The Apple iPad has really come into its own in the world of content creation today. It has become one of the go to or must have tools in a remote production set up to quickly get at least photos edited and uploaded quickly. Adobe’s Photoshop app on the iPad is mostly the weapon of choice in that matter. Adobe’s Photoshop for iPad is one of the most powerful photo editing tools you can find on a mobile device, just short of laptops.
It has just become even more powerful though with the added ability to edit RAW files. This not only includes Apple’s ProRAW file format. You can even edit photos in DNG formats from other proper DSLR type cameras if need be.
While you might not see value in taking photos in RAW and editing them on your mobile device, there are good reasons why you want your photos taken and post edited in RAW. For one, RAW photos usually will take full advantage of your camera’s full dynamic capabilities. If you are using your smartphone to take RAW photos, you can even take advantage of its full sensor size. In terms of post editing, there are a lot more manipulation you can do with RAW photos, down to the granular details.
Now you have that ability to edit RAW photos on-the-go with the Apple iPad thanks to the Camera Raw ability on the Adobe Photoshop software. Camera Raw is a known plugin for Adobe’s suite to add RAW decoding capabilities. It gives even Adobe’s Lightroom the ability to open and edit RAW photos.
That also means you have a greater control over photos on your iPad. You can now turn your iPad into a professional photo editing station, and you do not even need a PC to work on your photos now. There is small caveat here though.
The new function is not actually available for current Apple iPad users. Adobe says that the function will be ‘coming soon’, whatever that means. They managed to showcase and tease the power of the Adobe Photoshop on an iPad with Camera Raw capabilities too on YouTube. This feature is also announced ahead of Adobe’s Max 2021 conference, so we may be able to expect the function to come to Apple iPad devices, especially the iPad Pro with m1 chips after the fact. For now, we can only wait.
OPPO’s ColorOS has always been about customisability and self-expression. The company’s latest iteration: ColorOS 12 is no different but it does take a load off when it comes to OPPO’s visual customizations of the Android OS. OPPO said that the company’s decision to jump from ColorOS8 to 11 to match Android’s version number is a literal alignment of the OS with Android.
ColorOS is maturing as an OS. With ColorOS 12, the company is fine-tuning its approach to be able to adapt to multiple languages and layouts better than ever before. OPPO says the main theme of ColorOS this time around is “Inclusivity” and that changes made to the OS this round were mainly focused on catering to their 440 million users across 68 countries.
Source: OPPO
The biggest difference you will see in the approach is a reduction in OPPO apps and the use of many stock Android apps. The company has decided to reduce redundancy in its offerings by using Android’s built-in phone and messaging app and integrating more of Android’s built-in features for the new take on ColorOS. The company has “decoupled” the experience to allow users access to their own apps via an optional download from their app store.
Back to Basics with a Focus on Customization & Usability
However, that doesn’t mean that OPPO is leaving its own features to the wayside. Their approach to the design of the new iteration of ColorOS builds on their Infinite Design concept which carries forward from 11. Visually, the OS looks cleaner with more modern icons. On the backend, OPPO has optimised the OS to use a fraction of the resources it used before. ColorOS 12 sees a reduction of 30% of memory usage and 20% battery consumption – making it the most efficient ColorOS to date.
The efficiency doesn’t come at the cost of personalization. In fact, the latest iteration of ColorOS may be the most customizable yet. OPPO has enhanced customisation with more themes, icons and fonts in its theming engine. In addition, the company has also been working on optimising the OS further to be more intuitive and easier to use.
ColorOS 12 is focusing on the essentials. Instead of focusing on gimmicky features, OPPO has been working on enhancing more usable features like PC connect, FlexDrop and Phone Manager which allow users to have a more seamless experience across multiple devices. OPPO’s approach to providing a more seamless experience between phone and PC brings features like drag and drop, screen mirroring and even seamless file transfer between PC and phone. PC Connect only works with Windows for now.
OPPO is also focusing on device security. The company’s new OS brings Android’s privacy and security features front and centre. The OS makes features like Privacy Dashboard more accessible and comes with a better-optimised experience when to Approximate Location Sharing and Microphone and Camera Indicators. The company is also enhancing the security of their OS with in-house features such as private system, private safe, and app lock.
Open to Developers
OPPO is also committing to be open when it comes to the development of ColorOS. The company is making its camera SDKs openly available to developers moving forward. These SDKs will make some of the company’s best camera features such as Ultra Steady Video Shooting, HDR, and Super Wide-Angle available to developers.
