Being associated with one of the oldest brands in the country is a special thing and being able to be a part of history enhances the feeling so much more. To that essence, India’s oldest music label SAREGAMA is offering the Carvaan. It has more than 5000 preset songs that you can play to relive the good ol’ golden days. How can you be a part of it, you ask? Well, with the newest addition to the Carvaan family, the Carvaan Karaoke.
Now, before the teens get all pumped up and ready to sing their favourite Eminem or Drake raps, let me give you a fair warning: This Carvaan is not for anyone born after the 80s. At least it isn’t for someone who does not know about or like songs produced before the 2000s. Coming back to the Karaoke part, it does offer an extensive list of songs to let your inner singer loose! More on that later.
Unboxing happiness:
The device comes in a neat box encased in a cosy packing. Inside, apart from the Carvaan is a pair of wireless microphones and a box of goodies. Well, that is if you consider a remote, two pairs of batteries, an antenna and a charger to be so. Talking about the Carvaan itself, it features multiple modes for you to curate the music you listen to. While the genre of songs is limited to the Golden Era and prior, there are close to 5000 songs to choose from! This means that the fathers and grandfathers in the house will surely be in a jolly mood with this device.
A trip down memory lane:
Apart from the list of preset songs, the Carvaan also offers an FM/AM mode, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as WiFi usage. That can be used via a smartphone app available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The company claims that it will give access to over 15,000 songs, with hundreds more updated daily. Regardless of the choice, you are sure to be treated with a rich selection of timeless classics from singing legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Jagjit Singh and many more.
Design and operation:
The Carvaan Karaoke stays true to its family design and comes in a rounded rectangular shape. Our review unit is draped in a rich metallic red colour, which further enhances its elegance. It features four selector buttons on the front, with a small LCD screen that shows the current selection. Beside that is the prominent rotary dial accompanied by the seek buttons below it. On one side are the buttons to choose the saregama app, USB/AUX mode, FM/AM mode, and Bluetooth mode. On the other side is the singular Karaoke mode button that is accompanied by the volume selector and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Operating the device is fairly easy as it can be done from the main body itself as well as the wireless remote that it comes with.
Karaoke mode:
Addressing the elephant in the room, the Karaoke mode. At the single touch of the Karaoke button, a 9-inch TFT screen will pop up, indicating that it is time to rock! Offering a significant range of 1000 songs, the Karaoke mode will sure uplift the mode of any party. Considering it is a party of oldies that is! The songs are categorised as per artistes, actors, eras and Carvaan’s list of Top 50 karaoke hits. It also offers you a chance to save your list of favourite songs, for quick access. The menu can be scrolled through using the remote or either of the microphones that it comes with. If I had to be nitpicky, I’d say a touchscreen would have been better for easier selection.
Verdict:
As I have emphasized earlier, the Carvaan Karaoke is a perfect choice for someone who either is from the times gone by or loves the music from that era. To be considerate, it does offer an extensive and immersive experience for the list of songs it provides. It will be the perfect gift from a son to his father, for them to spend some quality time together.
It might seem that we have seen it all this year. Highs and lows, latest in tech and automobile and whatnot. But just when we thought we had seen it all, Samsung dropped a spectacular piece of the future. Why do I say that? Because anybody who has used the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 will agree that it does not belong to this century. Well, here is my review of the latest smartphone from the Korean giant.
Touch and Feel:
The experience of using the Galaxy Z Fold 2 begins right out of the box. Quite literally. The box includes a pamphlet that says, “Change the shape of the future” and rightly so. There is also an extremely important and unmissable care instruction pamphlet, which I went through in spite of reminding myself to be absolutely careful.
The box offers a sleekly unfolded piece inside, along with the standard accessories of a 25W charger, USB cable with C-type plugs on both sides, and USB C-type earphones from AKG. Obviously, the phone is the highlight of the box and it feels lavish in the hand even before booting it up.
