargers and cables. *Wireless charging compatible with WPC **Wireless PowerShare is limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with WPC Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy Z Fold4, Z Flip4, S22 series, Z Fold3 5G, Z Flip3 5G, S21 FE 5G, S21 series, Z Fold2, Note20 series, S20 series, Z Flip, Note10 series, S10 series, S9 series, S8 series, S7 series, S6 series, Note9, Note8, Note FE, Note5, and wearables such as Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Buds2, Buds Pro, Buds Live, Watch5, Watch5 Pro, Watch4, Watch4 Classic, Watch3, Watch Active2, Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Buds. May not work with certain accessories, covers, or other brand devices. May affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment.
Water Resistance	IPX8 *IPX8 is based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Not dust-resistant.
OS	Android 12 One UI 4.1.1
Network and Connectivity	5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth® v5.2 5G services are only supported in 5G network enabled locations. Requires optimal 5G connection. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. **Availability of LTE model varies by country and carrier. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment.
Sensors	Capacitive Fingerprint sensor(side), Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, Proximity sensor, Light sensor
Security	Samsung Knox, Samsung Knox Vault
SIM Card	One Nano SIM* and one eSIM** SIM card sold separately. Availability may vary depending on market and carrier. *eSIM availability may vary depending on software version, region and carrier. Check with your carrier if your mobile network plan supports eSIM.
Colors	Bora Purple, Graphite, Pink Gold, Blue [Bespoke Edition] Front/Back(Yellow, White, Navy, Khaki, Red), Frame(Silver/Black/Gold)* Availability may vary by market.

Samsung Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro

Samsung Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro get a new sensor design, and Samsung promises increased durability. Software enhancements include a digital wheel that acts like a physical wheel and responds to touch on the outer circular bezels. Watch 5 is tuned for all, while the Watch 5 Pro aims to target rough usage outdoors.

A new design also brings curvature and precise body composition tracking. There’s advanced sleep coaching, multi-device experience with other Samsung devices, holistic sleep analysis, advanced sleep coaching and personalised programs on the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro. Samsung has improved the battery life on the Watch 5 by adding a 13% bigger battery with fast-charge capabilities charging the Watch 5 30% faster than the Watch 4. Both these watches are now protected with Sapphire crystal, the second hardest transparent material after diamonds.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro features additional functionality with outdoor data tracking. It also gets an innovative D-buckle strap and a titanium body. Users can share route details, import route files, and enjoy turn-by-turn navigation and trackback functions on the Watch 5 Pro. With 590 mAh, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro battery life claims to last 3 days on normal use and 20 hours with GPS functionality turned on.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2

Samsung makes impressive audio solutions with their TWS. Improving their line-up, they introduced the Galaxy Buds Pro 2, a 15% smaller size compared to the Buds Pro. The ANC levels have improved by 1.4 times on the new pair. Multi-device connectivity enables auto-switch functionality. The added 360-degree sound enabled by Dolby Atmos and tuned by AKG makes this an apt solution for Dolby Atmos-enabled content. The most considerable improvement has come in the form of 24-bit audio inputs transmitted as 24-bit audio outputs. This brings a massive leap in wireless connectivity for music lovers and improves the overall listening experience by a huge margin. The overall battery sits at 515 mAh with the case, while the earbuds get 61 mAh for operations. They can be powered by a USB Type-C port and also support wireless charging.