Source: OPPO
Timely Update Schedule
OPPO is committing to updating its devices consistently moving forward. This applies to devices released from 2019 onwards. Their flagship Find X series will be getting three major Android updates. The mid-range Reno, F- and higher-end A-series devices will be getting two major updates. Lower end devices will be getting a single Android update. According to the company, the single update is due to the lower memory specifications of lower-end A-Series models.
In addition to major updates, OPPO’s Find X series will also be getting four years of security updates. The Reno, F-, and A-series will be updated for three years.
HMD has been pretty busy with new devices for their Nokia portfolio. Hot off their announcement of their first Android-powered tablet, the company is releasing another entry into their affordable smartphone lineup – the Nokia G50 5G. The new smartphone brings 5G connectivity to the sub USD$300 price point.
Source: HMD Global
The new addition to Nokia’s lineup brings a Snapdragon 480 5G processor paired with an Adreno 619 graphics processor. The processors are complemented with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. You can add on more memory with a microSD card. On the display side of things, it comes with a 6.82-inch IPS LCD panel with an HD+ resolution of 720×1560 pixels.
Source: HMD Global
On the camera side of things, the Nokia G50 5G comes with a triple sensor setup. The main sensor is a 48-megapixel sensor with a wide field of view and an aperture of f/1.8. It also has Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF). This is complemented by a 5-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. On the front is an 8-megapixel wide selfie camera. Both setups are able to shoot video in 1080p at 30 frames per second (fps).
When it comes to connectivity, the Nokia G50 comes with support for 4G LTE and 5G connectivity on both mmWave and Sub6 bands. It also supports WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/b/ac and WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC and FM radio. It also has support for GPS with A-GPS, GALILEO and Beidu. HMD has also included a side-mounted fingerprint sensor in the G50. The G50 is powered by a 5,000mAh battery. HMD continues to guarantee multiday battery life with its optimisations to Android.
The Nokia G50 continues HMD’s approach of bringing affordable smartphones with software support. The new smartphone is promised two years of OS upgrades and three years of monthly security updates. It will come with Android 11 pre-installed.
Pricing & Availability
The Nokia G50 is currently available in the US and other select countries with availability to increase in the coming months.
It’s available in Midnight Sun and Ocean Blue with pricing starting at USD$299 (MYR1,247.46).
The ASUS ROG Phone 5s was launched in Taiwan just last month. Technically the device only became available in Taiwan very late last month on the 30th of September 2021. Then again, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate just landed in Malaysia not that long ago too.
Still, while the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate remains fresh, ASUS decided its time to launch their latest most powerful ASUS ROG Phone to date in Malaysia. If you have forgotten about the ASUS ROG Phone 5s, you get Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 888+ platform. Yes, it will be marginally more powerful than the ASUS ROG Phone 5 series.
Source: ASUS Malaysia
Source: ASUS Malaysia
Source: ASUS Malaysia
Source: ASUS Malaysia
Other than the System on a Chip platform that differs from the ROG Phone 5s and ROG Phone 5, there is not much else that separates the two devices. They virtually look the same, and you might think that they might be the same devices put side-by-side. The ROG Phone 5s also comes one regular variant, and one Pro variant, very much like the older ROG Phone 5. There is no Ultimate variant for this though.
You can regard the 5s Pro as the replacement to the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate though. The Pro variant comes with an overkill 18GB of RAM space and 512GB of storage. That is alongside the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+. You also get the little customizable ROG Vision OLED display at the back of the device with the ASUS ROG Phone 5s Pro.
Variants
Retail price
Availability
Warranty
Remark
Colour
SD888+/8GB Ram/128GB Storage
RM2,999
Oct-21
1 Year
Not included: AeroActive cooler
Phantom Black & Storm White
SD888+/16GB Ram/256GB Storage
RM3,799
Oct-21
1 Year
Not included: AeroActive cooler
Phantom Black & Storm White
Pro SD888+/18GB Ram/512GB Storage
RM4,999
Oct-21
1 Year
Included: AeroActive cooler ROG Vision: Coloured
Phantom Black
Accessories
Price
Availability
Warranty
ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad (for ROG Phone 5)
RM499
Oct-21
3 Months
LIGHTING ARMOR CASE (ROG5)
RM199
Oct-21
3 Months
AeroActive Cooler 5
RM149
Oct-21
1 Year
ROG Clip
RM149
Oct-21
3 Months
ROG Phone 5 Screen Protector
RM79
Oct-21
nil
ROG KUNAI 3 BUMPER
RM69
Oct-21
3 Months
ROG 1.8M USB-C TO C CABLE
RM59
Oct-21
6 Months
The ROG Phone 5s series will be available in Malaysia from the 21st of October 2021 onward. The device will be available in two colours – Phantom Black and Storm White. The top-of-the-line Pro variant will be available only in one colour option though, the Phantom Black. You also only get the AeroActive cooler bundled with the Pro variant. The regular device starts at MYR 2,999 (8GB + 128GB). There is also a second option (16GB + 256GB) that retails at MYR 3,799. The range-topping Pro variant meanwhile will be sold for MYR 4,999. For more information on the ASUS ROG Phone 5s and its Pro variant, you can visit their website. Or, you can pre-order your ASUS ROG Phone 5s or ROG Phone 5s Pro now.
