For quite some time, Motorola has been just vibrating in the smartphone business. Their smartphones did capture the eyes but left people wanting for more in terms of what you would say firepower. For the techies at heart, Motorola devices are the perfect ones until one decides to flip the page over and check what’s inside.
Motorola announced their Edge+
But all of this was put to the sidewalk when Motorola announced their Edge+ smartphones recently. The Motorola Edge+ is set to launch in India, most probably in a few weeks when we would see the current lockdown situation ease. Ease in smartphone shipping and other factors could affect the launch of the device, however, the launch is imminent. The entire smartphone industry is in a very difficult position owing to the restrictions on manufacturing and shipping of smartphones and smartphone-related components.
The Motorola Edge+ and the Motorola Edge smartphones were announced last week and after many rumours and leaks, the devices have finally seen the surface. Motorola was expected to showcase the devices at MWC 2020. However, the cancellation of the event due to the COVID-19 scare left manufacturers with no choice other than online display and launches in a phased manner.
The confirmation of the India launch was indeed given by Mr Prashant Mani, Country Head of Motorola India who tweeted an official video of the Edge+ sharing some amazing details like Snapdragon 865, 5G support, 108 MP camera and a waterfall-like display which ends over the edges. Other specifications include a 6.7-inch Full HD+ OLED panel with 2340 x 1080 resolution, a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera and 90Hz of refresh rate for the screen. The display has the support for HDR10+ playback. The Snapdragon 865 will be paired with 12GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage.
The rear camera setup on the Edge+ brings three cameras with a 108-MP primary sensor with OIS, a TOF 3D depth sensor, an 8-MP secondary telephoto camera with OIS and a 16 MP wide-angle camera. The rear camera can record 6K video at 30p and 4k video at up to 60fps.
Additionally. Motorola has included stereo speakers, Type-C charging with 5000mAh battery and 18W fast charging and 15W fast wireless charging. The Motorola Edge+ has been announced for $999. However, the Indian pricing will be revealed at the time of the launch.
Folding phones are the current trend now. The moment screen manufacturers realised the fact that screens could be folded to attain a different form factor altogether, all efforts were concentrated towards making the folding screen incorporate with a smart device.
Folding smartphones have made serial waves in the smartphone industry. This is more because of people who are intrigued by the idea of a folding smartphone and want to have the latest trending device in their hands. Some of the first folding devices to hit the markets were the Royole FlexPai folding phone and the Huawei Mate X. Samsung, who was trailing the folding smartphone wars came up with the Samsung Galaxy Fold to take advantage of of the time and become one of the first movers in the folding smartphone game.
Samsung’s Galaxy Fold was a big failure in its first iteration. Galaxy Folds from all around the world started to crack and the external layer of the screen started to peel off. Tech reviewers from all around the globe started to share their experiences as to how the external layer on the screen which seemed to be like a protective layer for the screen started to peel off leaving the flexible OLED screen destroyed.
Meanwhile, Samsung did take its failure seriously and worked on to bring the second generation of the Galaxy Fold which did manage to impress the crowd because it is very well made and manage to keep the screen intact even after numerous flipping and folding of the screen. While a lot was happening in the foldable smartphone market, Motorola dropped their Moto Razr which came with a blast from the design resembling its very popular folding Motorola Razr phone. The Motorola Razr is the first phone to have the smartphone form factor fold in half, making it one of the first phones to do so. It does not come with top of the line hardware specifications but is aimed towards being a lifestyle device.
While Motorola was making all the noise about their Razr, Samsung dropped the Galaxy Z Flip along with the launch of the Galaxy S20 series. The Galaxy Z Flip comes with more like a smartphone looking form factor which can be folded in between. Specifications on the Z Flip are quite up to the mark with very capable hardware, however, it is still a lifestyle device which is more of a style statement rather than being a full-blown flagship phone.
Huawei’s follow up to the Mate X was soon to follow bearing the Mate Xs name tag. The Huawei Mate Xs is touted to be one of the best folding devices out there with a solid hinge and a great screen which has surely impressed the tech world. Last but not least, TCL, a brand we associate more with making TVs have dropped in their latest concept folding phones. Not one but two different smartphones which have a unique screen. One of them can be folded twice while the other is an interesting concept where the screen extends itself from inside the smartphone resulting in a bigger screen when needed. When not in use, the screen can be rolled back which brings it to the smartphone form factor. Folding smartphones might seem very cool, the ones available come at a steep price.