What’s new and what’s newer:
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a considerable upgrade over its predecessor. Its hinge has a lesser gap when folded and it now offers better structural rigidity. It also contributes to something that Samsung calls “The Flex Mode”, but more on that later. Samsung also mentions an “advanced engineering marvel,” which is essentially a brand-new internal mechanism that employs advanced elastics and a cam design. The hinge also features an internal bristle layer, which keeps it free from any foreign contaminants. Talk about being a stickler for cleanliness!
Samsung has also redesigned the phone to make it look boxier with straight-cut lines as opposed to the curvier design of the previous generation. The Z Fold 2 is also offered in a better colour palette, in a manner of speaking. The main body comes in two options that include Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black. The hinge can also be customized in different colours, including Mystic Black, Metallic Silver, Metallic Gold, Metallic Red and Metallic Blue. However, choosing that option could delay delivery.
Display(s) galore!:
Needless to say, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is incomparable with regards to the display. Look at it one way and it feels like a mini foldable tablet in your palms. Look at it in another way, and you would get the feel of using three phones simultaneously! Well, that’s considering you use the main screen in split mode.
The 6.23-inch front cover display is protected well by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus finish, while the back panel along with the main camera module gets Gorilla Glass 6 protection. Regardless, the phone is relatively fragile but that is understandable given the intricacy of design and the minuscule components.
Open the phone and a 7.6-inch display greets you. It is a Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that offers bright colours and a crystal clear display. Its brightness is also pretty significant and using it on full brightness could make your eyes water after a while. This time around, Samsung has incorporated “glass-like” materials, which although offer better durability, make the screen sensitive to pointy objects. The main screen offers 120Hz refresh rate, while the outside screen maxes out at 60Hz.
Display settings can be altered between two modes- the default “Vivid” mode or a “Natural” mode. Users can also alter intricate parameters separately using advanced sliders. The phone also has full HDR10+ support, though it is limited to the main screen only. Samsung also got the device Widevine L1 certified, implying that apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime can offer their fullest HDR quality!
Samsung has also reinforced the screens with a soft protective layer on top of both the displays, though it is a simple external protector and not an integration of the screen itself. This, in turn, leads to trails and grooves being left behind from fingernails, which potential buyers should understand. It also leads to a little more finger traction while sliding across the screen, unlike a smooth and glossy glass finish that you would expect.
Z Fold 2’s Flex (Mode)
Coming to the aforementioned Flex Mode, it allows you to prop the phone up like a laptop and use it so. Naturally, it won’t replace the feel of using an actual laptop, but it does come with its set of UI and UX solutions. A growing number of apps are also offering extensive support for the use of the Flex Mode, but that still left me wanting for more. I would much rather prefer propping up the phone while it is entirely unfolded, a feat that I am yet to achieve. That said, the Flex Mode also allows you to use the external display for content consumption, while the rest of the phone acting as a stand.
But using the Flex Mode does call for some sacrifices. There is no way of propping the phone in a way that exposes both the main cameras as well as the outside display, in case you ever need to click a high-definition selfie. This can only be achieved if the phone is fully open, which makes it impossible to fit in a majority of the gimbals or selfie stick rigs. It is also cumbersome to hold it in that manner for a long period of time.
UI and UX:
Given that the Z Fold 2 is Samsung’s latest product, it also runs on the company’s latest One UI 2.5 Android, based on the core of Android 10. This, coupled with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage implies the phone is not only a beauty but also a beast. There is virtually no force that can stop or even slow down the phone and it can handle the heaviest of apps or tasks without breaking a sweat. Well, extensive gaming will heat the phone up slightly, but that is a universal problem that smartphone manufacturers are yet to resolve. First things first, I was greeted with Samsung’s Always-On display feature, albeit in a slightly altered manner. Now, users get the option of glancing at the display only after double-tapping on it, while its usual features of setting up a daily schedule and choosing different clock styles remain unchanged.
The home screen and app drawer are both a class apart and can be accessed from either the front screen or the main screen. As mentioned earlier, this gives the feeling of using multiple phones at once! Then there is the Bixby feed which is just a left-swipe away at all times.