HMD Global seems to be pushing more Nokia devices this year and even entering new spaces. The latest device to enter the Nokia portfolio is an Android-powered tablet – the Nokia T120. The tablet also marks the brand’s first entry into the tablet space since it was first relaunched. It’s also part of a resurgence in the Android tablet space which has been spearheaded by the likes of Lenovo, Samsung and Xiaomi.
The Nokia T20 is a unique tablet. It comes with a UNISOC system on a chip. Never heard of them? Well, UNISOC is a Chinese semiconductor company. The specific SoC used is the UNISOC Tiger T610 which is an octa-core processor. It’s a 12nm chip with two high-performance Cortex A75 cores and six high-efficiency Cortex A55 cores clocked. The caveat, if you haven’t picked up on it just yet, is that the cores are relatively dated. The A75s were last used in Qualcomm’s 2017 flagship Snapdragon 845. However, that may be a boon to Nokia’s new tablet as it’s definitely a factor in keeping the price down.
The processor is complemented with either 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage or 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. If you need extra memory, there’s support for a microSD card. On the display side of things, the Nokia T20 comes with a 10.4-inch LCD with 2000×1200 pixel resolution and a 5:3 aspect ratio. It has “toughened glass” for protection. It supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11b/g/n/ac) and Bluetooth 5.0. There is also a 4G LTE variant that supports 4G connectivity. On the camera front, it has a 5-megapixel selfie camera and an 8-megapixel main sensor. The Nokia T20 is powered by an 8,200mAh battery capable of 15W fast charging through a USB-C cable. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The tablet itself will have an aluminium back which should give it some added durability. HMD is claiming that the battery will be able to last up to 15 hours on a single charge. The company has also committed to three years of security updates and 2 years of major Android updates for the tablet. The Nokia T20 will launch with Android 11.
Pricing & Availability
The Nokia T20 will be making its way to select markets starting on October 6, 2021. It will be priced at €UR199 (MYR961.49) for the Wi-Fi only version. The 4G LTE version will be priced at €UR239 (MYR1,154.78).
It will only be available in Nokia’s signature Ocean Blue colour.
Console gaming was given new life with the launch of the Nintendo Switch. Since then, it seems like the new normal for consoles is to walk the tightrope between being portable and being a full-fledged console. Only recently, we saw Valve announce a competitor to Nintendo’s most popular console with the Steam Deck. It seems like the Switch may have another competitor coming its way with the Lenovo “Legion Play”.
I know, I know – we don’t usually cover leaks here at techENT but this was too good to ignore.
We’re all familiar with Lenovo’s Legion brand. It’s the company’s lineup made for gamers. They have been releasing some of the best performing and looking laptops since their inception and, of course, the Legion Phone Duel lineup. It seems like they are looking to include hand-held consoles to their repertoire as well.
The Lenovo Legion Play was accidentally uncovered by users over at GBAtemp.net on Lenovo’s MWC 2021 website. That said, the Legion Play was never officially announced at MWC 2021 or Lenovo’s Tech World. Instead, the images that were discovered were pretty well hidden and their links lead to a blank page.
The Lenovo Legion Play seems to be an Android-powered handheld console. However, the write up indicates that this console may not support any physical media. Instead, it’s referred to as a “cloud-gaming console”. This could mean that Lenovo isn’t developing this alone. In fact, one of the renders features NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW front and centre. However, this clearly indicates that Lenovo is looking to take on the Steam Deck with cloud gaming.
While we don’t really know the full specs of the device, from what was stumbled upon, it looks like quite the machine. It comes with a 7-inch FHD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The display has HDR10 support and the Legion Play itself seems to have built-in controllers, dual speakers and dual vibration motors. It’s also powered by a 7,000mAh battery.