Now comes the interesting part of the whole folding situation. Escobar Inc – the tech company which is owned by Pablo Escobar’s brother Roberto De Jesus Escobar Gaviria came up with the Escobar Fold 2. If you wondering the Escobar name, well you are right. The Escobar name is associated with Pablo Escobar, the Columbian Drug Lord who was the head of the Medellin Cartel and one of the most powerful drug traffickers, of the 1980s as well as the early 90s.
The Escobar Fold 2
The Escobar Fold 2 was the follow up of the Escobar Fold which was essentially a rebranded Royole FlexPai, one of the first folding smartphones to come into existence. Touted as the ‘Real Samsing Killer Phone’ it features a striking similarity in design of both the devices including the number of cameras and the exact folding schematics. However, the Escobar Fold 2 gets gold-coloured skin on the back and the sides of the phone with Excobar Inc. which helps it to identify from the regular Galaxy Fold.
What makes the Escobar Fold special? In a press statement, Gaviria has specified that some parts of the Escobar Fold have been sourced from China. According to the brand, they aim at giving the clients direct discounts under the Escobar brand name. In attempts of crazy marketing, a promotional video shows scantily clad women smashing Samsung Galaxy Fold smartphones. Such attempts taking a dig at smartphone makers is not the 2020 way of marketing.
A domain names ‘ripsamsung.com’ has been created by the company which redirects to the order page of the Fold 2. Here comes the most interesting part – the fold 2 is priced at $399 which is roughly Rs. 29,000 here in India. This is much much lower to the Galaxy Fold which retails at $1,980 or Rs.1,74,999 in India. This raises serious concerns over the ingenuity of the Escobar Fold 2 when the phone shows Samsung logos hidden under its gold stickering. It could be a classic case of exact Chinese clones of the Galaxy Fold which are much cheaper but nowhere close to the actual Fold from Samsung.
The first Escobar folding phone Escobar Fold 1 was none other than the Royole FlexPai which was rebranded into the Escobar version. A large number of reports and personal experiences on the web depict people’s frustrations after they pre-ordered the phone but never received one. However, a lot of known YouTubers in the technology space have claimed that the company got in touch with them asking them to make video reviews for the phone in exchange for the device. Sadly, the marketing was shabby and this left many people with bad impressions. Tech experts have also asked people to refrain from ordering the phone which does not get delivered. A perfect way to run a scam; The folding scam.
The perfect way to test a smartphone is to use it. Use it like you would use it on a daily basis. Phone calls, text messages, applications, games along with photo and video. Once these parameters are put to their paces, it is quite evidently determinable of how much a smartphone is capable of.
A few weeks back I got a call from Vivo asking me if I would be interested to attend a Photowalk along with a few others and try out their latest upcoming smartphone and the next thing I remember is Sipping coffee in Starbucks while checking out the new Vivo V17 that was yet to be launched. The idea was simple. We would take a common walk route and take pictures on the way exploring the southern tip of Mumbai. Soon, I was rattling off shots on the V17.
How does look Vivo V17?
An instant feel-good factor when you pick it up on your hand. Draped in Midnight Ocean colour, the 6.44-inch Super AMOLED HD+ display is devoid of any notches or thick bezels. An in-display fingerprint scanner takes care of the security. However, you notice a hole punched on the right corner of the display which underneath houses the front-facing camera.
On the right you get the power and volume rocker buttons, the left has the dual nano-sim and micro SD card slot. A USB-C type charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack and the speaker grille can be seen on the bottom. Turn the device around and you can see the quad-camera setup on the top left corner. A 48-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. An LED flash takes care of the lighting in dark situations. All of this hardware is powered by a 4500mAh battery. All of this comes in an impressive package and there is nothing much to ponder on.
How does it perform?
Performance is what mid-range smartphones are now delivering. Gone are those days where budget and mid-range smartphones used to laggy and slow. Hardware improvement has changed the way mid-range devices are made. Nothing different here with the Vivo V17. It gets a Snapdragon 675 processor along with 8GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. It runs the Funtouch OS 9.2 on top of Android 9.
The software works well and the phone does not hang, lag or even stutter when being exploited by running multiple applications. Overall, the interface does not have much to complain about. The camera is where the V17 shines. The quad setup does a good job of capturing images. The ultra-wide-angle camera being my top favourite. Images look crisp and detailed when shot in HDR. The night mode does a good job of capturing low-light situations giving the images shot the required pop. Overall, the camera is good enough for most of us who do not want to compromise on quality. What else, the 4500mAh battery is good for heavy usage and the 18W supplied fast charger means you are up from 0-70% in about an hour. In a nutshell, the V17 is pretty impressive and clears the tests with good results.