Talking about dual screens, the phone has an innate ability to offer split-screen options for every application possible. This can either be had in a horizontal position or vertically.
Buttons and hardware:
When folded, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will feel quite familiar in your hand. It has the usual volume rockers on the right side, just below which is the lock button and the fingerprint scanner. Speaking of, it has a lightning-fast response and reads my finger accurately even at the slightest touch. It is also a nice change from the usual Ultrasonic under-display scanners that most Samsung flagships currently have. Honestly, I prefer the one in the Z Fold 2 over under-display scanners any day. The phone gets a single tray for the nano-SIM card and while the phone offers full 5G support, it is obviously a long-shot in India as 5G is yet to be fully established.
The speakers are also present on one side of the phone which can get troublesome while holding the phone in one manner. However, it is easily rectifiable by simply flipping the phone over. The sound output is benchmark-setting and the phone speakers alone are capable of giving you a full surround sound effect. At full volume, there is hardly any noise that can dim the output of the Z Fold 2, sans a loud ruckus or a heavy-duty speaker. The speakers complement the main screen perfectly and both combine to offer an almost theatre-like experience. That is saying something, considering it is what every modern phone aims to achieve.
Camera quality:
While the Z Fold 2 is a leader in almost all aspects of a smartphone, it slightly lacks in the camera department. Not that there is anything to with for, of course, but it borrows its camera setup from other phones in the family. The main snapper is a 12MP unit that gets Dual Pixel Phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and OIS (Optical Image Stabilization). It is accompanied by a 12MP ultrawide lens, as well as a 12MP telephoto lens. The telephoto lens offers 2x optical zoom, along with PDAF and OIS. These goodies have been lifted straight from the Galaxy S20 though, and hence are not unique to the Z Fold 2.
However, what the phone does have unique to itself is the wide range of options available to click your perfect photograph. Not just for selfies and landscapes, but also for food photography and the likes. What’s more, the AR zone has a dedicated makeup mode with official products from leading manufacturers like Maybelline, which will allow women to preempt their perfect look without even owning the product! There is also food photography to allow you to click the perfect plate shot without letting the food go cold!
Talking about the selfie camera is easy, as there are two dedicated 10MP units for the same. One is on the cover display while the other is on the main, foldable panel. Both are housed inside snug punch holes which do not interfere with either display. They are nothing out-of-the-box but do a pretty decent job.
Power core (Battery):
Talking about the battery is a tricky one since it is basically split into two parts. Both halves of the phone have a battery pack, which totals up to roughly 4500mAh. Using the main screen for a significant amount of time on 120Hz will take a toll on the battery, but that is nothing to be concerned about. The phone lasts throughout the day regardless of the extent of the usage and lowering the settings or using battery saving options will only increase the duration.
The Z Fold 2 supports 25W fast charging, as well as 11W wireless charging. This means even if the battery somehow drains out, it won’t take long to juice right back up! The phone took slightly more than half an hour to charge up to 30% from nil, while it crossed the halfway mark within the hour. The phone will be completely charged and ready to go within a couple of hours, meaning you can binge-watch any series all night long and still go to the office with enough juice the next day.
Verdict:
While the Z Fold 2 will definitely burn a big hole in your pocket, there is hardly any other smartphone that can be considered a worthy alternative. Among all other accolades, it is the display and the sound setup that takes the biggest trophy. There is only one alternative in the form of the Huawei Mate Xs, but since both phones cost almost the same, it would be wiser to stick with the Z Fold 2.
With a price tag of ₹1,50,000, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has to be an option to ponder over for some time. But after shelling out the bucks, it is definitely worth the price.
2004 was the year when Motorola cemented itself as a mobile master. How did it do that? With the launch of the Moto Razr, which became a style and status symbol almost instantly. Almost two decades later, the phone is back in an updated avatar. But does it have the grunt to re-establish its niche in the market, or will it fall prey to the continuously evolving and never-satisfied nature of smartphones? Let’s find out.
