As the launch of Nothing’s mid-range smartphone, the Nothing Phone (2a), draws near. Nothing has released a 10-minute video, in which it hinted at creating a truly special device for its community.
The official launch of the Nothing Phone (2a) is set for March 5, 2024, with a global release expected to follow. However, for US customers, a unique twist awaits – the need to enrol in a “Developer Program” to acquire the device. This echoes the approach taken during the Phone (1) launch, signalling a strategic move in the US market.
A notable change highlighted in the video is the absence of the “Beta Membership” label used during the Phone (1) launch, suggesting enhanced US network support.
Adding to the intrigue, Nothing teased a crucial detail – the price. While the exact cost remains undisclosed, the company assured viewers that the Phone (2a) would come at a more affordable price point than its predecessor, the Phone (1), initially priced at $299 in the US.
Leaked information has started to surface, providing a sneak peek into the Phone (2a). According to tipster Yogesh Brar, the device is rumoured to feature a 6.7-inch OLED panel, Dimensity 7200 Ultra SoC, 50MP main camera, 50MP ultrawide camera, and a 32MP selfie shooter. With a promising 45W fast charging support, the Phone (2a) is shaping up to be a compelling mid-range option.
Source: X.com
As the countdown to March 5 continues, speculations abound on what Nothing will unveil next. Will they manage to keep the mystery intact, or will leaks gradually unravel the excitement?
Stay tuned for more updates as Nothing drops hints, promising a unique device that combines affordability with cutting-edge features.
CelcomDigi is really upping the ante when it comes to owning devices with an RM0 upfront payment. The Telco is looking to make electronic vehicle (EV) ownership even easier with a CelcomDigi postpaid subscription. In partnership with Yinson GreenTech, the Telco will be making ownership of an e-bike as easy as owning a smartphone with its Easy360 instalment plans. The partnership will see RydeEV’s electric bikes become an option for subscribers with their postpaid plans for as low as RM299.
The new initiative lowers the cost of ownership of EVs tremendously. It comes as a result of a partnership between CelcomDigi’s Innovation Center and Yinson GreenTech. Under this plan, customers will be able to own either rydeEV’s Ryder or Hyper e-bike models with CelcomDigi’s Postpaid for RM299 and RM430 a month respectively. This will be in addition to the Postpaid subscription which starts at RM70. After a contract period of 36 months, customers will have the option of owning the bike for a further RM1 payment.
In addition to the subscription plan, customers who qualify for the Electric Motorcycle Use Promotion Scheme (MARiiCas) from the government will receive a further RM2,400 rebate on their e-bike purchases. This will be remitted as a monthly RM200 rebate over a period of 12 months. This means that you’ll be able to own an e-bike for as low as RM169 a month for the first year. Early birds will also get a limited edition helmet.
Both the Ryder and Hyper e-bikes from RydeEV have a riding range of 70-75km on a full charge at 45km/h speeds. However, they differ in their top speeds; the Ryder caps out at 65km/h while the Hyper caps at 90km/h. The Ryder is only available in red while the Hyper is available in three colours: red, blue and orange. If you run out of power, you won’t need to plug in as you can simply swap the battery out at a charging station. According to Yinson GreenTech, there are over 60 stations available in the Klang Valley area with more to come in the coming months.
Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 series wasn’t really the focus of Unpacked. Instead, Samsung spent a good chunk of the announcement talking about Galaxy AI that powers a whole bevvy of new features that run on One UI 6.1. The new focus on AI brings a renewed focus on creating features that help improve the user experience.
Galaxy AI is the AI platform that is powering a whole load of new features that will make its debut with the Galaxy S24 series. You may recognise a lot of these features from other large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Bard. However, Samsung is using LLMs and LAMs (Large Action Models) to bring a lot of useful and potentially revolutionary features for its devices – particularly the S4 Ultra.
Galaxy AI for Language
When it comes to features that are coming with the Galaxy S24 series, the ones that involve language are the ones that we’re most excited for. Samsung showed off two at Unpacked – both involving translation on the fly. With Galaxy AI on the Galaxy S24 series, you will be able to translate messages and conversations live and on the fly.
When it comes to messaging, Samsung is bringing on-the-fly translations to messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messages and more. This feature will allow you to translate your text messages as you receive them. Translations of your messages will appear underneath the original one. This feature is app-specific and will only work with apps that have been optimised for it. So far, we have confirmation that WhatsApp and Messages will be supported.