Should you buy it?
Well, it depends. While the processor could have been from the Snapdragon 700 series, the hardware specs are adequate along with the battery life. An impressive display and camera make it a good package. Priced at Rs. 22,999/-, you could also look at some of the phones which carry similar specs for substantially lesser prices. Nonetheless, the Vivo V17 did not fail to impress with its overall performance.
While the official announcement of the prices of the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro has been made, India gets the exclusive variant.
OnePlus 8 Pro price in India has been revealed, alongside the prices for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z headphones. OnePlus on Sunday announced the pricing for all of its new products, just days after their introduction. The exact sale dates for each of the products is still unclear and OnePlus has just said that these will go on sale next month. The OnePlus 8 series prices in India are much lower than the prices of the two smartphones in the US. What’s also worth noting is that the company has launched a brand new variant of the OnePlus 8 in India – the 6GB + 128GB – that hasn’t been unveiled globally. Read on for more details on OnePlus 8 series price in India and sale details.
OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro price in India
OnePlus made the announcement of their new OnePlus 8 series of smartphones amidst the COVID-19 situation. And from what it seems like, OnePlus had it all planned well in advance so the launch was imminent.
The OnePlus 8 price starts in India starts from Rs. 41,999/- and the OnePlus 8 Pro prices start from Rs. 54,999. Yes, these are far away from the prices once OnePlus began selling their phones with. Their tag of being the ‘Flagship Killer’ is a bit of distant now as OnePlus has clearly ventured into the premium space.
The Indian prices of the OnePlus 8 series smartphones are considerably cheaper than what the prices are in the US. This clearly means OnePlus is aiming to capture a major share of the market here in India where the budget premium segment is booking, especially when devices like the Samsung Galaxy S20 series have been priced much higher, the OnePlus 8 series is expected to garner a lot of buyers. There is no word on availability of the phones yet, however, interested buyers can head to Amazon India to find out more details.
OnePlus first revealed the prices in the US and then in India. The base variant of the OnePlus 8 comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and is priced at Rs. 41,999/-. This variant is also exclusive to Amazon India. Moving on the 8GB +128GB variant is priced at Rs. 44,990/- and the top variant with 12GB +256GB is priced at Rs. 49,999/-.
The OnePlus 8 Pro 8GB RAM, 128GB storage variant has been priced at Rs. 54,999/- and the 12GB RAM, 256GB storage variant has been priced at Rs. 59,999/-. OnePlus 8 Pro will be available via Amazon India and offline stores.
OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8 specifications
The OnePlus 8 Pro is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, coupled with 8GB and 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It comes with a 6.78-inch QHD+ (1,440×3,168 pixels) Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also features a quad rear camera setup comprising a 48-megapixel primary Sony IMX689 sensor, an 8-megapixel secondary sensor with a telephoto lens, a 48-megapixel sensor with a wide-angle lens, and a 5-megapixel “Color Filter” camera sensor. On the front, the OnePlus 8 Pro gets a 16-megapixel camera with a Sony IMX471 sensor. The OnePlus 8 Pro supports dual nano sims and runs Android 10 with OxygenOS on top.
The display on the OnePlus 8 Pro features an in-display fingerprint sensor, and OnePlus has added a 4,510mAh battery that supports Warp Charge 30T and Warp Charge 30 Wireless, apart from reverse wireless charging. The OnePlus 8 Pro has 128GB and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage options, and connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C port.It measures 165.3×74.35×8.5mm and weighs 199 grams.
The OnePlus 8 runs Android 10 with OxygenOS on top and sports a 6.55-inch full-HD+ (1080×2400 pixels) Fluid AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, 6GB, 8GB and 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM options, a triple rear camera setup with 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 primary sensor, 2-megapixel secondary sensor, 16-megapixel sensor. A 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor is behind the front camera with 128GB and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage, similar connectivity options, an in-display fingerprint sensor and a 4,300mAh battery that supports Warp Charge 30T. It measures 160.2×72.9×8.0mm and weighs 180 grams.