Galaxy Buds2 Pro Product Specifications
Color	Graphite, White, Bora Purple *Available colors may vary by market, carrier or retailer.
Dimensions & Weight	Earbud: 19.9 x 21.6 x 18.7 mm, 5.5g Charging Case: 50.1 x 50.2 x 27.7 mm, 43.4g
Speaker	Custom Coaxial 2-way (Tweeter + Woofer) peaker
Sound Quality	24bit Hi-Fi* 360 Audio with Direct Multi-Channel** 24-bit Hi-Fi sound requires Samsung Galaxy devices running OneUI 4.0 or higher and Galaxy Buds2 Pro. 24-bit Hi-Fi sound support may vary depending on the application. *Direct Multi-channel is supported with Android One UI version 4.1.1 or later, 360 Audio Supports One UI 3.1 or later.
ANC & Ambient Sound	ANC+High SNR Microphone (2 outer + 1 inner)* Ambient Sound Voice Detect***With 3 high SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) microphones, Galaxy Buds2 Pro can eliminate small noises by capturing lower level sounds.*Galaxy Buds2 Pro can distinguish between noise and human voices. When you speak, it switches temporarily to Ambient mode and reduces media volume so that you can hear conversations without taking out your earbuds.
Battery Capacity	Earbuds: 61mAh (typical) Charging Case: 515mAh (typical) ** The typical capacity has been tested under third party laboratory conditions. The typical capacity is the estimated average capacity considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under the IEC 61960-3 standard. The rated capacity is 58mAh (earbuds), 500mAh (charging case). Actual battery life may vary depending on the network environment, usage patterns, and other factors.
Play Time	Up to 5 hours / Total up to 18 hours (ANC on) Up to 8 hours / Total up to 29 hours (ANC off) Earbuds provide up to 5hrs play time with ANC on (up to 8 hrs with ANC off), while the case provides up to 18 hours of battery life (up to 29 hours with ANC off) when the case and earbuds are charged to 100%. Based on internal testing. Audio playback time tested by pairing a pre-production Galaxy Buds2 Pro to a recently released Galaxy smartphone with default settings* including ANC on. Actual battery life may vary and depend on usage conditions, settings, number of times charged, Bluetooth signal strength, and other factors ** Default setting refers to the original setting for the Galaxy Buds2 Pro when it was first released, simply with the power turned on.
Talk Time	Up to 3.5 hours / Total up to 14h (ANC on) Up to 4.0 hours / Total up to 15h (ANC off) *Earbuds provide up to 3.5hrs voice call time with ANC on (up to 4 hrs with ANC off), while the case provides up to 14 hours of battery life (up to 15 hours with ANC off) when the case and earbuds are charged to 100%. Based on internal testing. Voice call time tested by pairing pre-production Galaxy Buds2 Pro to a recently released Galaxy smartphone with default settings including ANC on. Actual battery life may vary and depend on usage conditions, settings, number of times charged, Bluetooth signal strength, and other factors.
Connectivity	Bluetooth® 5.3, Auto Switching Codec: Samsung Seamless Codec HiFi (Samsung Proprietary) AAC, SBC
Sensor	Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Hall, Touch, Voice Pickup Unit (VPU)
Compatibility	Android 8.0 or higher with more than 1.5GB of RAM *Some features may not be available on non-Samsung devices. Availability may vary by market, operator or connected device.
Water Resistance	IPX7 *IPX7 is based on laboratory test conditions for submersion in up to 1 meter of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Charging case is not water resistant. If the earbuds are damaged, they are not guaranteed to be water resistant. If the earbuds or your hands are wet, they must be dried thoroughly prior to handling or placing into the charging case.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked brings improvements to the entire line-up of current generation Fold 4 and Flip 4. The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro with Sapphire Crystal are almost 90% stronger and more durable than their predecessor. Software enhancements charm these devices, making them a perfect blend of suitable hardware and better software. With a smaller size, better audio latency and bit rate, the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 promises a significant leap in audio nirvana. What are your thoughts on these launches? Let us know in the comments below.

LG Gram 17 + View Display – Weight? What weight!

LG’s Gram series of laptops was always known for its insane lightweight laptops. Not only did they defy their perception of weight, but they were also excellent productive machines. Continuing their legacy, LG has improved their Gram series for 2022. This laptop tends to defy physics at 1.4kgs for the LG Gram 17-inch. We test the LG Gram 17, and an additional Type-C powered 16-inch WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS View Display.

Productivity perfected

LG Gram 17 weighs a mere 1.4 kgs and comes with a relatively small 65W Type-C charger. The minimal bezels and bright IPS panel dominate the display area with WQXGA (2560×1600) resolution. Sharp enough for a display this size. Complementing the Gram 17 is a WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS panel called View Display. In an era of a multi-monitor setup, the Gram with View Display makes for an attractive matte-finish mobile workstation. The styling is subtle, with a gram logo on the lid and LG branding below the massive display. The gram logo on the LHS below the keyboard and subtle Intel Evo logo keep things minimalistic yet classy.