In addition to this, you’ll also be able to translate conversations on the fly while you’re on a call or with the person. This translation occurs nearly live as you speak. Of course, you will need to activate it by tapping the Galaxy AI button which will open a text-to-speech interface. This will show you in real-time the translations being done. However, it can’t save the transcript just yet.
Galaxy AI is also being integrated into the Samsung Keyboard. You will be able to use the keyboard to translate your input with the keyboard. These translations can then be sent to the person on the other end of the conversation. Did we mention? You will not need to shift between apps to do this – instead, it’s done on the Samsung keyboard itself.
Samsung has clarified that it’s not using Google Translate to power these features. Instead, they’ve developed these translation models in-house. From what we saw during the demo, the models are pretty reliable. There are about 25 languages available at the moment. All the translation models are done locally on your device.
Galaxy AI for Notetaking & Writing
The Samsung Notes app is getting a supercharge when it comes to Galaxy AI features. The app will be leveraging the generative capabilities of Galaxy more extensively. Samsung isn’t just using AI for handwriting recognition, it’s taking things to the next level with formatting, correction and summarizing.
Your handwritten notes can now be used as a basis to create neatly formatted documents. You’ll be able to take your handwritten or typed-out notes from a meeting to generate neatly organised meeting minutes. Not only does it do this, it will also give you a few options to choose from when it comes to how you want your notes to be presented.
You’ll even be able to generate a cover letter for your notes with Galaxy AI. The generative capabilities of Galaxy AI are pretty impressive, you’ll be able to generate summaries in different tones. Want to inject a little humour? You’ll even be able to get it summarized in Shakespearean English. This feature can even be used to reply to messages in supported messaging apps.
Even searching with Galaxy AI and Google is getting more intuitive with “circle to search”. The new feature allows you to literally draw a circle around the item you’re interested it will automatically search for the item you’ve circled. This can work with humans too, but only for public figures.
Nightography Integrates Galaxy AI
Galaxy AI is also being integrated into the camera features of the Galaxy S24 series. The new Quad Tele camera system which is present on the S24 Ultra leverages AI to help with Nightography and even regular image processing. Samsung is using Galaxy AI to help with the clarity of photos and videos taken with the Samsung Galaxy S24 series.
Samsung’s Zoom on the S24 is perhaps one of the most stable we’ve seen in a few years. You’re able to get clear, crisp shots with Galaxy AI. The stabilization is done by both the OIS modules of the camera sensors themselves. The resultant shot is pretty impressive even on hybrid zoom.
However, it’s not just about low-light Nightography and Zooming, Samsung’s Galaxy AI is also bringing quick post-processing and editing to your fingertips. You’ll be able to edit your photos to remove items from the background or replace items in your photos with Generative Fill. You can even remove reflections with Galaxy AI at the touch of a button. Even if you don’t know what will make your photo better, Galaxy AI will have suggestions for you.
Galaxy AI in the Background, But on Your Terms
Galaxy AI is going to be powering a whole bevvy of features that will be debuting with the Galaxy S24 series. However, Samsung isn’t going to be using your data if you don’t want it to. The company is allowing users to opt out of sharing data with its servers. You can toggle this option in the settings of One UI 6.1. However, if you do choose to opt out, you will be unable to leverage Galaxy AI’s features fully, only those features that can be processed locally on your device.
Samsung’s Galaxy AI will be coming to older Galaxy devices – IF the device has the computational power. To date the only devices that have been guaranteed an update with Galaxy AI are the Galaxy S23 series, the Galaxy S23 FE, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Due to computational requirements, Galaxy AI may not have all its features as it makes its way to older devices.
This year’s Galaxy Unpacked isn’t your regular unpacked. Where we expected Samsung to show off its new flagship, the company showed off its latest software prowess – Galaxy AI. The Galaxy S24 series was the vehicle for Galaxy AI’s debut. Galaxy AI will debut in One UI 6.1 on the Galaxy S24.
Specc’d for Galaxy AI
Before we jump into the meaty parts of Galaxy AI, let’s talk about the Galaxy S24 series. As always, the new flagship series will come with three variants – the Galaxy S24, the Galaxy S24+ and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Aside from Galaxy AI taking centerstage, Samsung is also making another big change with the Galaxy S24 series: it’s taking the curved display we’re used to seeing in the Galaxy S24 Ultra and giving it the boot. The whole series is now coming with flat AMOLED 2X displays with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. As usual, the sizes of the displays will differ according to the variant; the S24 will be coming with a 6.2-inch display, the S24+ will be coming with a 6.7-inch display and the Ultra will be coming with a 6.8-inch display. The displays come with Corning Gorilla Glass Armor across the board.