Realme have just introduced the Realme C3 which is an update to the budget segment offering C2. The Realme C3 comes with good hardware at an affordable price. The design is based on the company’s Sunrise design and is being offered in two colours – Frozen Blue and Blazing Red. It features a slightly bigger 6.5-inch display and very thin bezels giving it a 20:9 screen ratio and a dewdrop notch which houses the front camera. It sports the new MediaTek Helio P22 SoC octa-core processor clocked at 2.0 GHz and a 5000 mAh battery powering the hardware package. The phone gets a micro-USB slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack as well. However, the Realme C3 misses out on a fingerprint scanner. Realme is running Realme UI V1.0 on top of Android 10. In the camera department, the Realme C3 comes with a dual-camera setup; 12MP f/1.8 and 2 MP depth sensor. The front is a 5-MP selfie shooter. The phone comes in 3GB + 32 GB and 4GB + 64GB variants and you get dual nano-sim slots along with a dedicated micro-sd card slot for memory expansion. On the performance side, the new UI makes things better while the processor and the big battery promises to deliver a good user experience. The screen too is slightly longish and looks good complementing the entire package.
Price –Rs. 6,999/- (3GB+32GB)
Rs. 7,999/- (4GB+64GB)
Saregama Carvaan Earphones
Saregama Carvaan is a well-known name for those who love their music. With several variants of the Saregama Carvaan on sale already, Saregama has now launched the Saregama Carvaan GX01 wired earphones. These pair of earphones are aimed at music lovers. The extra-large 14.2mm drivers claim to deliver enhanced bass and Carvaan Signature sound. The drivers have an impedance of 32 ohms and respond to frequencies from 20 Hz to 20000 Hz with a 108 dB/mW sensitivity. The wire and 3.5 mm jack ensure seamless compatibility with most of the devices with a 3.5mm input jack while the microphone allows you to take calls/play-pause songs with the help of the built-in button. Performance-wise, the earphones offer good sound and deep bass. In fact, most users will find the Saregama Carvaan GX01 as a bang for their buck. The Carvaan GX01 is available in Black and White colours.
The launch of Realme’s 6 series of smartphones did get affected amidst the scare of Coronavirus. But that couldn’t stop these devices from breaking cover. Smartphones from Realme have been already proven their might in the budget segment. And with these new devices, they are looking to strengthen their position. Well, we have the Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro for review, so let’s jump in to find out how these stack up against the current competition.
Realme 6
Realme 6 is the company’s latest offering in the budget segment that succeeds the Realme 5 Pro. Ideally, Realme 6 should have succeeded the Realme 5, but maybe the company had something else in mind. The device looks pleasing in the comet white colour, it has shiny streaks of lines that meet at the bottom.
However, the design is not something that is new, you could barely tell this apart from the Realme X2. The device sports a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with a hole-punch design. Surprisingly, it comes with a 90Hz refresh rate which is rare to find in this price bracket.
The Realme 6 is driven by Mediatek’s Helio G90T which also powers the Redmi Note 8 Pro. Coming to cameras, the device packs in a quad-camera setup on rear whereas a single camera for selfies on the front. The performance on this device is on par with its counterparts, we did not notice any lag while using it.
On the software front, the device brings in Realme UI on top of Android 10. Besides this, it packs in a 4300mAh battery and a 30W fast charger for charging. Realme offers three variants: 4GB of RAM with 64GB of storage priced at Rs. 12,999/- 6GB of RAM with 128GB of storage for Rs. 14,999/- and 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage for Rs. 15,999/-
Realme 6 Pro
The Realme 6 Pro is being pegged as the successor to the Realme X. It is made available in two colours – Lightning blue and Lightning orange. The device comes with a 6.6-inch IPS LCD display featuring a dual punch-hole cutout for selfie cameras.
Like the Realme 6, this also comes with a 90Hz display and a fingerprint reader that is integrated with the power button. At 202gms, It is a little too heavy for my liking.
The Realme 6 Pro is the first device to be powered with the Snapdragon 720G, a mid-range processor from Qualcomm. On the camera front, the device gets a quad-camera setup on the rear and a dual-camera setup on the front. The camera performance is decent is in daylight but it struggles with colour saturation at night. You will not have to worry about the performance on this thing, it has plenty of power to run daily apps and games.
The Realme 6 Pro gets a 4300mAh battery and 30W fast charger for charging. Realme 6 Pro is available in three versions — one with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for Rs. 16,999; another with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for Rs. 17,999/- and the top-end variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for Rs. 18,999/-.
Verdict
The Realme 6 and 6 Pro are both power-packed devices with top of the line specs in their respective segments. The cameras on these devices offer decent performance. Additionally, you get the 90Hz display which is completely new to this price segment. Apart from this, these devices also bring great battery life to the table. So, if you are looking for devices with good gaming and camera performance, these can be a great option.