Source: Liliputing
From the renders, we can make out a D-pad, two analogue sticks, the A, B, X, Y buttons, and shoulder buttons. There may possibly be a few more buttons on the face of the console. The overall design looks really sleek – reminiscent of a PS Vita. Renders also show a custom interface atop Android. The interface seems to take a few cues from the Nintendo Switch. With games being front and centre while other apps take the backseat under them.
While we don’t really know much else, the Legion Play could have been a really interesting device to have in the market. It could also be priced more affordably than their Legion Phone Duel. However, we can’t be sure if the machine will ever see the light of day. Lenovo could choose to forgo launching the Legion Play indefinitely or we could see it launched in the next few months.
The Apple iPhone 13 series was just launched about two weeks ago. The Apple iPhone 13 series is Cupertino’s latest and greatest pride. The new device features an all-new 5nm A15 Bionic System on a Chip (SoC). It is also Apple’s first iPhone to exclude the 64GB version and the iPhone 13 Pro series is the first smartphone in Apple’s line-up to also offer 1TB of storage.
Now you have the chance to be the first people in Malaysia to own Apple’s latest and greatest iPhone. Maxis and Celcom has opened their pre-order programmes for the Apple iPhone 13. There is no word on pre-orders from U Mobile and Digi just yet.
Source: Maxis
Source: Maxis
Source: Maxis
Source: Maxis
Source: Maxis
From Maxis, the iPhone 13 Mini will set you back from MYR 66 a month onward with a three-year commitment on Maxis Zerolution Postpaid 188 plan. The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max, in this case, will set you back MYR 115 a month. Maxis’ pre-order will end on the 7th of October 2021 though and you can expect your devices to come from the 8th of October 2021 onward. If you do not want to be tied down to a contract with Maxis, you can buy the device from Maxis from as low as MYR 1,736, which will still be lower than retail anyway.
Source: Celcom
Source: Celcom
Source: Celcom
Source: Celcom
Source: Celcom
Celcom is approaching the pre-order in a slightly different way though. Their pre-order also started 12.01 a.m. this morning. The first 1000 customers to pre-order the device will get an MYR 250 (up to) rebate on their iPhone 13 pre-orders with Celcom. You can also order Apple’s new accessories that are available from Celcom’s stores with the Celcom Mix and Match. Celcom is also offering a 6-month subscription of iQiYi complementary to your iPhone 13 pre-order with them.
For more information on Maxis’ pre-order programme, you can check out their website. You can also visit Celcom to find out more about their pre-order programme and compare prices if you want. Of course, you can find information on Apple’s latest iPhone 13 on their own website. Now we wait for the Apple iPad Mini with the A15 Bionic to be available in Malaysia.
HUAWEI has now spent more than 3 years outside the Google ecosystem. Since 2019, HUAWEI has launched the HUAWEI Mate 30 series without Google’s Play Store installed. They have also launched the HUAWEI P40 series, Mate 40 series, and P50 series.
Ever since HUAWEI stopped sporting Google’s Play Store too, they have been developing their own App Gallery to fill the gap left by Google’s app marketspace. The App Gallery is not exactly new for HUAWEI devices though, even before 2019. The HUAWEI App Gallery, while has been running alongside the Google Play Store for a while, was not a fully matured platform just yet.
This was 3 years ago. HUAWEI’s App Gallery has grown quite a lot since then. HUAWEI has done everything it can to push and even attract new developers for their platform. They have collaborated with anyone willing to develop on their platform. This means that HUAWEI’s App Gallery is now the third-largest app marketplace in the world.
Does that mean that HUAWEI devices are now worth a look? Should you consider running a HUAWEI secondary driver, or even a primary one? We attempt to answer all of that with the HUAWEI Nova 8.
Design
The HUAWEI Nova 8 is built of similar materials you find on any modern smartphones. You have two pieces of glass that sandwiches an aluminium frame. The top and bottom of the device features a flat taper. The flat sections are flat enough for you to stand your Nova 8 on its own – we tried.
The glass back is nothing special in terms of materials too. The device looks rather pretty though. The Blush Gold on this Nova 8 makes it feel a little more special than it is though.
At the same time, the device is built to a premium standard. The way the metallic side of the device tappers seamlessly to the display helps the illusion of a single solid piece. Even the milled holes on the device looks precise albeit some alignment issues. The only indication that this is still a mid-range device would be its NOVA branding at the glass.