Prudent presence:
It might have seemed unnecessary for Motorola to launch an updated version of the already-recent Moto Razr. So why did it? To offer full 5G support! That is not all, the American manufacturer also amended some of the shortcomings of the previous Moto Razr, making it an even better phone than it already was!
In a market crowded with multiple options from leading manufacturers, what sets the Moto Razr apart? It’s not the folding screen or its sleekness. It is its versatility. Hiding under a rather old-school design is some of the most modern and cutting-edge technology available. It all begins with the boxy design and sharp edges. These have been replaced with curved glass, aircraft-grade aluminium, and a sweet, sweet chin bezel. Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip, which looks more of a compromise than a technological masterpiece, the Moto Razr 5G offers a properly foldable screen and looks good while doing it.
Since the phone has practically two modes, let me break it down for you. When folded, the primary display is a 2.7-inch unit with an 800 by 600 pixels resolution. But is that all? Of course not! The front display offers an on-screen keyboard, though any person with average or larger fingers will prefer the voice-to-text feature much more. The screen also allowed me a decent amount of app operation, though it will obviously make more sense to just flip open the phone, won’t it?
Display and dazzle:
The main screen is a 6.2-inch Plastic OLED unit with a 2K display and a 21:9 aspect ratio. It offers quite a satisfactory array of colours, and the anti-glare was sufficient for me to display all the contents even under a bright midday sun. With the fingerprint scanner moving to the back, the chin has become a lot slimmer and honestly, much more appealing as well. Even the back panels have been upgraded from plastic to Gorilla Glass 5, with the frame getting 7000 series aluminium and the hinges being manufactured from stainless steel.
Performance, par excellence:
Logically speaking, this is a purely business-oriented phone which will mostly be bought by suit-wearing, chauffeur-driven gentlemen. But did that stop us from playing games on it? Of course not! Right from Call of Duty to Candy Crush, this phone can handle it all. Not that it is meant to, but it can. Why won’t it, too? With 8GB of RAM supported by 256GB of storage, it is practically impossible for the phone to run out of, well, storage.
Eyes of the prize:
A 48MP Quad Bayer type setup acts as the primary camera, while a 16MP single camera is offered for selfies. Images are obviously of pretty decent quality, something you would expect from such a premium smartphone. The battery has also improved to 2800mAh, which is not a significant figure considering today’s standards but offers decent backup.
Smartphone, smart box!
Such a premium smartphone requires intelligent manufacturing. And that is exactly what Motorola has done. Apart from the smartphone itself, its retail box also has some unique features. For example, the plastic bottom of the box can be used as a volume booster, while the woven fabric box which contains all the accessories also doubles up as a sunglasses case! Talk about versatility! In conclusion, a price point of ₹1,24,999 means that the Moto Razr 5G won’t be a birthday gift for a 15-year-old kid. But what it definitely is, is one of the best-looking and best-performing business phones in the market, something which will immediately make people say, “The Boss is here.”
When was the last time you let your imagination run wild? When did you feel you were at your creative best? And when did you last get the chance to unleash your creativity to its fullest extent? If you are like me, the answer to the first two questions will be “many times” and for the last one, “rarely”. But after I spent some time with Acer’s ConceptD 7 laptop, my perception has definitely changed.
Initial impression:
To begin with, Acer has dedicated the laptop to designer and illustrators and it shows! It might give away its family lineage in some ways, such as its slim design might remind you of the Predator Triton or its foldable screen might remind you of the Spin 5, but let ME remind you, this is an entirely different deal! Now, Acer might offer a lot of features in its laptops but trust me, the ConceptD gets it all.
Display and Processor:
For starters, the laptop comes with a 15.6-inch 4K display, 32GB RAM, a hexacore Intel Core i7 processor, 2 TB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 graphic card with 6GB memory! That packs a serious performance punch! However, that takes a slight toll on its portability as the laptop weighs north of 2 kilos. However, these specs are enough to put it miles ahead of the MacBook Pro, which is pricier than the ConceptD and offers the same, if not better features.