Samsung did begin the year 2020 with the launch of their flagship Galaxy S20 series, but with the ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19, it seems likely that a lot of launches will have to wait until the dust settles everywhere.
Build and Design
The Galaxy S20+ has a refined design when compared to its predecessor. The smartphone now comes with thinner bezels and the glass curves onto the edges of the display. The phone has a glass back held together with an aluminium frame.
The glossy finish on the phone means it does feel slippery in the hands and also attracts a lot of fingerprints and smudges. It weighs around 186 grams but does not feel heavy in the hands.
The display on the S20+ is a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel which also supports HDR 10+ and a refresh rate of 120Hz. You can choose between QHD+ resolution which will bring down the refresh rate to 60Hz. The 120Hz refresh works only at Full HD resolution.
The display has a centre-mounted punch-hole for the selfie camera which does not really bother you. On the right, you have the volume and power buttons and the left has the dedicated Bixby button.
The sim-tray is at the top while at the bottom you have the USB-C type charging port and the speaker. You can also choose to expand the memory on the device with a micro-sd card. The main camera setup at the back looks very similar to Samsung’s A-series smartphones.
Having said that, the Galaxy S20+ feels very premium when you are holding it. In the box, you get a 25W fast charger, Type-C to Type-C charging cable, protective case and an AKG-branded headset
Performance
The Samsung S 20 Plus sold here in India only comes with 4G support and only one configuration. It is powered by an Exynos 990 processor paired with 8Gb of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Samsung has used LPDDR5 memory on the S20+ which promises higher data rates and low power consumption.
Performance of the Galaxy S20+ is rock solid. The 120 Hz refresh rate makes it really smooth and fluid to scroll around. There is no lag or stutter when running heavy applications and also while gaming.
Heavy titles like PUBG, Call Of Duty and Asphalts 9 Legends could be run at maximum settings without any hiccups. The phone does get hot during the extreme gaming sessions but is nothing that one cannot handle.
The display is top-notch and the colours are rich and saturated while the screen brightness is adequate. With the slimmer bezels, watching content is a delight on this display.
Samsung has given the S20+ an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner which is surprisingly fast. You also have the option of choosing face recognition for unlocking the device.
Battery life on the S20+ is pretty solid and the 4500mAh battery means it will deliver a full day of usage. The 25W charger will charge the device to 100% in about an hour. It also supports Wireless PowerShare or reverse wireless charging, which can be used to charge accessories such as the Galaxy Buds+.
Finally, the Samsung S 20 Plus has a new camera setup with two of the highlight features being 8K video recording and up to 30x hybrid zoom. The primary sensor has a 12-megapixel resolution with Dual Pixel autofocus, an f/1.8 aperture, and OIS, but the pixel size is now 1.8 microns. The ultra-wide-angle camera also uses a 12-megapixel sensor and f/2.2 aperture, and no autofocus.
The telephoto camera is a 64-megapixel sensor without OIS. The selfie camera is a 10-megapixel with Dual Pixel AF and f/2.2 aperture. Images from the S20+ have been no less than amazing with sharpness, contrast and true to scene colours while the front camera does a good job of taking selfies.
Verdict
For a price of Rs. 73,999, you get a lot of capable hardware. While the price clearly indicates its premium segment. With great performance, great cameras and good battery life, money spent on the Galaxy S20+ is money well spent.
IQOO is a new brand in India and the company has already launched its IQOO 3 smartphone which also comes in a 5G variant. But is the performance worth the money? We find out.
Build and Design
The IQOO 3 is a premium offering from the brand and it is evident as soon as you pick the device up. Smooth finished front and back held together by a metal frame. It comes in three different colours Volcano Orange, Tornado Black, and Quantum Silver.
The one we tested is the Tornado Black colour option which has a pattern to it on the back when you try viewing it from an angle. On the right, you have the volume rocker and the power button which comes in orange and bears a texture on it while the left side gets a button which can directly summon the Google assistant.
Not only this, but two pressure-sensitive shoulder buttons are also present on the right side which you can use for gaming. The bottom features the speaker grille and USB-C type charging port along with the microphone and the top has the headphone jack and a microphone.
Coming to the display, it is a 6.44-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with support for HDR10+ and 2.5D curved glass. There is no notch on the display and the front-facing camera peeps through a hole which is punched on the display.