Aside from this, the Galaxy S24 series will be coming with the latest and greatest when it comes to processors. This includes both the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the Exynos 2400. For the Malaysian market, the Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24+ will be equipped with the Exynos 2400 while the S24 Ultra will be equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It seems like the American market will be getting the Snapdragon variant across the board. However, processor configurations will differ across different markets. These processors bring a new focus on AI features with dedicated NPUs. The S24+ and S24 Ultra will be coming with 12GB of RAM while the S24 will be coming with 8GB of RAM. The Ultra will also feature a titanium frame while the S24 and S24+ will come with armoured aluminium.
Dual Telephoto Cameras Bring Clarity to the Galaxy S24 Series
The Galaxy S24 Ultra will be the first Galaxy device to be equipped with a quad-camera setup. The highlight of this camera – aside from its Galaxy AI-powered features – is the new dual telephoto setup, The flagship comes with both a 50-megapixel telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. These sensors are complemented by a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor. The main sensor is a 200-megapixel. Upfront is a 12-megapixel selfie camera.
Samsung calls this new setup its Quad Tele System which brings better picture quality especially when it comes to zoomed-in pictures. It has near optical quality for pictures captured in up to 10x zoom. Going further will kick it into hybrid zoom which has been vastly improved with Galaxy AI.
The vanilla Galaxy S24 and the S24+ come with triple camera setups. This consists of a 50-megapixel main sensor complemented by the same 10-megapixel, 3x telephoto sensor and 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor. It even shares the same front 12-megapixel sensor up front for selfies. Nightography does make a return to the flagship. Samsung has enhanced low-light performance with the help of Galaxy AI
All of these features are powered by a 4,000mAh battery on the S24, a 4,500mAh battery on the S24+ and a 4,900mAh battery on the Ultra. Samsung is also bringing better battery performance with Galaxy AI with automatic optimisations happening in the background all the time. Speaking of optimisations, Samsung is promising 7 years of software support for its phones with the S24 series.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24+ will be available in Amber Yellow, Cobalt Violet, Marble Gray, and Onyx Black. If you want more variety, the Sandstone Orange, Sapphire Blue and Jade Green colours are available exclusively on Samsung.com. Prices start at RM4,099/USD$799 for the S24 and RM4,899/USD$999 for the S24+.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra will be available in Titanium Yellow, Titanium Violet, Titanium Gray, and Titanium Black. Like its siblings, additional colours – Titanium Blue, Titanium Orange and Titanium Green – are available exclusively on Samsung.com. Prices for the S24 Ultra start at RM6,299/USD$1,299.
Pre-orders for the series kick off today – 18 January 2024 – until 6 February 2024. During this time, purchases of the S24 series will come with an RM500 e-voucher for your next Samsung purchase on Samsung.com, an enhanced trade-in valuation worth up to RM650, a purchase with purchase discount on selected Galaxy Buds, up to RM800 off select Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Watch models when purchased together with the S24 series and up to 45% off on Samsung Care+ and accessories.
Detailed pricing and variants for Malaysia are in the table below.
Xiaomi’s Redmi lineup has to be one of the most popular smartphone lines in Southeast Asia. The Redmi Note line is even more so thanks to the large display, powerful cameras and large battery life. This year’s new Redmi Note 13 series builds on that ethos with a new focus on delivering unrivalled camera performance with a more chic, modern design.
The new Redmi Note 13 series is spearheaded by the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ sporting the MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra, paired with a triple camera setup with a 200-megapixel main camera sensor, an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. Upfront is a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies. The quad-core processor is supplemented by up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of onboard storage. The Redmi Note 13 Pro follows up closely with the same triple camera and memory setups and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2.
Together with these big hitters, Xiaomi also announced the Redmi 13 and Redmi 13 4G – yes, the company did announce a 4G version. The Redmi 13 4G comes with a Snapdragon 685 and sports a 108-megapixel main camera sensor. This is enhanced with an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. The Redmi 13 5G, on the other hand, comes with the same camera setup and a MediaTek Dimensity 6080. Both sport up to 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal memory.
When it comes to screens, all of the models come with a 6.67-inch display with a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate. The only difference is that the Pro and Pro+ come with a 1.5K resolution, CrystalRes AMOLED panel while the Redmi 13 4G and Redmi 13 5G come with an FHD+, regular AMOLED panel. All variants have coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space with support for Dolby Vision. The Pro and Pro+ come with higher 12-bit colour depth and 1800 nits peak brightness.