The oval camera housing is a nod to the older HUAWEI devices like the P30 series. While the main camera takes up nearly half the module, it does not look imposing. They arranged the three other smaller lenses in a way that complements main camera.
Hardware
As mentioned, the HUAWEI Nova 8 is a Kirin device. You have HUAWEI’s own Kirin 820E System on a Chip (SoC) powering the HUAWEI Nova 8. It is still a highly respectable ARM Cortex-A76 and Cortex-55 blend in today’s smartphone standard.
The HUAWEI Nova 8 does not come with HUAWEI’s Harmony OS 2. Instead, it is the trusty EMUI 12 based on Android. This is also their third iteration of EMUI since losing Google Play Store.
While the iterations of EMUI have not changed a lot in terms of look and feel between the HUAWEI devices, there are differences between 11 and 12. If you look closely, HUAWEI Nova 8’s EMUI 12 does not feature an “Android Version” category anymore in the About Phone submenu. That does not mean that the HUAWEI EMUI 12 is a completely different breed of Operating System (OS) though, they are still Android based, as far as we can tell anyway.
HUAWEI App Gallery
You still do not have access to Google’s curated apps. HUAWEI’s App gallery has grown tremendously though. With HUAWEI’s Petal Search integration, the App Gallery now searches the web for alternatives or APK files of your searched app. Either that, or you access a web version of apps like Google Drive.
You can use apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and even Instagram. They are not natively supported by HUAWEI App Gallery though. The only good news from that is that because HUAWEI’s EMUI 12 is essentially still Android, APK files works. The bad news is that you cannot transfer WhatsApp data between devices via cloud.
The HUAWEI Nova 8 does not have Google’s Mobile Services Framework, which also means it will not be able to unlock the use of Google’s suite of apps like Google Maps, for example. We tried installing Google Maps as an APK file, but it refuses to launch after.
The good news is that Malaysia is a big supporter of HUAWEI’s App Gallery. That also means that plenty of the local banking and e-wallet apps are available from HUAWEI App Gallery. You even have the MySejahtera COVID tracking app on HUAWEI’s AppGallery.
Always-On Display
Always-on display can find its roots in Samsung’s implementation of Android in TouchWiz. But because it is a function loved by users, Google made always-on display a feature on their own smartphones and eventually the function makes its way into other Android devices.
On the HUAWEI Nova 8, the always-on display is a clever system that keeps your battery life optimised when not in use. That also means that the always-on display is not constantly on. It only turns on when you interact with the device by tapping its display once.
Other than showing just time, we configured the always-on display to show date, battery percentage and other notifications. The time, date, and battery percentage show up nicely. Notifications will show up too, provided you have not seen any of it yet.
The only customisation you get is choosing how your clock looks in the always-on display menu. The always-on also displays a snippet of your notifications, including snippets of your WhatsApp, Telegram, or messages, just before you unlock your device and access the apps.
Separating Notifications and Quick Settings Access
HUAWEI EMUI 12 system, while still an Android overlay, feels a little different. HUAWEI now divides the notification bar into two sections. On the left side is the notification center, where all the latest updates to your apps, missed calls, messages gets displayed. When you swipe down from the right side, you get all your quick settings toggles. You also access the settings menu from here now.
It takes some getting used to, admittedly. Once you get used to it though, you start wondering why other Android devices do not implement similar features. It makes accessing the quick settings menu one gesture quicker.
We do have to say though that the quick settings menu does feel and look very much like what you get on an iOS. While it may not be a carbon copy of one, it still feels very much like it especially with the media player, WiFi, and Bluetooth widgets being standalone toggles.
No App Tray – Business as Usual
HUAWEI’s famous overlay of Android comes with no app tray like all of the EMUI that came before it. All its apps are organised on its home screen. You can hide apps you do not use very often, but you cannot find an app tray to access it later.
You can still add widgets and folders to the homescreens though. With EMUI 12 you simply pinch on the display and a menu will pop out at the bottom for you to add widgets, homepages, and even a folder. You can also group apps together now in enlarged folders for quicker access to the apps you want and to keep things tidy.
Performance
Modern mid-range devices like the HUAWEI Nova 8 are more than capable at running apps as smoothly and as fast as flagship device. Modern hardware has improved so much that performance differences between two classes of device are not quite apparent these days.
Call Quality and Connectivity
We solely relied on Yes 4G for the HUAWEI Nova 8 throughout our tests. On Yes 4G’s network the HUAWEI Nova 8 can make and receive VoLTE calls, which helps with call fidelity and quality of conversations. Of course, your call quality depends on the network strength as well.