Above the display sits a 720P camera alongside an IR camera. LG has done some software trickery with the Glance feature. More on that later. The keyboard is a full-fledged backlit chiclet keyboard with three levels, off, low and high. Ports include an HDMI 2.0 port, two Thunderbolt 4 (type-C) ports, and a headphone jack on the left. There’s a Micro-SD card reader, two USB Type-A 3.2 ports and a Kensington lock on the right. A pair of stereo speakers are placed facing the bottom and could easily get blocked on soft surfaces but sound decent for the laptop size.

Lightweight chassis with heavyweight performance

Powered by the latest 12th generation Intel Evo i5-1240P octa-core processor with 16 threads, a blazing fast 5200Mhz 8GB DDR5 RAM, quality 1TB SSD, Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 powered by an 80Wh battery, the LG Gram 17 is a beast wearing a well-fit suit. Everyday productivity is handled like a breeze. Iris(R) Xe graphics unit does a decent job when required. The hardware is more than capable of running Windows 11 Home edition efficiently and comes bundled with Office applications for easy productivity.

The key press is satisfying on the laptop, and a sizeable gesture-supported touchpad makes the right moves. The View Display is 16-inches and super styled with a brush metal finish; it supports the exact same resolution as the laptop and has seamless connectivity through its thunderbolt 4 ports. The Gram 17 and View Display is configured in a 16:10 ratio, making them apt productivity combinations. The laptop has some additional features and applications to make it ready to use immediately.

The most exciting feature is Glance, a privacy tool that uses LG Merametrix hardware and software to blur the display when someone else is peeping at your display or when you are not looking at your laptop. It’s an interesting take on privacy and security. There are other features in Glance, including Smart Pointer that tracks your eyes to bring the pointer where you’re looking, Snap Window that moves your privacy to the display you are staring at, smart player to pause media when you’re not paying attention and many other smart features. Considering this series is usually preferred as productivity machines, this is an excellent tool for professional and personal use. The View Display gets an Alcantara finish case that doubles as a stand.

Verdict

LG’s latest Gram series brings better hardware, software and design in a similar yet fantastic lightweight package with updated ports. Couple that with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a slim, stylish View Display with sturdy built, and this combination is a perfect multi-monitor mobile setup.

Rating – 4.5/5

12th Gen Intel Evo i5-1240P

5200Mhz DDR5 RAM

1TB reliable SSD

Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211

80Wh Battery, 65W Type-C charging

OnePlus Nord 2T- A Small Package

Something today is making me nostalgic. Yes, it takes me back to those simple days when phones used to be smaller, compact and useful. I am talking about the new OnePlus Nord 2T, which is just 6.43 inches long and stands out immediately with its design, size, and aesthetics when all the other brands focus on larger and bulkier devices.

OnePlus Nord 2T 5G comes almost a full year after the release of Nord 2 5G, so you must expect a significant upgrade, which isn’t the case. We witness a slightly altered appearance around the back, with new colours and finishes. A new MediaTek Dimensity 1300 processor has been introduced for this model, and the fast charging has been upgraded to 80W.

What is the first thing that you look for in a mid-range smartphone? Probably a camera.

The camera module now has two large circular cutouts, one of which houses the primary camera and the second houses the ultra-wide and monochrome cameras. It has a hole-punch cavity for the selfie camera in the top-right corner. Nord 2T has a big Sony IMX766 flagship sensor with OIS on the 50MP primary camera.

The phone is powered by a 4,500mAh battery and can be charged using the 80W charger in the box. The charging speed is another big change compared to the Nord 2, which had 65W fast charging. The fast charger takes around 30 minutes to fully charge the 4500mAh battery, which is also one of the best seen in this price segment. The phone lasts for almost the entire day of heavy usage and does not drain since you can juice it up easily and conveniently.

The phone runs OxygenOS 12.1, which is based on Android 12. The gaming performance was quite good, and the phone did not get too hot while playing taxing games. I tried Call of Duty and Apex Legends, high-end games, and the phone performed well under default settings. However, a nominal frame rate was dropped once the settings were set to high.