Battery-wise, the Pro comes with a 5,100 mAh battery supporting 67W Fast charge while the Pro+ comes with a 5,000mAh battery with support for 120W fast charging. The Redmi 13 and Redmi 13 4G, however, come with a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging.
Pricing & Availability
The Redmi Note 13 series will be available in stores starting on 20 January 2024.
Model
Colours
Retail Price (MY)
Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G (12GB+512GB)
Midnight Black, Moonlight White, and Aurora Purple
RM1,999
Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G (8GB+256GB)
Midnight Black, Moonlight White, and Aurora Purple
RM 1,599
Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G (8GB+256GB)
Midnight Black, Ocean Teal, and Aurora Purple
RM 1,399
Redmi Note 13 5G (8GB+256GB)
Midnight Black, Mint Green and Ocean Sunset
RM 1,099
Redmi Note 13 (8GB+256GB)
Graphite Black, Ocean Teal, and Arctic White
RM 899
Redmi Note 13 (6GB+128GB)
Graphite Black, Ocean Teal, and Arctic White
RM 749
From January 20 to February 2, the Redmi Note 13 Series will be coming with special freebies. With every purchase of Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G and Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, you will receive a FREE Redmi Buds 4 Active and Redmi Smart Band 8 Active. While purchases of Redmi Note 13 5G and Redmi Note 13 will come with a FREE Redmi Buds 4 Active. More excitingly, the Redmi Note 13 will be available at a special price of only RM699 on the official Xiaomi Store on Shopee.
Together with the OPPO Reno 11 Series announced today, OPPO also unleashed a trio of devices that to complement the new smartphone series. Among that trio is its newest tablet – the OPPO Pad Neo. A new, affordable tablet that complements its current line up of OPPO Pads including the Pad Air and Pad 2.
The new OPPO Pad Neo comes with a sizeable 11.4-inch ReadFit screen. It has a whopping 2.4K resolution and an atypical 7:5 aspect ratio. OPPO claims that this aspect ratio will give a more natural feel when reading on the table. The tablet boasts a 260 ppi pixel density and a 90Hz refresh rate. Colour accuracy wise, it only covers 96% of the NTSC colour space.
The tablet is also taking eye care into overdrive with features baked into the hardware to take care of your eyes. In addition to the 7:5 aspect ratio that mimics the size of an A4 paper, it comes with a colour temperature sensor. This sensor dynamically adjusts the colour temperature to suit the surroundings of the user. It has over 2,048 levels of adaptive brightness as well. Together with Bed Time mode, the tablet is optimised to reduce blue light emissions by more than 50% compared to a normal LCD screen. This is also supported by TUV Rheinland certifications as a Full Care Display and Circadian Friendly display.
The Tablet is able to connect seamlessly with compatible devices. This will enable cross device synchronization of compatible apps over Bluetooth. With features like Content Sync, App Relay and Screen Mirroring, you’ll be able to stay productive across devices seamlessly. If you’re opting for the WiFi version, it’ll be able to jump on to your phone’s connectivity with Communication Sharing. This feature is supposedly 30% more power efficient compared to conventional hotspots.
The OPPO Pad Neo comes with a MediaTek Helio G99 with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Powering all of this is a 8,000mAh battery with support for 33W SuperVOOC Flash Charge.
Pricing & Availability
The OPPO Pad Neo will be retailing for RM1,199 for the Wi-Fi version with 6GB RAM and 128GB onboard memory; and RM1,399 for the 4G LTE version with 8GB RAM and 128GB onboard memory.
Purchases of the Pad Neo will come with a Pad Neo Smart Case worth RM99.
OPPO‘s Reno Series just got a big upgrade. The new Reno 11 series is turning things up to 11 when it comes to portrait photography with an all-new approach and specifications that put photography first. With two new entries – the Reno 11 and the Reno 11 Pro, the new portrait photography-focused smartphone is bound to raise more than a few eyebrows. Keep in mind, that these devices are essentially brand new devices compared to the Reno 11 series that was released in China.
The global versions of the OPPO Reno 11 series come with MediaTek processors. The vanilla Reno 11 comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 while the Reno 11 Pro comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 8200. Both come with 16GB of RAM. The Pro comes with 512GB of internal storage while the vanilla version comes with 256GB. The display on both versions is a 6.7-inch OLED display with an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The display covers 100% of the DCI-P3 colour space and supports 10-bit colour depth. It also has a peak brightness of 950 nits.