Post usage:
Setting itself apart from the other Acers, the ConceptD comes in a suave white colour scheme, with a warm yellow RGB backlit keyboard. This is just to bring a more comforting and professional look to it, as opposed to the wild and in-your-face design of the Predator series, or the minimalistic look of other laptops. With Acer’s claim of adding a stain-resistant coating, which protects the laptop from yellowing and getting dirty, inked or otherwise stained, there is one more reason to not be worried about the pristineness of the laptop.
Verdict:
There are hardly any laptops that can be considered as an alternative to the ConceptD 7 or even put in the same league as it. However, it is also a laptop which can never be considered a casual buy. With a price point north of ₹2 lakh, anybody purchasing this laptop must have a clear intention of its usage. Nevertheless, it will definitely be a faithful buddy at any required time and will fulfil all its duties without the slightest hesitation. If you are a creator looking to unleash your creativity, this is your chance!
Flagship smartphones are often looked at as super desirable, super tech-laden, and super expensive technological marvels that only a few are fortunate enough to own. But with the launch of the Galaxy S20 FE, Korean smartphone giant Samsung seems keen on changing that perception. Essentially an affordable version of the company’s flagship S20, here is what we experienced with the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.
First impressions:
To begin with, Samsung could not have made its intention of manufacturing the S20 FE clearer. I mean, the “FE” stands for Fan Edition. Of course, it is made for Samsung fans! Not just that, it also acts as a gateway to the premium range of Samsung smartphones. So smartphone enthusiasts, let loose!
The S20 FE is practically a Galaxy S20 which has been remodeled to cut down its price. It gets all the bells and whistles that the S20 has to offer, albeit in a budget-friendly avatar. It has a high-quality plastic back rather than the conventional glass panel, which increases its durability and damage resistance considerably. However, don’t let that mislead you into thinking that it is a cheaper phone to handle. It feels as crisp and premium to operate as its pricier siblings. Add to that support for Wireless PowerShare and IP68 water-resistance rating and you will begin to wonder if it really is a budget-friendly alternative.
What it offers and what it doesn’t:
Sticking to its minimalistic design, Samsung has just added two physical buttons; a volume rocker and a power button, which doubles up as quick Bixby access. The phone does not get a 3.5mm headphone jack, though its absence is not missed due to a pair of USB-C earbuds that come along in the box. But if you, like me, are an old-fashioned person, you would want a dedicated headphone jack. The SIM and microSD cards enter the phone from the top, while the back sports a rectangular camera array.
Camera and lenses:
As mentioned above, the rear has a rectangular camera array consisting of three cameras. The first is a 12MP wide-angle camera, followed by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 12MP telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom. Selfie lovers will absolutely swoon over the 32MP front camera! The camera also offers to 30x zoom, though it is only appreciable up to 10x. Post that, massive quality drop alert!
Display and core:
A 6.5-inch, 2K super AMOLED display greets you every time you boot up the phone. Samsung knows its audience to be a fan of large screens and well, this one is the “Fan Edition”, remember? It also gets a new 120Hz refresh rate mode that just makes everything smoother than it already is. And I mean really, really smooth! As an anecdote, the recently launched iPhone 12 also only gets a refresh rate of 60Hz. (In case you have an argument about Samsung vs Apple!)
The display shows content processed by an Exynos 990 processor, lifted directly from the Galaxy S20 Ultra! That, coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage meant I could load the phone as much as I wanted, and it still had space for more! These configurations ensure that the phone does not slow down or lag whatsoever unless special efforts are taken to make it so. That said, it is definitely not a perfect phone, and the battery is one of its biggest shortcomings!
Battery backup:
Now, I might be a demanding user, but I like to explore a product fully before forming an opinion. The Galaxy S20 FE does pack a massive 4500mAh battery, but it failed to keep me company throughout the day. It could probably be because I was using it to the fullest, but it should still have lasted more than it did. Adding to that was the standard 15W charger that came in the box, which completely shattered my hopes of getting a fast charge. Even borrowing my friends’ 18W or 22W fast chargers did not help much!