The display is bright and IQOO 3 claims an average brightness of 800 nits and up to 1200 nits when the brightness is at the maximum setting. The only downer is the 60Hz refresh rate of the display which could have been better. The phone is slightly thicker and heavier when compared to other flagship models but it boasts a good overall design and build quality that we look for when buying a phone.
Performance of IQOO 3
Now coming to the hardware, it is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Octa-core processor paired with 12GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage in the 5G variant of the phone. The processor is clocked at 2.84 GHz and an Adreno 650 GPU which handles intensive graphics. Moreover, the UFS 3.1 storage provides with fast loading times for applications and games.
The IQOO 3 also comes with an Ultra Game Mode which offers a game space which allows users to block calls and notifications and allowing higher resource allocation when gaming.
For cooling, the IQOO 3 features a Carbon Fibre VC Liquid Cooling system to keep the temperatures in check. With all that hardware, the phone draws power from a 4440 mAH battery. To keep things fast, the IQOO 3 is supplied with a 55 W charger out of the box which charges the phone from zero to hundred percent in under 40 minutes.
In the camera department, the IQOO 3 gets an AI quad-camera setup with a 48-megapixel main sensor, 13-megapixel super-wide-angle, 13-megapixel telephoto and a 2-megapixel depth camera.
The front gets a 16-megapixel selfie snapper. Image quality from the cameras is quite commendable with punchy colours, sharpness and details. However, low-light performance could have been better. Images from the front camera also exhibit a great level of detail.
Verdict
Performance of the device is pretty amazing with fast loading time, no lags, hang or stutters even during heavy multitasking or long gaming sessions. While we still cannot comment on the 5G speeds, internet connectivity and speeds have never been a problem. The IQOO 3 comes with a great display, great hardware and promised good battery life. Price – Rs, 44,990/-
Technology’s deep impact in human lives means we are very dependent on technology for our day to day lives. As much as humans, technology is rapidly evolving and taking the best shape around us humans. The biggest part of technology in our lives is perhaps our smartphone, which enables us to a lot more and provides access to all sorts of information and data right at the fingertips.
Smartphones have been catching up on all the technology trends and the latest is, of course, folding screens. Flexible folding screens have received a lot of interest both among technology enthusiasts and consumers alike. However, the implementation of folding screens is challenging in itself. Smartphone manufacturers have been using different mechanisms, form factors and materials to reach the destination fold.
Motorola is the name everyone has heard of. They were some of the early pioneers of the mobile world and came up with a lot of interesting phones during the early days out of which a folding phone which snaps into half in the middle was the most preferred way of people’s expression. Again folding feature phones just like any other commodity was being offered by most of the phone companies, Motorola created their iconic Razr phone which was an immediate success. The Motorola Razr of the yesteryear was a uniquely designed phone with its distinct ‘clamshell’ like the design. Its design featured a chin which housed some of the components of the phone as well as giving its iconic look. Motorola did bring out many iterations of the Razr phone and with time, the design just got better and better. It was so slim even after folding, it stood true to its ‘Razr’ name till the time exciting feature phones were murdered with the arrival of the touchscreen, Android and iOS devices.
2019 was no different and the market is oozing with new phones. Meanwhile, Samsung’s second-generation Galaxy Fold was already selling after its first unfortunate screen disaster. Motorola saw the right time and hit us with the Motorola Razr, a smartphone which was about to change the folding smartphones game. Behold the Motorola Razr, a clamshell design folding smartphone which follows the same design lines with the original Motorola Razr.
Early 2020 the Motorola Razr was already on sale in the international markets and in India, we had to wait a bit longer to have our hands on the device. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic that has shaken the world to its core, Motorola finally made an official announcement of the Razr in India. As the case would be, we got out hands on the retail unit of the Razr and here is what we think about it.
Build and Design
The design inspiration comes from the original Moto Razr which featured a folding clamshell-like design and was pretty slim in its form, even when folded down. The folding design was so much on the point that one could flip out and flip-close the phone with just one hand. The thin cross-section of the phone led its name to be ‘Razr’ comparing its razor-thin body. The Razr was a particular hit of the time. Motorola did launch other folding handsets but out new devices coming in folding phones lost their charm.
