Tag Archives: mid-range

Android, Mobile, News

OnePlus Nord Will Be Coming to Malaysia, India and Europe – Here’s What You Need to Know

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Back in April, OnePlus had their announcement of their new flagships, the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. However, back then, rumours were rife with a third device in the series called the OnePlus 8 Lite, which never made its debut. Shortly after, the OnePlus Z surfaced with similar specifications. Now, we have confirmation from OnePlus itself, that their upcoming phone is the OnePlus Nord.

What is the OnePlus Nord?

Remember way back when OnePlus launched their first mid-range smartphone? You don’t? Well, lets talk a little bit about the missed opportunity that was the OnePlus X. Back in 2015, OnePlus released an ill-fated device called the OnePlus X, their first foray into a lower price range than their popular numbered flagship. The device wasn’t very popular and to be honest, was a dumpster fire of a device plagued with bugs.

Source: @Onleaks

Come 2020, we have the Nord. OnePlus second attempt at the mid-range market and to be honest, one that makes sense with their numbered flagships hitting true flagship prices. The OnePlus Nord seems to be shaping up as a successor for the OnePlus X. But saying that wouldn’t do justice to the difference in the company’s approach to the OnePlus Nord.

They are approaching the new device like a revitalization of the company’s “Never Settle” tagline. A new beginning for a truly powerful mid-range player with a price tag that puts the competition to shame.

What does the OnePlus Nord Pack?

While we don’t have full confirmations for all the specifications, we can say with confidence that the Nord is shaping up to be a really interesting offering in the mid-range space.

Initially, it was rumoured that the Nord, or the OnePlus Z, as it was known then, would be coming with the MediaTek Dimensity processor. However, the OnePlus Nord seems to now be coming with a Snapdragon 765G which will also mean that the smartphone will be 5G capable. It looks like the processor will be complemented by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. No word just yet on whether the phone will support microSD cards.

On the display side of things, it looks like the Nord will be coming with a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED display. The screen will have a Full HD+ resolution of 2220×1080 pixels and will have a 90Hz refresh rate. It looks like it will be a hole punch display with slim bezels. It will also be flat unlike the curved 8.

It looks like the OnePlus Nord will be coming with a Quad camera array – not the dual or triple camera setup that was initially rumoured. That said, the camera doesn’t look to be your run of the mill mid-ranger either. It’s a quad array with a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra wide sensor, a 5-megapixel macro sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. If it sounds familiar it’s a similar setup to the Redmi Note 9s which was recently released but it’s to be seen if the company is using the same Sony IMX module. On the selfie side of things, the new offering looks to be bringing a dual camera setup with a 32-megapixel main sensor paired with an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor.

Source: @evleaks

All of these specs is rumoured to be powered by 4,300 mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging. It will support USB-C but will not have a headphone jack – which is making more sense since we’re getting inklings of OnePlus launching it’s first true wirelsss earphones.

When can I get it and Where?

The new OnePlus Nord will be making its official debut on July 21, 2020 in a special augmented reality (AR) launch. You will need to download the Nord app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store to join in. It will be launching in a very limited beta in North America. However, Malaysia, India and select countries in Europe will be getting the smartphone in all its glory. It looks like the price will be around EUR€500 (MYR2,409.15). We expect the launch price to be about MYR1999-2299 in Malaysia to keep the phone competitive with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy A51 and the iPhone SE.

So far, these are the countries that have been confirmed to get the OnePlus Nord:

Asia

  • India
  • Malaysia

Europe

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Latvia
  • Malta
  • Netherlands

  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovenia
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom

Android, Mobile, News

OPPO Reno3 Series Brings 108-Megapixel Imaging to the Game at MYR 1,699

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OPPO has been really stepping up in the smartphone game. Their OPPO Find X2, as we have reviewed was one of the best flagship smartphones that you can buy in today’s money, in our opinions. The OPPO Find X2 Pro is also an impressive media powerhouse capable of wonderful things.

The OPPO A92 that was launched last week brings things a bit more down to earth. But still, the OPPO A92 was launched to impress too. It packs a great camera package in an offering that will set you back less than MYR 1,500. Today, they set out to impress the mid-range market with a high-end camera package in a smartphone. It is the OPPO Reno3 series.