You get an AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, so if you are used to a 120Hz refresh rate, too bad for you. The display mainly produced saturated colours at the default Vivid colour profile. Switching to the Natural mode made more accurate colours. The display seemed sufficiently bright outdoors, but the phone’s ambient light sensor always dimmed the display a bit too much when using it indoors, forcing me to increase the brightness bar after unlocking the phone. Another exciting feature of this phone is the video colour boost option that gives your videos more vibrant colour profiling and increases your battery usage, as it clearly states.

Nord 2T is one of the best looking phones out there and even at this price range it feels no less than a premium phone double its price. It is extremely comfortable to use with one hand and feels quite light and well-balanced despite packing Gorilla Glass 5 on the front as well as the back panel.

The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G at Rs 28,999 delivers everything most users would ever want in a mid-range smartphone, and that’s about it. It does not go above and beyond to deliver something more or add exceptional value. The design is slick with tapered edges and feels premium on the outside. Also, the size of the Nord 2T gives you the confidence to hold and flaunt the smartphone.

ASUS Vivobook 16X | Budget Workhorse

Buying a 16-inch budget laptop seems to be a cynical question these days and to answer just that, ASUS has launched the 2022 variant of its most preferred series of Vivobook laptops. Starting at only ₹54,990, this is by far the most affordable 16-inch laptop in the market with more than decent specs and clearly targets a demography which prefers bigger screens but don’t want to end up spending a lot.

These new ASUS Vivobook laptops which are updated for 2022 now do pack in considerate performance while still being affordable which we feel is a great stint by the Taiwanese giant.

Powered by the last-gen AMD Ryzen 5000H processors, which even in 2022, we feel is a good one to use on budgeted Windows laptops and here it’s the 45W drawing powerful Ryzen 5 5600H variant. The model we tested is the ₹59,990 version with 16GB RAM.

Design and Formfactor

At a first glance, the Vivobook 16X will give you a premium vibe even though it’s made up of plastic. The blue color used on the surface makes it look a bit more upmarket than its price range. Even though it weighs almost 1.8Kg, it doesn’t feel bulky enough to carry along with you.

However, ASUS has made this laptop very solid from the outside and the body has very little flex even though it’s a plastic one.

It doesn’t use a metal lid but it’s better than a lot of other laptops you see on the market for the same price and the 16-inch chassis. The hinge is also strong enough to hold this big display, which can even lay flat at 180 degrees, and the body’s build quality is adequate enough to get through your entire day of work or play. Overall, considering the price range and being a 16-inch laptop, the design is clean & minimalistic while the build quality is decent, cannot ask for more honestly.

Performance

On the performance front, the ASUS Vivobook 16X is powered by the 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor that does give significant performance bumps thanks to the increased TDP. In this price range though, having this APU does help in giving out a good performance on a daily usage basis.

This AMD processor is coupled with a 16GB RAM which is undoubtedly great for light office use, educational purpose or even casual light gaming as the iGPU is capable enough to handle 720p triple-A gaming and 1080p battle royal games. The bigger screen size ensures the utilization of most of its performance.

Display

The most prominent USP of the ASUS Vivobook 16X has to be its large 16-inch display which enables a bigger & better 16:10 aspect ratio. With its ultra-slim bezels, it is more of a 15.6-inch chassis which has a 16-inch display being neatly packed into it.

Previously, at this price getting a 16-inch FHD+ display was never heard about, obviously, there are certain 14-inch and 15-inch displays to compete with but we feel this one has a special appeal for those who always prefer a larger display. The matte finish screen does eliminate a lot of reflection but again, being a budget friendly laptop you cannot ask for everything and so the ASUS Vivobook 16X’s display is not the best out there and if you are looking for a more colour-accurate one refer to the OLED displays from ASUS. However, the specs offered by this display are ok but always that 16-inch form factor along with a 16:10 aspect ratio is a highlight of the laptop.

I/O & Connectivity

Coming to the I/O and connectivity features of the Vivobook 16X, there are actually a lot of ports because of a bigger shell of the laptop which opens up the horizon to accommodate a lot of them. You get one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port on the right-hand side where you will see the maximum number of the ports. Two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports – one on the left and one on the right, along with a USB 2.0 port, HDMI output, and an audio combo jack. It isn’t surprising enough to see ASUS use the latest connectivity options on the Vivobook 16X as you have both the latest Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Connectivity is seamless and we didn’t face any trouble while connecting the laptop to the internet or connecting other devices to it.