Design-wise, it’s a success. The hinge mechanism works perfectly. When folding/unfolding the phone a tiny gap can be seen but it is interesting to see the display sink inside for a complete fold. You can still feel the middle crease on the display which slightly dips exactly where the folding happens. However, it is to be mentioned that flipping the phone open and close with one hand is a bit of a tricky job, especially if you have smaller hands. The chin portion of the Razr is fat but designed neatly. You will find a USB-C type port at the bottom along with the speakers. Motorola says that they have used the chin area as a resonance chamber for the speaker. However, you cannot differentiate that from the sound. The chin also has the fingerprint scanner and does a good job of unlocking the phone very swiftly. Sadly, the tight fitted design means you have no memory card slot, not even a physical sim which means you have to configure an e-sim to use on the Razr. Motorola has packed 128GB of onboard storage on the Razr.
Sadly a lot of perks have been trimmed down like a 3.5mm headphone jack or a micro-sd slot to make things neat and tightly packed which otherwise is a folding phone in itself. The secondary display is a 2.7-inch OLED mini screen while the primary display is an HD+ 6.2-inch POLD display. The display is a flexible one and you feel the not so firm display when using it.
The main camera on the Motorola Razr is a 16-megapixel unit while the front has a 5-megapixel selfie snapper. When in a folded position, the main camera can also be used as a selfie camera which turns the mini screen as a viewfinder.
Performance
Specifications of the Razr are not going to throw you off your seat. Yes, it is less powerful when compared to the pricier flagship devices. It is powered by a Snapdragon 710 processor which is paired with 6 GB of RAM. Storage options are limited to 128GB. The battery on the device is 2510 mAh which is almost half of some of the budget range devices.
The phone does not feel slow or laggy at any point. The hardware is very neatly integrated with the OS to offer a seamless experience. It ships with Android Pie out of the box but we believe Motorola to be quick in sharing the latest OS and updates providing the user with a very neat experience.
Gaming on the Motor Razr was not bad either. While this is not a phone which you would want to game on. Titles like PUBG, Call Of Duty and Asphalt 9 Legends run smooth with any issues. The gaming experience might not be of like most of the users because of its unusual form-factor.
Viewing content and consuming media is, however, pleasing with the nice and bright display. The overall performance of the Motorola Razr is rather smooth. What majorly concerns heavy users is battery life. With a tiny 2150 mAh battery inside you will see the charging points too often. An 18W Turbocharger comes in the box and it does a good job of charging the phone faster.
Last but not least, the retail box also offers a case which contains the accessories. The case is very similar to goggle cases and has a brained USB-C cable, paperwork and a USB-C type wired headset which is in association with Denon. The retail box itself has been designed to work in conjunction with the down-firing speaker of the Razr. When placed on the box, the sound resonates in the hollow box to make it sound like a mini boombox.
Verdict
A final say on the new Motorola Razr is quite difficult. It is a beautifully designed device which seems a lot more promising in hands than in pictures and videos. However, it does not offer everything that a power user would look for, especially when it costs Rs. 1,24,990 which is surely expensive. So here are a few points on why you should or should not buy the Razr.
Buy the Razr if
You love cutting-edge technology and rather buy a good looking phone which is sure to turn heads around. It is slimmer and smaller than the Galaxy Fold. The Razr is a throwback which is reminiscent of its past.
You like small phones and do not like carrying hefty big smartphones. You could also have smaller hands and are more comfortable with a smaller than average phone. However, when folded, the Razr’s thickness is more than conventional smartphones.
If you like Flip phones; Flip phones have lived their days of popularity and now with technology moving ahead fast, trends which are long gone are catching up at a rapid pace. As folding screens are no longer a technical challenge, it is right for smartphones to fold. The Razr is all about the style.
Do not buy the Razr if
You want high performance, go look elsewhere. There are many phones which will cost you a fraction of the Razr but deliver a higher performance and battery life. You also miss out on a higher refresh display which is the latest trend among smartphones.
You want a big battery life to support your heavy usage. It is quite a bit of sacrifice of performance for style. You will find double the capacity on some phones in just a part of the price of the Razr.
You want a great camera and are actively engaged in phone photography. At Least with four-cameras on offer on most handsets now, the single-camera setup on the Razr is no match. The Razr does take good images but as it is the case with cameras, you would want something more substantial.
The Smartphone industry in India is booming, especially in the budget segment, specifically in the sub Rs. 20,000/- price bracket. This space has been constantly witnessing a lot of contenders and Realme with its competitive products and pricing is making a huge mark in the Indian smartphone market.
The Realme 5-Series are very worthy successors to the Realme 3 Pro and the Realme 3. They offer better hardware and Quad camera setup. I have been using the Realme 5 Pro for a significant amount of time now and in fact, I took it along with me to use it as a primary snapper during my recent motorcycle ride to Ladakh. So how is the Realme 5 Pro in real life and is it worth it to place your money on it? Read on to find out.