Verdict:
Priced at Rs 49,999, the Galaxy S20 FE is the perfect choice for someone looking for the best of both worlds; the worlds being performance and price. For fans of long-lasting battery life, however, this one might be a close cut. Nevertheless, Samsung has ensured that a “budget flagship” is possible. Well done, Samsung!
It is no surprise that HyperX is dedicated to offering the best gaming experience in every way possible. With a plethora of gaming accessories in its stable, it offers not only one of the most diverse options to choose from, but also has something for everybody across a wide price range.
This time around, the gaming expert of Kingston Technologies is offering a chance for gamers to enhance their aural experience. As many would agree, an immersive sound experience is vital for enjoying any game thoroughly. Keeping this in mind, HyperX has released the Cloud Stinger Core series in India.
There is a particular reason for calling it a series of headphones. While fundamentally identical, they do have some peculiar differences. Primary of them is their distinguishing parameter between console and PC: The colour around the earcups!
Well, jokes apart, these headphones offer a class-apart aural experience regardless of the game or the gaming console. However, since HyperX does not like to discriminate, it has segregated the Cloud Stinger lineup. While all headphones are wired, there is a separate model for Xbox gamers as well as PlayStation owners. Microsoft lovers can opt for the Cloud Stinger that is officially licensed for Xbox. It comes with fabric padding and green accents around the earcups. Sony loyalists would want to opt for the PlayStation oriented headphone, which gets blue accents around the earcups.
Overall, using the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core headphones is an experience in itself. It has many easy-to-use features which further enhances the gaming experience, simply by reducing the peripheral hassle. Small features like a swivel-to-mute mic and a simple rotary dial for volume control goes a long way in helping gamers elevate their experience. Since I am a fan of fabric padding against rubber cups, I’d have to say that the rubber padding on the PC-based headphones made my ears a little sweaty. But that’s just me being nitpicky!
A starting price tag of ₹3500 might seem a little steep for some, but considering that it is a price to pay to enter the big league of gaming and use equipment preferred by gaming professionals, I’d say it is a pretty value-for-money deal!
To sum up, wearing the HyperX Cloud Stinger headphones will surely isolate you from your surrounding, as it did to me. Turn up the volume if you wish to let go of the physical world and enter the world of gaming and turn up the mic to mute your sound when your mom comes shouting from the back!
We give you an insight into the world of gaming audio with HyperX, one of India’s leading accessory makers. Be it PC, PlayStation, Xbox, or even mobile gaming, HyperX has something to offer for every gamer.
As promised here is our First Impression about the extravaganza gadget, the Vu Masterpiece TV. Well, we believe that this TV can totally fulfill the luxurious aesthetics of your home. Tell us in the comments below what do you think about this masterpiece?
We experienced the future of smartphones with Samsung’s latest innovative product. Open up to the future and immerse yourselves in the latest technology with our unboxing & first impressions. Stay tuned for the detailed review, till then let us know which feature attracted you the most about this uber-luxurious smartphone.
What do we do when we go to the restaurant for lunch or dinner? We skim through the complete menu card for a couple of minutes, and then except for the foodies, the rest of the people order the same favorite food they have ordered in the last few yea₹ But, we can not apply this logic when we're looking for a nice pair of earphones, earbuds, or headphones . The confusion starts from there and we will stick to True Wireless earbuds which are all having some great deals going on on Amazon and Flipkart around the world. I have kept a few parameters in mind while choosing these, such as:
Great Battery life , it’s a must and all of them have 20-30 hours of juice.
Water & sweat resistance. Don’t need to go swimming underwater but anywhere near a pool is ok.
Descent to great sound quality.
Should work with Android and iOS both.
All of them have magnetic properties and won’t fall off accidentally while
opening.
All of them have C type Charging and a wireless charging case to hang
around with.