When it comes to their cameras, the Reno 11 and Reno 11 Pro differ in their main camera sensors. The Reno 11 comes with a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 sensor while the Pro comes with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX 890. These sensors are complemented by a 32-megapixel telephoto Sony IMX709 sensor with 2x optical zoom and an 8-megapixel ultrawide Sony IMX355 sensor. Up front, there’s another 32-megapixel Sony IMX709 for selfies.
The phones support SuperVOOC charge. The Reno 11 Pro’s smaller 4,600mAh battery supports SuperVOOC Flash charging at 80W while the regular Reno 11 comes with a 5,000mAh battery with support for 67W SuperVOOC flash charging.
OPPO is taking a nature-inspired approach to the design with the Reno 11 series. The series itself comes in three colours and designs – Pearl White, Rock Grey and Wave Green. Pearl White is exclusively available for the Reno 11 Pro while the Wave Green is only available for the regular 11. All the colours take cues from elements in nature, the Pearl White takes it design cues from the mother of pearl with a unique three-layered assembly process that bring the dynamism of the mother of pearl to life. The Wave Green from the lapping ocean waves and Rock Grey from the rocks that dot the beaches.
Pricing & Availability
The OPPO Reno 11 Series will be available starting today. The Reno 11 Pro will be priced at RM2,899 while the regular Reno 11 will be priced at RM1,899.
Purchases of the smartphones from 11 January until 25th January will come with freebies worth up RM476.
Model
Freebies
OPPO Reno11 Pro
Rewards worth up to RM476 OPPO SUPERVOOC 80W car charger and cable worth RM178 Free 1-year extended warranty worth RM109 (valid till 31st Jan 2024)
Exclusively for My OPPO Members, customers will be eligible to receive additional rewards worth up to RM189 from Viu, ZUS Coffee and Lexis Hibiscus, Port Dickson.
OPPO Reno11
Rewards worth up to RM427 OPPO Enco Buds2 worth RM129 Free 1-year extended warranty worth RM109 (valid till 31st Jan 2024)
Exclusively for My OPPO Members, customers will be eligible to receive additional rewards worth up to RM189 from Viu, ZUS Coffee and Lexis Hibiscus, Port Dickson.
In conjunction with the launch, OPPO will be having a roadshow across three cities in Malaysia. Kicking off in Johor, the OPPO Reno 11 series will be on display at Johor Sutera Mall from 12 January until 14 january 2024. Penang will follow suit from the 26 January until 28 January 2024. Kuala Lumpur will wrap things up in February. OPPO will be announcing more details as the dates approach.
The Vivo X100 series made its debut late last November in China. The new X100 series is the next edition of Vivo’s ambitions to be the go-to camera smartphone for the masses. The new X100 series comes with the latest imaging technology from both Vivo and its partner – ZEISS.
Powerfully Similar With Minute Differences
Vivo is touting the X100 series as its most powerful flagship to date. Both the X100 Pro and the vanilla X100 run on the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 processor. This processor marks a change in architecture that focuses on supercharging smartphone performance. Previously, smartphone processors came with a combination of performance and efficiency cores. With the Dimensity 9300, this paradigm shifts to only performance cores. However, that doesn’t mean that power efficiency is taking a backseat.
When it comes to the silicon, both smartphones differ only in their image processing chip; the X100 comes with the Vivo V2 which debuted last year while the X100 Pro comes with the brand new Vivo V3. The Vivo V3 comes with updated fabrication technology and supports more complex imaging features like multi-concurrent AI-ISP architecture and second-generation Frame Info Tunneling (FIT) technology. Both the Vivo X100 and X100 Pro come with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal memory. No lower variants or the 1TB variant have been indicated at this time.
The X100 comes with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 120W Dual-Cell FlashCharge. The Vivo X100 Pro, on the other hand, comes with a larger 5,400mAh battery with support for wireless FlashCharge and 100W Dual-Cell FlashCharge. Both versions of the X100 come with a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
ZEISS Co-engineered Cameras with Improved Features
The Vivo X100 series also carries forward the partnership between ZEISS and Vivo when it comes to camera technology. The new X100 Pro comes packed with some of the latest innovations when it comes to smartphone photography. That said both versions of the X100 come with formidable setups.