Welcome to the OPPO Reno3 series. Like any other modern smartphone, there are two variants of the OPPO Reno3. There is the regular Reno3 and the Reno3 Pro. With the Pro, they brought the big gun out.

Source: OPPO

Yes, we start with the OPPO Reno3 Pro and its cameras. Technically because they start the presentation with that. There is a 64-Megapixel main camera flanked by a 13-Megapixel telephoto lens, a 2-Megapixel monochrome (black and white) sensor, and an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide lens. Get this though, the camera array can capture images at up to 108-Megapixel in resolution.

Wait a minute, the main sensor is only 64-Megapixel. Yes, we heard you. They do it via something called super sampling. What that means is that the camera itself takes multiple photos of the subject in quick successions or an instant. Those photos are then mashed together to fill pixel information that is missing from the original 64-Mgeapixel camera to create a highly detailed 108-Megpaixel resolution photo. It is a trick that plenty of professional photographers use to create an image that looks like it was taken via a medium format camera, but only using a full-frame or even an APS-C camera.

You must keep in mind that that kind of process is quite a lot of work and taxing to the hardware. That also means that you need to let your smartphone do its job before taking another photo. Take it with a pinch of salt and be patient. Still, we seldom see this kind of technology on a smartphone these days, so it is a welcome.

Source: OPPO

Going to the front is a punch hole that shoehorns two cameras for great selfies. The main shooter is A 44-Megapixel camera that is supported by a 2-Megapixel depth sensor. Again, not new implementation for a smartphone. We saw this on something like the Samsung Galaxy A8 before too. There are more modern smartphones with this kind of arrangement of course. What is more impressive though is OPPO’s ultra-dark mode for both the front and back camera. It somehow eliminates noised and at the same time, brightens images even when you can barely see anything while taking the photo.

The front cameras are embedded in a beautiful 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display pushing Full HD+ resolution to your eyes. Super AMOLED is widely known for its great colour contrast and vividness. There is no curved elements on the display though, unlike the Find X2. Like the Find X2 as well, the Reno3 series has given up on the pop-up mechanism. Turns out notches are not a bad thing.

The regular OPPO Reno3 still packs four cameras and can still shoot 108-Megapixel resolution photos. It might take the regular Reno3 to process the photos though with 48-Megapixel in tow. The other supporting cameras are the same as the Reno3 Pro. The regular Reno3 also comes with a single front facing camera at 44-Megapixel that is lodged in the familiar dew-drop notch on top of the same sized 6.4-inch AMOLED display.

Source: OPPO

Both ColorOS 7 (based on Android 10) devices in the series are powered by MediaTek processors. The OPPO Reno3 Pro packs a MediaTek Helio P95 flagship class Octa-core System on a Chip (SoC) while the regular OPPO Reno3 packs an equally impressive MediaTek Helio P90 SoC. Juice comes from a 4,025mAh battery on both devices. Of course, that battery comes with OPPO’s 30W Flash Charge 4.0 for a quick getaway.

You get 8GB RAM on both devices and up to 256GB of storage on the OPPO Reno3 Pro. On the regular OPPO Reno3, you are stuck with 128GB. Still, you can upgrade them via a MicroSD slot that is not shared with a SIM tray. Yes, it is a three-card tray with two dedicated SIM slots and single MicroSD slot. Whichever device you get sill offers the in-display fingerprint sensor.

  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO

The OPPO Reno3 series is available today onward on your favourite online shopping platforms: Lazada and Shopee. Of course, you can get them on OPPO’s own online store too. The OPPO Reno3 Pro is available for MYR 2,399. The OPPO Reno3 is available for MYR 1,699. Both are available in Midnight Black and Aurora Blue colour options. For more information about the OPPO Reno3 series, you can check out their website, or webstore.

Android, Mobile, News

OPPO A92 launches in Malaysia!

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Today is a good day. It is Monday, and some parts of Malaysia is coming back to life. After 48 days of staying indoors, we can also understand the excitement of people getting back out there to the office to living life outside home. It is great. But it is also a good day for OPPO Malaysia because they just launched a brand-new smartphone today. They have launched their budget champion, the OPPO A92 smartphone.