There have not been any major dropped calls with the device. Even when the network is a little on the weak side, calls have come through and gone without hiccups until you lose the network completely. Data speeds may vary though in these instances. On the subject of data speeds, that is more a network provider issue than anything else.
Gaming
While the device has less power on paper than a flagship device, it does not necessarily mean it is that much worse. In fact, the HUAWEI Nova 8’s Kirin 820E is capable of running Mobile Legends: Bang Bang at its highest graphics settings without breaking too much of a sweat. The heat build up is never anywhere near uncomfortable in our time of use too.
Of course, a fast display helps very much in terms of immersion and experience in games. The games load smoothly and quickly when on the HUAWEI Nova 8. They even look pretty good thanks to the vivid colours of the OLED panel.
Multitasking and Productivity
Modern smartphones have been optimised to cope with multitasking instances on any given device. We had more than 20 tabs open in the HUAWEI Nova 8’s native browser and still keep do other things on the device without too much of an inconvenient lag.
Opening apps never felt sluggish or slow as well in our tests. At some point we were installing multiple apps from HUAWEI’s App Gallery at the same time, and still scrolling through the App Gallery without any issues. We also left multiple apps running at the same time without having to close any of the apps when we need to jump to another app.
Battery Life
HUAWEI’s legendary battery life status is down to their clever battery management system. The battery management system in the latest EMUI on the HUAWEI Nova 8 is cleverer and more sophisticated than the old system. It does not turn off selective apps anymore, but it still somehow ekes out as much life out of the 3,800 mAh battery as possible.
The HUAWEI Nova 8 on standby can last up to four days on a single charge. On a typical usage, with the device jumping between relying on WiFi and 4G networks, the device still lasts up to two days. A typical use in our case consists of some light WhatsApp texting, watching videos on YouTube (web), playing quick games of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, taking and making a few calls, and taking a few photos as well.
It also comes with a charger in the box. It charges up to 66W with the provided charger and USB Type-C cable. Most of the time, we charge the device when the battery hits 20%. In those cases, we get a full charge in just below two hours.
Display
The HUAWEI Nova 8 features a Full HD+ 6.7-inch OLED panel with up to 90Hz refresh rate. They did not mention its response rate, but do you really care? We do not, in this case at least.
OLED is known for its vivid colours that translates well on the HUAWEI Nova 8. The display is really bright, which also means you get to see some extra details when working with the device. The brightness also helps with visibility when you are outdoors.
While it produces very vivid colours, it does not match the colour standards of the newer flagship devices like the HUAWEI P50 series and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. Unless you use your smartphone to colour grade your videos, edit your photos, or any other work with accurate colour requirements, you hardly notice that much in difference.
90Hz Smoothness
The HUAWEI Nova 8 shows that you do not need a display that refreshes at 120Hz. A display that refreshes at 90Hz is more than enough to make the smartphone feel snappy and smooth. While 90Hz is nothing to shout about, it is a reminder that high refresh rate displays could be overrated.
If you are a casual mobile gamer, you really are not missing out on a lot between 90Hz to 120Hz. You see as much as the next gamer with 120Hz in games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, or even Garena’s Free Fire. The differences are so marginal that in most cases, you hardly notice it.
Camera
The HUAWEI Nova 8 is a testament to how good the modern smartphone camera technology is. While it may not be representative and does not offer the best that the smartphone camera technology has to offer, it is not that far off.
You get a 64-Megapixel shooter that is capable of shooting RAW photos in Pro mode. In Pro Mode you get more granular controls to your ISO, shutter speed, AutoFocus metering, exposure, and manual focus.
In regular photo mode, the camera only takes 16-Megapixel photos instead of the full 64-Megapixel it is capable of. You only access all 64-Megapixel that your device can offer in Pro mode with RAW settings, or the high-res mode. You lose the AI function in either modes though.
You have more than enough for social media purposes though. At the same time, with AI on, the camera captures great looking photos with a lot of details and amazing looking colours.
We find that the most stunning camera feature from the HUAWEI Nova 8 is the Night Mode. Photos that look dark and grainy in regular mode looks bright and properly detailed. Of course, you can see that the details are softer once you zoom in.
The HUAWEI Nova 8 – Another Great HUAWEI Device, still a HUAWEI Though
The HUAWEI Nova 8 is a pretty device. As expected from a HUAWEI device, the build quality of the device is premium. At MYR 1,899, the HUAWEI Nova 8 is a compelling device too.