The vanilla X100 comes with a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixel VCS True Colour sensor for the main camera. This is complemented by a 64-megapixel ZEISS Telephoto sensor and a 50-megapixel super wide-angle camera. Meanwhile, the X100 Pro ups the ante with a 1-inch, 50-megapixel ZEISS sensor as its main camera. This is complemented by a 50-megapixel ZEISS APO Floating Telephoto sensor and a 50-megapixel Super wide-angle camera. The 50-megapixel ZEISS APO Floating telephoto sensor comes with the new Vario-Apo-Sonnar standard from ZEISS. Thanks to this, you’ll be able to take more detailed and vibrant close-up and long-distance shots even at 6X and 10X zoom. Both of the smartphones come with the ZEISS T* coating.
Pricing & Availability
The Vivo X100 will be retailing for RM3,499 while the X100 Pro will be priced at RM4,599. Both variants will be available in two colours: Asteroid Black and Startrail Blue.
The Vivo X100 series is available for pre-orders online starting on 4 January 2024. Physical pre-orders will start on 6 January 2024. During the pre-order period, purchases of the X100 will come with complimentary 180-day screen protection valued at RM300 and vivo TWS air earbuds free. Pre-orders of the X100 Pro will come with the same 180-day screen protection, a vivo TWS 2e earbuds and a vivo selection smartwatch.
Regarding phones, Xiaomi is never far behind in its release, be it their flagship series like the recently released Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 14T (China only). Xiaomi always has something that keeps their customers on their toes. This time around they released the Redmi 13C, which goes just slightly above the norms of budgeted phones. The Redmi 13C comes in 4 vibrant colours: Midnight Black, Navy Blue, Glacier White and Clover Green. Priced at RM499.00 on their official store. The unit I received for review was the Navy-Blue Variant.
First Impressions and Unboxing
The box has a set of double-point charger heads, a USB Type-C cable, and a user manual. The unwrapping experience is still enjoyable as it was seamless and easy to open with the general kit you would normally see. I would like to say that I was happily pleased with the inclusion of a charger head as not many phones supply the charger heads anymore. Besides that, my first impression of the phone surprised me. At first glance, it looked polished and nearer to the high-end looks, thanks to its sleek and clean design and larger screen. This is one of its main highlights that I like.
Design
Xiaomi made a bold move by updating the Redmi 13C with a more refined and modern look. Minimal bezels and a U-shaped notch house the 8MP front camera, while the 6.74-inch LCD screen takes centre stage. The back has a matte coating that hides fingerprints and gives the device a shiny, clean appearance to appreciate. However, the back material makes it very smooth and, in my experience, makes it very slippery on certain surfaces and even when holding it in my hand.
Besides the slippery backside, the phone has a lightweight design and is decently sturdy. This phone provides a pleasant experience for any user. It also has a separate microSD slot for expandable storage, which can go up to 1TB. A 3.5mm headphone jack and a side fingerprint sensor, thoughtfully placed on the phone, all of which contribute to its user-friendliness. However, note that while using the phone, the side buttons feel incredibly flat against the surface. While some will take that as a plus, I found it a bit of a worry as the power button, which is also where the finger sensor is located, is so flattened that I worry if usage of pressing the power button can have it stuck down or wear it down to the point you can’t click it which is something to look out for long-term use.
Display
With a 90Hz refresh rate, the 6.74-inch LCD screen of the Redmi 13C has an immersive viewing feeling that most users will enjoy without any issue. However, during my phone use, there was an annoying glare from the display in certain positions or from certain viewing angle. It shouldn’t be much of an issue for most standard smartphone users in daily use. The display and screen are equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass, ensuring scratch resistance and long-lasting protection. The display’s mix of colour accuracy and vibrancy makes for a great everyday experience.
With a peak brightness of 600 nits, it tackles outside visibility and decently holds itself even in dark or low-lighting areas. Besides that, to ensure users’ eyes are always protected, the display also has reading and dark modes, which can easily be turned on or off with a tap. It’s also to note that the brightness display and control is quite unorthodox to me as it was longer than standard brightness control bars, but it gives more minute control to users, that’s for sure, on how bright or dim they wish it to be.
Performance
The Media Tek Helio G85 processor allows the Redmi 13C to breeze through regular chores. With 128 or 256 GB of storage and a choice of 4, 6 or 8 RAM, you can multitask with ease and speed. According to benchmark ratings, this smartphone performs admirably compared to others in its price range. But I wouldn’t recommend it for long gaming periods as the phone can overheat pretty decently and has a warning system. Besides that, the phone, thanks to its processor, can hold up decently with most heavy base games like Mobile Legends, and if you can tweak it a bit, it can even run to play heavy-duty games like PUBG or even Call of Duty. Still, it won’t be as smooth or visually pleasing compared to more expensive phones.