First things first, the Realme 5 Pro is aimed truly at the budget buyers who do not wish to spend more than Rs. 20,000/- on buying a smartphone It comes in three variants and prices start from Rs. 13,999 to up to Rs. Rs. 16,999.
Looks, Design and Hardware
Crack the box open and it is all the regular things inside. Of course, you get the Realme 5 Pro smartphone, a TPU case, sim ejector tool, manuals, a 20W VOOC charger and USB Type-C cable. Coming to the phone, it looks very good and the Sparkling Blue colour theme with patterns on the back of the phone makes it look quite premium. Realme calls the back as Holographic Gradient back and whatever the name could be, I am pretty impressed by the design in the back.
The phone is made out of polycarbonate and has a smooth glass finish. The overall footprint of the phone isn’t too large which makes it easy to hold in the hands. The side of the Realme 5 Pro is made of plastic and you can see the ride side which has the power button and the left side houses the volume rocker buttons and the sim-card tray. The buttons are firm and offer good tactile feedback.
The four-camera setup at the back has a slight bump but nothing to worry about as you can use a case which will not allow the camera hump to rub against any surface when placed on its back. The capacitive fingerprint scanner is placed right beside the camera setup making it easier to operate when holding the phone. On the bottom, you get a Type-C charging port, the headphone jack and the single speaker grille. The phone pretty solid in hands and the front is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. There is no IP certification for the Realme 5 Pro but Realme claims splash resistivity.
Now coming to the display, it is a 6.3-inch FHD+ screen with 19:9 screen ratio and over 90 per cent of the screen to body ratio. The phone does have bezels but they are thinner on the sides and slightly bigger at the chin area. The screen is an IPS LCD panel which might seem a bit dull. Turning it on to full brightness shows its vivid nature and warm colours. Reading the screen outdoors is a bit of an issue but Realme had to cut some corners and the display is one of them.
To back the nice physical appearance, the heart of the matter for the Realme 5 Pro is the Snapdragon 712 which is clocked at higher core speed. Paired with it, you get the option of 4GB, 6GB and 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 128 GB of internal storage. What makes the LPDDR4X RAM better is the pairing with the UFS 2.1 storage for faster read-write.
Performance and Camera Quality
During the time I have used the Realme 5 Pro, it was a very good performer with most of the applications and multitasking. It did not face any lags or stutters as it is the case with some budget-oriented smartphones. The ample amount of RAM on the 8GB 128 GB variant made it easy to multitask with most of the things thrown at it. Gaming was a breeze on the Realme 5 Pro and the Game Boost is present to optimize the performance. Titles like PUBG and Asphalt 9 – Legends had no issues or frame drops while playing.
On the OS front, it runs ColorOS 6 which comes with several features just like any other Android-based operating system. However, I would prefer a much cleaner user experience with minimal changes to the original android. I hope smartphone makers think about giving a true android experience or at least optimize their OS to the finest levels to allow a much better experience of using their phones.
Now the most important of the bit is the Quad camera setup. The combination consists of a 48 MP Sony IMX56 sensor, 8-MP ultra-wide, 2 MP Macro camera and 2 MP portrait sensor. On the front is a 16 MP selfie snapper housed within the display notch. The 48 MP primary sensor comes with f/1.8 aperture and uses Pixel binning to produce sharp and vivid 12MP images. The colours seem to be quite accurate and the camera attains focus in very less time. HDR will sort of boost the images, especially the ones in tricky lighting situation. The images are slightly warm and have plenty of details and the quality is up to the mark. The edge detection of the portrait mode is quite accurate as it is able to mask out the background from the subject quite effectively. The 16 Mp front camera does the job it has been hired for and the selfie images and videos seem quite nice out of the camera.
Finally, it is time to look into the power source of the Realme 5 Pro which is a 4035 mAh battery. It is able to deliver a day’s worth of power with all the regular multimedia and app browsing. The cherry on the top is actually the bundled 20W VOOC 3.0 fast charger which charges the phone from zero to full in little more than an hour. At this price point, you have nothing much to nitpick.
Verdict
So, here comes the final question of whether you should buy the Realme 5 Pro or not? Well for this price, it is a good buy, especially the 8 GB RAM variant which is quite snappy with the performance bit. Gaming too is a charm on the Realme 5 Pro but I wish, Realme would have chosen a better display for this one. In case you think you are not convinced, you can always spend some more and get the Realme X or the even better Realme XT.