Keyboard & Trackpad

Having a bigger chassis means you do get a bigger full-size backlit keyboard with a numeric pad which is indeed a big deal for a laptop at this price range to have. Obviously, these are plastic keycaps, but the overall rigidity is confidence inspiring to type. The tactility is on-spot with the kind of feedback it delivers while typing fast. The large trackpad provides a larger surface area for you to fiddle around with the scroller.

Audio & Webcam

ASUS boasts to have great speakers on the Vivobook 16X, however, it isn’t the best in the market. Not to complain, but the loudness is decent looking at the price point you’re getting this laptop for. While the webcam is a 720p one making it usable enough for the pricing and it’s good to see ASUS using a privacy shutter so that you can block your webcam when not in use. Something which for students is a boon.

Battery Life

ASUS claims that the 50WHrs battery used inside this Vivobook 16X will last up to 8 hours which isn’t deceiving at all. As we noticed in the actual usage, one can expect around 6-7 hours of battery life while light working, which again is very respectable for the price and can stretch up to 8 hours with smart usage.

Verdict

This is a very well-balanced all-rounder laptop by ASUS and at a starting price point of only ₹54,990, it can be summed up to be a revolutionary product which should not be neglected while choosing one. However, the target audience for this big laptop is people who love bigger displays and do use them for work or play and even for students who love the 16-inch form factor yet aren’t willing to spend a lot.

MSI Vector GP76 Is it a game-changer or a deal-breaker!

Starting nearly above a couple of lakhs, the Vector GP76 hosts a massive 17.3-inch, 1080p display with a 360Hz refresh rate which is phenomenal. An Intel Core i7 CPU paired with a Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and 16GB of RAM.

It’s an enticing collection of specs at this price point, but that’s not nearly enough to land you with the best gaming laptop. While there are some serious caveats to consider before you pick one up.

Stealth looking!

If DC comics were to design this laptop, the MSI Vector GP76 would likely be the Batman. While the MSI GS76 earns that name with its “discreet yet stealth design,” that would be a fitting name for the Vector.

Blacked out and with a robust metal finish and from the prominently raised hinges to the angled vents on the back and sides of the laptop, it gives the otherwise minimalistic laptop an aggressive look. The matte black lid is only broken by MSI’s dragon logo, which is also in black, but it draws the eye thanks to its glossy finish. There’s no flashy exterior lighting to make the Vector scream that it is a gaming laptop, yet its bulky form, makes it look like it’s meant to do some serious stuff.

The Display everyone’s been talking about!

The MSI Vector GP76’s display definitely prioritizes speed over the resolution with its 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080 screen delivering a blisteringly fast 360Hz of refresh rate that will overwhelm pro-gamers that favour fast-twitch FPS titles or racing games.

The colours are excellent with their brightness and HDR capabilities. The solid performance of the RTX 3070 Ti with its 150-watt TGP is also reflected in gaming. All games run at high FPS. Even at maximum settings and with a corresponding external monitor, 4K resolutions are flawless.

Can take a good beating!

Typing on the Vector GP76 is a pleasure with the RGB-backlit keys offering solid key travel and a springy response which is both comfortable and quick to type on. The tactile feedback is confidence-inspiring and fast typing is as buttery smooth as it can get. For gamers, the rigidity will make sure that the keyboard can take a good beating.

The keys are generally well-spaced, with the exception of the cursor keys on the right.

You have complete control over the per-key RGB lighting from the aforementioned Steelseries GG app and it allows sample light to get through the keys without excessive light bleed at the edges.

Is it a Gamers delight?

The specs make it clear, that the Vector GP76 is real gamers’ delight with its 360 Hz display and super-fast response times. In addition, the Core i7-12700H has double the power of the CPU in its predecessor and another highlight is the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti with a real power consumption of 150 watts.

The MSI Vector GP76 gives gamers a lot of what they want with outstanding performance, a great sturdy keyboard and an incredible 360Hz refresh rate display, but the painfully poor battery life and overall poor thermal performance make it dicey to recommend over some of its competition.