OPPO Enco W51 True Wireless Headphone Good:
Premium Design
Wireless Charging Support
Excellent Call Quality Bad:
Audio Lacks Refinement
Customization Is Limited To Oppo Smartphones
Oppo has been contributing to the Indian market with some excellent audio
products and W51 is one of them. These headphones are available in two colors, one in starry blue and another one is in floral white; the price of these earbuds is ₹4,999, but now have deals going on in e-commerce sites.
Just 15 minutes of charge can entertain you for 9 hours of music playback/calls with ANC (active noise cancellation) on. Connect them once with your device, and then you don’t have to repeat that ever. Open the case, and the buds will connect with your device automatically, and they’ll disconnect when you put them back to the case.
The Enco W51 earbuds are half in-ear buds with soft silicone tips. The buds feel comfortable in the ears and offer a reliable fit. They stay at their place and do not fall off even while running or cycling. Weighing only 3.95 grams, these earphones are professionally designed and are certified IP54 dustproof and waterproof. The sound quality is not so refined, but at this price range, they are one of the best and can pass off as Apple buds. Verdict: It's going to be my pick at sub 5k level and is the only one amongst these five which comes with wireless charging and is light in your ears.
OnePlus Buds
Good:
Looks good especially the Nardo blue. Bad :
No advanced Bluetooth codec support
The sound quality is below the oppo w51
Does not have rubber tips , and it might just slip out of your ears.
OnePlus is like that excited teenager who wants to try his hands at everything; First, they started with smartphones, then they moved on to accessories and audio products, and then last year, they launched their television sets. Launched alongside the OnePlus Nord smartphone, these OnePlus buds are priced at ₹4,990, and are the company’s first true wireless headset.
Giving a loud and clear output, they are equipped with a unique noise cancellation algorithm and three microphones to improve clarity. They have a powerful sound and allow you to enjoy up to 30 hours of listening time. The case we get alongside these buds work like a power bank. Charge it for 10 minutes and you can enjoy up to 10 hours of listening. You can experience 3D stereo with Dolby Atmos or stunning sound quality with Dirac Audio Tuner support. I quite liked the Nord blue colour buds that were sent for review, but you also have another option for buying the OnePlus Buds, they are also available in white. These buds are said to work best when used with an OnePlus smartphone, but to our surprise, they work just fine with other devices too. The charging case is tiny and easily pocketable. The USB Type-C port for charging is at the bottom, and the pairing button is at the back. Verdict: Once paired, it’s easy to connect and reconnect and the same silicon tip might just work best for some ears If you are a OnePlus user its best recommended.
Creative Outlier Air TWS
Good: IPX5 water resistance
Almost 50% discount on the e-com sites now. Bad:
Slippery charging case
Poor isolation
The cylindrical shape is a little bulkier to tug along and not pocketable.
The Creative Outlier Air earbuds and its charging case are lightweight and compact, making it easy to transport them in a purse or pocket. Like their name their manufacturing is also a little creative, they come with IPX5 certification, they are sweatproof, water-resistant, and can handle all that hard-earned sweat, accidental splashes, and even rain very easily.
The Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds have a 10-meter wireless range, and the 380mAh
charging case it comes with provides an additional two charge cycles, carrying you through nearly a full day of listening. Charging takes up to two hours, and the same applies to the USB-C charging case. They have stunning 30 hours of battery life and graphene-powered audio excellence, and dual voice calls along with controls. One can hear audio out of both earbuds when making a call and enjoy convenient access to Siri or Google Assistant with Outlier Air.
They are said to be graphene drivers, but I’m not sure these drivers are completely built from graphene. I found the sound output to be playful and more tuned towards bass response. It prioritizes the bass response over clarity, but still, the sound output is appreciable. It has a decent design with IPX5 certification but also fragile in terms of the structure of the case. Verdict: Not the best bet; If the charging case was not so bulky, it would have made a perfect cut.
Jabra Elite Active 75t True Wireless ANC Bluetooth Earbuds
Good :
Fantastic Carrying Case.
More comfortable, smaller design.
Good sound quality with thumping bass.
Easy to pocket, looks premium Bad :
Average Jabra ANC.