Redmi 13C also comes installed with MIUI 14.0.1, which improves the software experience and is based on Android 13. But some features are missing from this phone, such as the floating or minimised screen feature. If you used this function a lot on your previous phones, it’s sad to say you will not get it here. Kinda feels like a small nifty feature that would make this phone easily better.
Camera
The Redmi 13C has a 50MP primary camera, a 2MP macro camera, and an 8 MP selfie camera. Good and Standard results are achieved in daylight photography, while low-light performance is decent enough. Still, overall, when taking photos using the back camera, it seems reasonable and can keep up with most standard users who don’t have a lot of needs for their photography. Despite its 2MP resolution, the macro lens makes close-up photography quite lovely. While it doesn’t have many features compared to more expensive phones, the features include Portrait Mode, Night mode, Macro mode and 50mp mode. Besides that, when it comes to video recording, the quality is decent at 1080p, and it also has a nice time-lapse feature.
Charging and Battery Life
During my use of the phone, the most appealing part of it is its excellent battery life, lasting over two days for moderate users (when not using intensively or using it heavily), which is due to its large 5000mAh battery but when used for daily be it as a student or a working adult, the phone can easily last all day.
Now there is a large downfall here. While its battery life can withstand extended usage, the charging is so slow. A standard charger of 10W can easily take up to 1 to 2 hours (depending on your phone percentage when you plug in to charge) to reach 100 per cent. But when a fast-charging wire or charger head is used, a full charge can be reached in under two hours, and the charging process takes approximately 40-50 minutes, depending on how low your battery percentage is. So, if you’re in a rush and the battery is low, I recommend a power bank on the go because even with fast charging, it isn’t so fast.
Conclusion
Overall, the Redmi 13C shines out from the rest thanks to its sturdy, upgraded design and good all-rounded performance. It can easily compete successfully in the budgeted smartphone market as it also supports 5G and has a feature-rich MIUI. This phone’s only major downfall was its slippery nature without a phone case and the prolonged charging. Besides that, the Redmi 13C is a budget and user-friendly phone with features that make it seem more than a regular budgeted phone and still has the class to it. Overall, my experience with the phone has been a positive one, and I would recommend this phone to those who want a phone that won’t burn a hole in their pocket and, overall, is able to hold up close to some of the more expensive phones in this bracket.
Infinix’s GT 10 Pro boldly steps into the realm of smartphone design with its striking Cyber-Mecha aesthetics which comes in two variants: Cyber Black (black with orange stripes) and Mirage Sliver (silver with white strips on its back). With its futuristic design, the phone has the perfect aesthetic for any hardcore or casual gamer. The variant that we received was the Mirage Silver variant.
Design and Aesthetics
Regarding design, Infinix’s GT 10 Pro is a bold departure from the essential standard phone back covers as it draws inspiration from a futuristic, cyberpunk aesthetic. One of its most fantastic features is the LED indicator positioned alongside the camera, creating an illusion of elements embedded in a transparent plastic back. The LED has a captivating 3D effect with multiple effects: Blinking, Breathing and Meteor, Flowing Light, GT Racing, and Helium Flash. The phone’s flat back houses a camera island accommodating three cameras and a LED indicator. Notably, the LED indicator lights up during gaming, notifications, calls, and charging.
Despite the glossy surface, fingerprint smudges are not overly problematic, and the silver variant offers better resistance to such smudges and surprisingly cleans easily. The Infinix GT 10 Pro was very light and easy to hold as it was not as bulky nor heavy as your usual standard gaming phones. This makes the phone a big plus for those who want a gaming phone that won’t feel like a small brick in hand or something so bulky it has difficulties fitting in tight pockets.
But there is some downfall to this slim and sleek design. While everyone’s experience may vary, I found that I didn’t always have a good proper grip. I had to be constantly conscious of my grip when using the phone for daily tasks like calls or scrolling social media. Only the familiar landscape manner when playing games felt comfortable to me. I felt like it could easily slip through my grips when I am on the move while using the phone.
The Infinix GT 10 Pro has two side buttons on the right of the phone for power and volume. These are considerably thin and flat and may be easily mistaken for each other due to their proximity. Pressing the volume button instead of the power button was constant issue until muscle memory kicked in.