Now if you never, or rarely, use your laptop away from a charger and you do all of your gaming with a headset on, that changes the equation significantly. But acknowledging a few drawbacks, the rest of the package offered is solid and unquestionably delivers an excellent gaming experience.

Star Rating – 4

Good

Near class-leading performance and graphics with 360Hz refresh rate

Bad

Loud fans and excessive heat

Ugly

Weak battery life

Specs

MSI Vector GP76 12UGS-434 (GP76 Series)

Processor : Intel Core i7-12700H 14 x 1.7 – 4.7 GHz

Graphics adapter : NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU – 8192 MB, Core: 1585 MHz,

Memory: 1750 MHz, 150 W TDP ( including 15 W Dynamic Boost), GDDR6, Nvidia 512.15, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs

Memory: 16384 MB, Dual Channel DDR4-3200

Display : 17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, AUO B173HAN05.4, IPS, glossy: no, 360Hz

Mainboard: Intel Alder Lake-P PCH

Storage: Micron 2450 1TB MTFDKBA1T0TFK, 1024 GB , 867 GB free

Weight: 2.85 kg

Price: Rs. 2,23,000/- (Prices may vary online)

Tecno Pova 3 – A new Workhorse

Tecno has expanded its product portfolio in the Indian market to cater to a larger audience with smartphones at different price ranges. The Pova series still happens to be sitting at the sweet spot of the budget segment smartphone, a hot category among young buyers. So, does this latest iteration live up to its hype, and should you consider it?

How does it look and feel?

Tecno Pova 3 is a little hefty considering the battery it packs within. The phone feels sturdy with substantial character around it. It is also fairly big, with a 6.9-inch display. We had the tech silver model which definitely looks premium and feels above its category. The phone is IPX2 splash resistant, which protects it from drizzle and light splashes of water. It’s a handy feature to have on a phone that costs this much. Keeping up with its gaming-centric approach, there are subtle yet practical touches that have been given to the smartphone. For instance, the sides of the Pova 3 have inverted edges for placing your index fingers while you are gaming.

A design feature missing in the Tech Silver variant is an LED strip that chimes in three different colours for notifications and battery capacity. Other design elements are generic, we get a volume rocker on the left, which is tactile, and right next to them is a SIM tray. It is a hybrid slot that supports 2 Nano SIM cards and a micro SD card. To the right, you will find the power lock and unlock button with an integrated fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor is quick in its response. The bottom comprises the USB type-C charging port, speaker grill and an old-school headphone jack.

How’s the screen?

Tecno Pova 3 features a 6.9-inch FHD+ display with a 1080 x 2460 pixel resolution which is pretty nice considering the category of the phone. Most colours on the Pova 3 look natural, and the screen is able to project decent clarity.

The display has a peak brightness of 500 nits, which is sufficient for indoor usage but moves outside on a good sunny day and one might find it difficult to glance at the screen.

But all’s not bad, especially if you are a gamer. Tecno Pova 3’s screen has a max refresh rate of 90Hz. These figures might not be as phenomenal as the 120Hz that we see on other phones, but combined with the 180Hz touch sampling rate, the performance is pretty satisfactory.

A good highlight of the Tecno Pova 3 is the haptic feedback on the device which you receive while playing games. It is apt and adds a lot of character to your gaming experience. It won’t numb your hands, but the subtle vibration adds a more of personalized touch.

How does it sound?

While the display makes up for gamers, a casual user will be engrossed in consuming content. Packing in dual speakers, the Tecno Pova 3’s hidden USP is its audio prowess. The audio output is loud, sharp and clear. Be it the effects while playing games or binge-watching on social media apps or simply streaming a YouTube video, it sounds well.

What’s inside?

Tecno Pova 3 runs on Android 12 out of the box which is paired together with HiOS 8.6. It is powered by a Mediatek Helio G88 processor, an almost a year-old SoC, the G88 is a 4G chipset. The variant we tested, packs in 6GB of RAM which can be bumped up to 11GB using RAM fusion if you are gaming intensively. That being said, the default 6GB of memory is sufficient for most of the tasks and holds up applications pretty well. The internal storage on the device is 128GB out of which 20GB is used by the OS. This is ample for most of the users. But you can expand it to 1TB with a micro SD card if you need more storage.