There is not much wrong with EMUI 12. It feels smooth, intuitive, and still works like other Android devices with HUAWEI’s usual tweaks. It feels so smooth and snappy on the 6.7-inch 90Hz display it feels like a flagship device.
It is not a 5G ready device. There are devices at lower price points that will sport 5G, which makes the HUAWEI Nova 8 a little of an anomaly in the sea of smartphones in the market. That is a relatively minor issue though.
The big issue is that it does not come with Google’s Play Store. You will not be able to work with Google Apps at all. You can use WhatsApp but you cannot transfer your chats via cloud. You do not get access to Netflix app as well.
At MYR 1,899, the HUAWEI Nova 8 is a worthy contender in the mid-range smartphone segment. Although, you must remember you cannot access and run Google’s suite of apps. Otherwise, you are getting a great mid-range smartphone that is more than capable as your daily driver, play any of your mobile games, and perform like any modern flagships.
Xiaomi just launched their new Xiaomi 11T series globally last week. This week, the new Xiaomi device is finally here. Well, it was not a long wait anyway.
If you haven’t known yet, the new Xiaomi 11T series is the latest flagship series coming from the Chinese giant. For eagle eyed viewers as well, you will be right in pointing out that the latest Xiaomi 11T does not carry the Mi branding anymore. The Xiaomi 11T series are the first devices not to carry the Mi branding as well.
As per the global launch, they launched the entire Xiaomi 11T line-up including the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE. They also launched the Xiaomi Pad 5 tablet for good measure. At the same time, the launch comes with a few attractive deals.
Xiaomi 11T and Xiaomi 11T Pro
The new Xiaomi 11T series picks up where the Xiaomi Mi 11 left off. You get a very powerful 108-Megapixel main camera. You get a 2x telemacro lens as well alongside an ultra-wide-angle lens to work with. The new 108-Megapixel sensor also allows the Xiaomi 11T devices to shoot videos at 8K resolution with HDR10+ colours. At the same time the Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro are also equipped with a 6.67-inch Full HD+ 120Hz AMOLED TrueColor displays that can push 1 billion colours at HDR10+ standards. With up to 480Hz touch sampling rate, gaming should be quite an experience with this device.
Xiaomi 11T Pro
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
The new Xiaomi 11T Pro packs a very powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 System on a Chip (SoC). Because it is a Qualcomm device, you also get speedy charging. It is not like any other fast-charging technology though. It takes fast charging technology to a whole new level. Instead of just charging at a measly 60W speeds, the Xiaomi 11T Pro charges at 120W. How Xiaomi achieves this speed, the Xiaomi 11T Pro splits its large 5,000mAh battery into two and each charge at 60W simultaneously. That results in a full charge in just 17 minutes from nothing. With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, the Xiaomi 11T Pro is an entertainment powerhouse, especially with SOUND by Harman Kardon tuned speakers.
Xiaomi 11T
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
The Xiaomi 11T packs a MediaTek Dimensity 1200-Ultra chipset instead of the Qualcomm. It does not mean that the Xiaomi 11T is a much less powerful device though. The Xiaomi 11T is a 5G device still. While you do not get 120W in charging speed, the Xiaomi 11T still charges at 67W speed with a 36 minutes 100% charge.
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
The most budget friendly smartphone device of the bunch is the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE. It does not look anything like the Xiaomi 11T, to be fair. It retains the Xiaomi Mi 11 look. It sports a 6.55-inch AMOLED DotDisplay with Full HD+ resolution with 10-bit TrueColor support with Dolby Vision that makes this Xiaomi 11 Lite an entertainment powerhouse still.
Out the back is 64-Megapixel main camera supported by an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 5-Megapixel telemacro lens. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G SoC, the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE is still powerful enough for more AI camera effects and even cinema effects. Keeping all of these working on overtime is a 4,250mAh battery with 33W fast charging technology.
Xiaomi Pad 5
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
The new Xiaomi Pad 5 is really an Android tablet that you can look at and ask; “should my Android tablet be more expensive than this?”. While it is not the most powerful Android tablet you can find in the market, it is still a formidable one. It also comes with a smart (Xiaomi Smart Pen) stylus like all the other Android tablets.
The Xiaomi Pad 5 comes with a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC, a 7nm flagship class SoC that is still very capable despite its age. There is a 13-Megapixel camera out the back and an 8-Megapixel working out front for video calls and selfies, if you are into that kind of thing with a tablet. The display is a very fast 120Hz WQHD+ 11-inch display. The display is also a Dolby Vision display paired to Dolby Atmos quad speakers. All these are powered by a large 8,720mAh battery to keep them running all day.