Material and Feature
The materials used for the GT 10 Pro primarily made from plastics, which initially felt fragile and not long lasting. I feel it I were to drop it by accident, it would most certainly chip. The plastic frame has a glossy texture which is quite notable. The phone’s right side houses the power and volume buttons, while the left side features a triple card tray that allows you to simultaneously use two SIM cards and a microSD card. The bottom of the device is home to the USB-C connector, one speaker grille, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Handling the GT 10 Pro is overall a reasonably comfortable experience despite the use of plastic. The shape of the phone makes it well-suited for gaming in landscape orientation. However, it can get annoying when your fingers curl around the camera island. It is slightly irritating to feel that slight texture and the eventual smudging of holding onto the camera subconsciously while playing. To have to consciously have to adjust to prevent camera smudging is not a fun experience.
Display
The Infinix GT 10 Pro has a 6.67-inch OLED panel with a centrally placed 32MP selfie camera. Thin side bezels contribute to the phone’s modern look, while the top and bottom bezels are slightly thicker. The display has a 120Hz refresh rate, providing a responsive and smooth user experience which is also great for gaming. While it falls somewhat short of the advertised 900 nits of brightness, it still delivers a good viewing experience, whether in the dark or outdoors.
Battery and Charging
The Infinix GT 10 Pro has a 5,000 mAh battery that performs great in gaming and all-day use when tested. It lasted from 100% from 8 am to 18% by 11 pm, and the device supports rapid charging with the included 45W charger. To charge fully from 1% to 100% will roughly take an hour. However, overall, the battery is long-lasting and performs dependably.
Audio Quality
The Infinix GT 10 Pro features a hybrid dual speaker setup, with the bottom speaker louder than the earpiece. Together, these speakers provide decent audio quality. However, when equipped with Bluetooth earbuds, the sound quality seems to diminish and sounds slightly off, but overall, it was pleasing to use and listen to.
Interface, Special Features and Customization
The device runs on Pure XOS 13, which is based on Android 13. Infinix’s software customisation features include the Magazine service on the lock screen, theming options, and extensive home screen customisation. However, the software does comes with pre-installed apps and customised UI elements, which may not be to everyone’s liking.
On the home screen, while there is the standard home screen, there is also an alphabetised app drawer with a search bar when you scroll from bottom to top, giving phone users more access to search for apps even if it’s not on the main screen. Like most smartphones, the notification and control centre can be accessed separately through the standard top-down swipe on either the left or the right to pull down the notification screen or the control centre. Besides that, it also comes with lighting multi-window, a floating app feature so you can have more than one screen at a time, and an intelligent panel, a side panel feature that pulls out when you long pull from either side of the phone. There are also multiple more features like Social Turbo, Game Mode, and even its gaming app, XArena, which will store/place your games automatically in one convenient location for easy access and can customise certain buttons to suit specific game mechanics or boost and optimise a game functions.
Gaming
A MediaTek Dimensity 8050 processor powers the Infinix GT 10 Pro. It delivers reasonably good performance but may experience throttling under sustained loads. The device supports a high refresh rate control with multiple modes, including 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz, along with an Auto Switch mode. It also comes with ample Storage of 256GB and 16 GB of RAM9( 8+8 RAM), ensuring this phone can withstand any games with ample storage needed and runs smoothly while playing. In contrast, the device does heat up when gaming or when recording. It wasn’t so hot that it had to be set down but is noticeable. The phone also has settings to ensure it does not overheat during gaming.
Camera
The Infinix GT 10 Pro’s camera system includes a 108MP primary camera, a macro shooter, and a depth sensor. The 108MP primary camera captures detail, boasting a large sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. The camera app provides various shooting modes and customisation options.
The camera performs admirably in well-lit conditions, delivering good detail and a wide dynamic range. Activating the AI mode enhances colour saturation, resulting in visually pleasing photos. However, the 2x zoom mode may fall short in low-light scenes.
The device supports 4K@30fps video recording, with the option for a Super Steady mode for stabilisation. In 4K video recording, the Infinix GT 10 Pro delivers good detail and colour quality. However, the Super Steady mode sacrifices resolution for stabilisation. These are some of the images taken with it.
Conclusion
The Infinix GT 10 Pro is impressive with its eye-catching Cyber-Mecha design and many appealing features, all at a decent price of RM999. While its performance may not meet the demands of the heavy real hardcore gaming, the device works wonderfully with its display, battery life, and camera system. While there are some drawbacks to the camera being slightly on the lower end compared to other cameras, the device and its other features make up for it. Overall, the phone is solid in all functions and great for most people who are not camera aficionados and are gamers.