The massive 7000 mAh battery is very well optimized and for light usage, should easily last well over 2 days.For gamers, playing graphic-intensive games continuously won’t affect much and the battery will last for at least a day. The 33W power adapter in the box charges the Pova 3 to 50% in about 45 minutes. But a full 0-100% charge needs at least 2.5 hours, which is considerable given the battery size.Tecno also provides a reverse charging feature on the Pova 3, which means it can charge up other devices with a 10W voltage. The best practical usage is charging your TWS or Bluetooth headphones if they run out of juice during a commute.

How’s the camera?

Tecno Pova 3 features a triple rear camera set-up with the primary one being a 50MP shooter with F1.6 aperture. The second one is a 2MP depth sensor and finally an AI lens for all the gimmicks it packs within. The colour grades can go off sometimes, especially if you have the AI beauty filter on. Dark colours like Red, or Navy blue look undersaturated and with the AI filter and seem to shift further away from the natural tones a bit. There is a super night mode on the camera, which aids when you are clicking pictures at night. There is no ultra-wide lens on the phone, so you cannot open up the frame and are just limited to zooming in.

The 10X zoom can be considered a feature, but it is better to be left off. The video performance is decent. The camera shoots a maximum resolution of 2K. The video stabilization is not impressive and the output can be shaky sometimes. So if you are a creator looking for a device to Vlog or just shoot in general then this camera can be considered but for a light usage. Audio recorded by the in-built mic though is pretty decent. The real charm is actually the 8MP front camera. Unlike the primary camera which can deceive you sometimes, the front camera is pretty consistent for that matter. The images look sharp and are worthy of your social media selfies. The front camera also features dual flashlights which are a talking point.

How much on my Pocket?

The Tecno Pova 3 is available in 2 variants. The base variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage is priced at ₹11,499 and the other variant packs in 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and retails at a price of ₹12,999.

Xiaomi pad 5-Challenger or a complete iPad Rip-off

Xiaomi Pad 5 specifications:

10.95-inches 2.5K LCD display |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor |
6GB RAM+ 128GB or 256GB storage |
13MP rear camera + 8MP front camera |
8720 mAh battery with 22.5W charging |
MIUI for Pad on Android 11|

Design

The design is no doubt spectacular and sleek. It feels rigid and weighs around 511 grams, which does make it slightly heavier than the iPad 9th gen, but it doesn’t feel much heavy. This tablet has a polycarbonate back, though at first glance it certainly doesn’t look and feel like one. This does not mean that the build quality is compromised in any way. All in all, with its sharp edges and curves, it does feel premium to hold. The leatherette keyboard, which is an added accessory, turns into a nice case for the pad, which accentuates the overall appeal of the pad 5.

Functionality

The Xiaomi Pad 5 comes with quad speakers at the top and bottom, there’s a Type-C USB port, and a magnetic pin on one side to connect it with the keyboard. The Xiaomi Smart Pen can be attached to the side where the volume buttons are placed. There’s no headphone jack. Xiaomi is also limiting the Pad 5 to just WiFi-only variants in India. There’s no cellular option, and presumably, those would have cost extra as well.

In terms of controls, you’ll only find a power button and volume rocker on two sides of the same frame corner. Elsewhere there’s a USB-C port and a POGO connector for Xiaomi’s accompanying keyboard.

Display

This is a panel with a meaty 2.5K resolution (1600 x 2560).

The tablet has a 10.95-inch LCD and this is a 2.5K resolution with a 16:10 format. Although it’s IPS LCD – rather than OLED – you still get excellent colour range and support for both HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The maximum refresh rate is 120 Hz, though you can also stick with the base 60 Hz.

Audio

The entertainment use case is further helped by the loud and rich audio churned out by the quad speakers – two on each side. These speakers support Dolby Atmos, and what’s more, they can even map and adjust stereo sound automatically as you switch tablet orientation between horizontal and vertical. All this might look pointless for a tablet, but these tiny details at the end of the day all add up and help make a difference to the overall experience.

Software

The Xiaomi Pad 5 comes with the Snapdragon 860 processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB storage version. In terms of daily performance, there were really no complaints as such. Yes, this tablet is powerful enough to run your daily quota of games, productivity or casual browsing and entertainment. But wait, it still runs an android OS, which makes it have its own limitations.