Source: OPPO

The new OPPO A92 is a contender priced at MYR 1,199. It is not OPPO’s lowest priced smartphone in Malaysia by far. It is OPPO’s latest offering for the entry-level mid-range smartphone market. Despite the price, what you get is no slouch.

You still get a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 System on a Chip (SoC) packing eight-cores to the punch. That powerhouse is backed by a large 8GB of RAM for smoother, and better multitasking. You also get 128GB in storage to go with that.

You would want that 128GB of storage also to work with your large 6.5-inch Neo Display displaying at Full HD+ resolution. You can load up movies, load up apps, or even enjoy Netflix and other streaming services and it will look good on the large bezel-less display. There is a small punch hole to accommodate the front-facing camera though.

Source: OPPO

The large Full HD+ display is also useful to see your photos in detail. You would want to because this OPPO A92 has a 48-Megapixel shooter flanked by three other cameras to make it a quad-camera set up effectively. The main camera can shoot in 4K resolution and you even get clever EIS to make sure your videos looks as if you have a gimbal for hands. You get an 8-Megapixel wide-angle camera with that, a 2-Megapixel macro lens, and a 2-Megapixel depth sensor with the OPPO A92. Out front is a 16-Megapixel shooter. Of course, the high-resolution cameras are the also reasons why you want 128GB of memory in the device. If not, there is room for MicroSD expansion.

To keep this Android 10 device running all day and even more, OPPO packs in 5,000mAh in battery capacity. This is in a body that is no larger than its big flagship brother that is the OPPO Find X2 series. Of course, the Android 10 is laced with OPPO’s very own ColorOS 7.1, which we quite like as mentioned in our OPPO Find X2 review. Oh, the battery is also capable of charging at 18W via the USB Type-C port beside the 3.5mm headphone port.

  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO
  • Source: OPPO

For Malaysia, the OPPO A92 is launched in two colours: Twilight Black and Shining White. Pre-orders start today and all the way to the 8th of May 2020. If you do pre-order the device at MYR 1,199 you get an extra 18 months in your warranty coverage and OPPO’s Bluetooth speaker for free. Be the first 1,000 people who pre-ordered your device and you get a new backpack to go along with it. For more information about the OPPO A92 smartphone you can head to their website.

Android, Mobile, News

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S Challenges Conventions of Mid-Range Smartphones; Again

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By now, the Xiaomi brand should not be an unfamiliar name to any of us. The brand has been associated with not only super budget friendly smartphones. They are also associated with high-quality smartphones for the modern sensible people. The Xiaomi Mi 9T and Mi 9 Pro is still a very impressive device to us, at its price.

While you think that Xiaomi cannot get any better than the Mi 9 series and Mi Note 10 series, you would think wrong. They just launched their brand-new Xiaomi Redmi 9S just a little while ago. It starts at MYR 799, and they are measuring themselves against the biggest names in the industry, like Samsung and their Galaxy A51 mid-ranger. That Samsung device Is worth twice the Redmi Mi Note 9S.

Source: Xiaomi Malaysia

We start with the outlook, the design. While the front looks just like any other smartphone that is, the back is a little different. They say they design it with symmetry in mind. They are not kidding. It sort of looks like a little like a familiar smartphone we saw a year or two ago. In a sense, it looks good. It also has all the familiar things that makes it a Xiaomi device.

It has that very familiar 3D curve at the back that makes the device feel better in the hands. To be fair, plenty of smartphones share similar design too. This is a Xiaomi device though, so even at MYR 799, it should feel premium. Still, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S is not known as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S in India, it was known as the Redmi Note 9 Pro and it was launched earlier this month.

Out the front is a 6.67-inch IPS Small DotDisplay pushing out Full HD+ resolution protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The Corning Gorilla Glass is not just reserved for the front too. It extends all the way at the back.

On the sides are aluminium frame that holds the two pieces of glass together. The display does not contain a fingerprint sensor though. The fingerprint sensor is now on the side integrated with the power button. Yes, the power button fingerprint sensor is making a comeback.

Source: Xiaomi Malaysia

At the back is a 48-Megapixel quad camera that is housed with an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 5-Megapixel macro lens, and a 2-Megapixel depth sensor. Oh yes, we are forgetting the front facing “dot” camera – a 16-Megapixel shooter. The main camera also packs an Electronic Image Stabiliser for better photos. It makes night, long exposure photos look even better. Even if you are not using a tripod.