Price and Availability
The Xiaomi 11T and Xiaomi 11T Pro will be available in Malaysia 2nd of October 2021 onward on Lazada and Shopee, in authorised Mi stores, and other authorised retailers in Malaysia. Xiaomi 11T Pro will start at MYR 2,099 and tops out at MYR 2,299. The Xiaomi 11T will start at MYR 1,699 and tops out at MYR 1,899. Both the Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro will be available in Meteorite Gray, Moonlight White, and Celestial Blue.
The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE will be available today onward via Lazada and Shopee as well. It will also be available in authorised Mi stores and other official retailers across Malaysia. The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE will come in Truffle Black, Bubblegum Blue, Peach Pink, and a Snowflake White. You can get your hands on one for MYR 1,199 onward and tops out at MYR 1,599 (8GB + 256GB).
The Xiaomi Pad 5 will be available today onward as well on Lazada. Later, you can get the Xiaomi Pad 5 will be available in authorised Mi stores and other official retailers, including on Shopee. The Xiaomi Pad 5 is now available in Cosmic Gray and Pearl White. The Xiaomi Smart Pen is sold separately with no confirmed price and availability yet at this time.
The Xiaomi 11T series goes on pre-order today onward until 29th of September 2021 (11.59 p.m.) with various premium free gifts. Customers stands a chance to win a 43-inch Mi P1 TV when they buy the new Xiaomi 11T series from the 2nd of October to 4th of October 2021 onward. Customers who purchased the Xiaomi 11T series before the 31st of October 2021 will receive one free screen repair within the first six months of purchase on top of a 1+1 year limited warranty. Any purchase of the Xiaomi 11 5G NE will receive a free screen repair within the first six months of purchase.
More information on the Xiaomi 11T, 11T Pro, Xiaomi 11 5G NE, and the Xiaomi Pad 5 can be found on their website.
Less than a month ago, vivo announced their new flagship series: the vivo X70 series. The new flagship series is the first to come with vivo’s new in-house imaging processor, the V1 imaging processor. The new smartphone continues to push vivo’s aspirations of becoming the go-to brand when it comes to smartphone photography.
Source: vivo
The vivo X70 series packs a custom MediaTek Dimensity 1200 which gives the phones 5G connectivity. It also comes with the lineup’s signature Gimbal Stabilization for its ZEISS co-engineered cameras. This time all the series’ cameras come with ZEISS T* coating which promises better photography performance. The series is also one of the first to feature extendable RAM technology.
The vivo X70 and X70 Pro both come with quad-camera setups which allow users to get the most out of their partnership with ZEISS. The smartphones come with multi-sensor setups for their cameras. The vivo X70 has a triple camera setup with a 40-megapixel main sensor paired with two 12-megapixel sensors. The X70 Pro on the other hand comes with a quad-camera setup with a 50-megapixel main sensor paired with two 12-megapixel sensors and an additional 8-megapixel sensor. You can get the full details in our coverage of its initial announcement.
Source: vivo
Together with the X70, vivo also announced their new entries into their true wireless earbuds: the TWS 2e and TWS 2 ANC. As the name suggests, the TWS 2 ANC comes with active noise cancelling so you can tune out the world. The 2e is your regular run-of-the-mill true wireless earbuds. Both come with touch capabilities and have aptX compatibility.
Pricing and Availability
The vivo X70 series will be available off shelves starting on 1 October 2021. The X70 will retail for MYR2,499 while the X70 Pro comes in at MYR3,299. There is no word yet on if and when the X70 Pro+ will be available.
They are now available for pre-order through their various dealers and online stores. Pre-orders of both will be entitled to vivo’s Protection Plus service which provides an extra year of warranty and 1-year screen crack protection worth MYR399. In addition, pre-orders of the X70 Pro will also receive a Bluetooth Soundbar and VIU TV membership card worth MYR400; while X70 pre-orders will be entitled to a Bluetooth speaker, high-speed car charger and VIU TV membership worth MYR200.
vivo’s TWS 2 series earbuds are also available for pre-order. Those who pre-order the smartphones will also be able to take advantage of the purchase with purchase promo for the TWS 2 series. The TWS 2e will be available for MYR68 while the TWS 2 ANC will be available for MYR98 as a part of the promo. They will retail at MYR269 for the TWS 2e and MYR369 for the TWS 3 ANC.