Keyboard and Stylus

Xiaomi is also offering a stylus pen and a keyboard folio cover as optional accessories in a bid to add functionality and increase the Pad 5’s appeal. The keyboard is sleek and the leatherette texture surely feels premium to hold, but considering the size of the keyboard, it just fulfils its dire need. The Xiaomi Smart Pen is an active stylus that connects with the tablet over Bluetooth and attaches magnetically with the slate on its top spine. Attaching it to the tablet also charges its built-in battery. The use cases are as expected – the pen can be used to scribble notes, draw, annotate etc. The only drawback to which is that the two buttons on the pen cannot be customized, but rather have predefined functionalities.

Verdict

If you are looking for an Android tablet that offers a good display and performance while fulfilling daily entertainment and basic productivity needs, the Xiaomi Pad 5 delivers well. The Xiaomi Pad 5 is an exceptional Android tablet – but it is still an Android tablet, which has many limitations. But, considering the cost it is available, it really does serve a purpose.

Rating: 4 star

Good :

Capable display

Smooth performance

Audio output

Bad :

Misses out on the 3.5mm headphone jack & fingerprint scanner

Odd placement for the front camera

Ugly: Software limitations

Xiaomi Smart TV 5A!An important update in a competitive market

Research has found that 43-inch televisions are the most sold television size in India. Thanks to the predecessor of the unit we review below, 43-inch television prices became competitive. In 2022, getting a new television is not that big deal. Infact there is now a paradox of choice. Most options are so good that it is almost impossible to go wrong when selecting a 43-inch television. I own the Xiaomi Smart TV 4X, and this is how I feel the newer 5A TV has improved over the years.

New age budget package

This time around, the Xiaomi 5A TV features slim and thin bezels. It makes the television seem much more premium than its asking price. It has almost identical TV stands as the earlier models, and nearly all exterior is gloss black plastic, including the stands. A subtle Xiaomi branding upfront and an LED light with a power button below it keep the design clean. There are two HDMI 2.0 ports with one supporting ARC, two USB Type-A ports mashed into one socket, an ethernet port, an AV composite port, an optical port and a 3.5mm audio jack. Basics done right! The display has improved many folds. The remote, too, has seen improvements with Google Assistant speak to command button right below the power button.

The remote buttons have been updated, and now this television gets 14 controls with a volume rocker. These also include popular OTT applications Netflix, amazon prime video, Disney+ Hotstar and a dedicated apps button to access all the apps quickly.

Evolutionary improvements

The 43-inch display now comes with IPS LCD technology. A new vivid picture engine powered by a new age low-end quad-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, and 8GB ROM, make the display brighter and more vibrant. The overall feel, bezel-less design, and better picture quality make the Xiaomi Smart TV 5A a worthy competitor in a crowded, dynamic TV market. The TV comes loaded with Android TV 11 based on Android 11 and thus supports all modern apps available on Google Play Store for Android TV.

The video experience is enhanced with global dimming controls, local contrast control and adaptive luma control. But the main highlight is the vivid picture engine that makes the contrasts, brightness and colours look better than in previous iterations. The most significant change from the last 4 series must be the new and improved 24W dual-speakers with Dolby Atmos and DTS-X software enhancements.

The audio quality of the television is further improved with options like DTS-X bass enhancement, surround virtualizer and dialogue clarity. If that wasn’t enough, there is a DAC-4 dialogue enhancer with three levels of settings. Technicals aside, the television sounds above average in its segment and is enough to fill a small room easily.

A budget option in a crowded market

The 43-inch TV market is buzzing with good options from all brands. Xiaomi Smart TV 5A is an excellent addition to the budget market and improves on the overall appeal as a feature-loaded budget smart TV. Android 11 over and above the improved audio-video experience. This is a worthwhile investment if you’re looking for a budget 43-inch FHD TV.

Good – Improved AV experience, Android TV 11

Bad – No more bundled OTT content

Ugly – Competitor offerings

Price – INR 25,999

Specs

43-inch IPS Panel

Dual-band WiFi, BT 5.0

Android TV 11

Quad-core A55 SOC with 1.5GB RAM and 8GB storage

24W Speakers with Dolby Audio, DTS-X

Rating – 3.5/5