Controls can get confusing
At ₹13,999 Jabra hits the second place in our list. They are claimed to be the best-fit earbuds yet in the market. Jabra says they have scanned thousands of ears to create these best-fitting sport earbuds with a special grip coating to make sure they stay in while you work out, and I guess Jabra is right. You can run, jump, you can do any physical activity while wearing them, and they will stick with you all the time like they are one of the parts of your body. Although entirely plastic, the earphones look and feel good. The Jabra Elite 75t is available in a single color – titanium – and is IP55-rated for dust and water resistance. This is the biggest difference between the Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t; the latter is IP57-rated for better water resistance. That said, the Elite 75t will be able to handle reasonable amounts of exposure to sweat, water, and dust, making them appropriate for standard everyday use.
The earphones each have a physical button, an indicator light, and a motion sensor. The sensor is used to automatically pause music when either earphone is removed, and resume when it is worn again. The buttons can be used to control everything on the earphones, including volume, playback, hear-through mode, and the voice assistant on a paired smartphone. However, the button-press combinations are a bit complicated, and I often pressed the wrong button because to remember each function with the tap will not be easy and anyways our memories are all gone to surf the internet.
The headset uses Bluetooth 5 for connectivity, with support for the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. 6mm dynamic drivers power the earphones, with a frequency response range of 20-20,000Hz. Up to two Bluetooth source devices can be actively connected to the earphones at a time, and up to eight devices can be remembered. The earphones have four microphones (two on each earbud) for calls and noise reduction on calls. Verdict: It’s the best premium TWS earbuds that you can buy and has practicality, style , quality all mirrored in. And through the Jabra Sound App you can customize controls and hear through.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Earbuds
Good:
Excellent sound Quality, best in its class.
Customizable controls.
Solid ANC performance. Bad:
High price
Unintuitive default controls
No wireless charging on the case
Charging Case bulky
Weight of the buds is on the heavier side.
Now, it’s time to know about the last one but the best one in our segment, when it comes to sound quality: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless in-Ear Bluetooth Headphone with Multi-Touch Fingertip Control. With these advanced headphones, you can control your music, calls, and voice assistant simply through intuitive touchpad technology built into both earbuds.
It doesn’t come with many accessories, but they cover the basics. You get the
earbuds, the charging case, a piddly 20cm USB-C cable to charge the case, and four different sizes of silicone ear tips, ranging in size from extra small to large. There are no extra little wings to hold the earphones in your ear’s cartilage, but thankfully, I didn’t find them necessary. I popped the MTW2s in my ears, and they fit snugly the first time.
In fact, whether I was exercising or out on a cycle ride (with noise-cancelling turned off, naturally), the earbuds stayed snugly in my ears The only time I had to take them out mid-exercise was when I couldn’t remember if they were IP rated high enough to deal with my sweat. I needn’t have worried; they’re IPX4 rated, meaning they should survive light splashes. They protrude a little more from your ears than the smallest of earbuds like the Jabra Elite 75ts.But the important thing was that they still felt snug, and they didn’t feel like they were dangling at all. I tried wearing them while eating, and they held firm.
I think that everyone should customize the controls of the MTW2s when they first get them because, out of the box, the controls are wildly unintuitive. By default, you tap the left earbud once to play/pause, twice to skip to the next track, three times for the previous track, and you hold it to turn the volume down. The right earbud summons your voice assistant, turns on transparent hearing, turns on ANC, and raises the volume using the same commands. It feels oddly one-sided. The transparent hearing keeps you aware of your surroundings, allowing you to easily listen and chat without having to remove your earbuds.
Their premium price (and, for some, the touch controls) mean they won’t be for everyone, but if you’re after a pair of truly wireless earbuds that come close to matching the quality of a premium pair of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, then Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2 are easy to recommend. You can experience the good quality sound of these headphones which are made for every environment with durable, tough, splash-resistant materials.
Verdict: If it was not the weight of the earphones and the beautiful but bigger charging and carrying case. I would have put my money on it. But If you are an audiophile it’s the closest you can come in TWS. Period.