The Android 10.0 based MIUI 11 device is packing power with Qualcomm’s 720G Octa-core system on chip (SoC). You get up to 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB in storage, with microSD compatibility. All this goodness is kept running by a large 5,020mAh battery with 18W fast charging.

There are a few more things that makes this device a treat though. The Redmi Note 9S still comes with 3.5mm headphone jack when every other smartphone does not include the jack. It is also splash-proof; not an IP rating, but splash-proof is still good to have. It has an IR blaster packed in as well.

  • Source: Xiaomi Malaysia
  • Source: Xiaomi Malaysia
  • Source: Xiaomi Malaysia
  • Source: Xiaomi Malaysia

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S will be available in Malaysia from the 27th March 2020 onward. It will come in three colour options; Glacier White, Aurora Blue, and Interstellar Grey. It will be available in two variants; a 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, and a 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. When it is available you can get the 4GB + 64GB from Shopee and Lazada for MYR 799. The 6GB + 128GB options will be available in the online stores and the official stores on the same day too for MYR 899. You can find more information on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S from their website.

Android, Mobile, News

HONOR 9X Pro Launched – Little Things Matter

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The mid-range smartphone market is a crowded marketplace, for good reason too. Mid-range smartphones these days are what bolsters sales of smartphones around the globe. It is sort of the brands’ revenue maker. The best selling devices today are not flagships anymore, they are the mid-rangers.

There is a reason to why mid-range smartphones sell like hot cakes too. They are not very expensive; that is one. But they are not just inexpensive, they perform well too. In everyday life and use, the mid-rangers are no less powerful than a high-end smartphone like a HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro or such.

Source: HONOR

Of course, if you are going to spend way less money on a smartphone you are going to have to make some sacrifices. But the trade-offs these days are quite minor compared to the money that you actually save. That is the exact job description for the HONOR 9X Pro.

The name of the game here is value-for-money. There should be as little compromise as possible while keeping the price to as low as possible. The result is a flagship class HiSilicon Kirin 810 System on a Chip (SoC) for starters. According to HONOR, the Kirin 810 is the most powerful single core SoC available in their smartphones. It even has what HUAWEI calls a DaVinci Neural Processing Unit, one of their most advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) programming.

Thanks to a new 7nm construction too, the Kirin 810 comes with a powerful GPU which can be pushed even further with GPU Turbo 3.0. While that increases the heat produced dramatically, you might not feel it all that much in your palm thanks to a highly efficient liquid-cooling copper pipeline embedded in the svelte device.

Source: HONOR

The SoC is paired to 6GB of RAM for smooth multitasking or even gaming. 6GB is also what most flagships will come with for RAM. Even storage is not being compromised with a super fast 256GB UFS 2.1 storage module. With all that power, you really want a big battery; 4,000mAh big for this one.

Out the back are three cameras you can appreciate. The main shooter is a 48-Megapixel shooter flanked on both sides by a 2-Megapixel depth sensor for that tight Bokeh portraits, and an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide angle shooter. Who needs a telephoto lens when you have 48-Megapixel to work with.

The super high resolution photos is channeled to the large 6.59-inch FullView display with no compromises. That means the 16-Megapixel front-facing camera is hidden away in a motorised pop-up mechanism. Of course, the whole device is wrapped in 3D glass. The front is a Gorilla Glass, quite obviously and the back still features the signature X pattern.

  • Source: HONOR
  • Source: HONOR
  • Source: HONOR
  • Source: HONOR
  • Source: HONOR
  • Source: HONOR

The HONOR 9X Pro is powered by HONOR’s Magic UI 3.0.1 based on Android 10. You get the HUAWEI App Gallery instead of Google’s Play Store though. That also means that this is a HUAWEI Mobile Services device instead of Google’s official Mobile Services device. Still, at least it is a familiar User Interface (UI).

The HONOR 9X Pro will be available in Malaysia and other selected markets from March 2020 onward. The price was announced to be EU€ 249 for the European market. That translates to about MYR 1,143 in Malaysia. There has been no official pricing attached to the device in Malaysia yet. we are looking at somewhere between the MYR 1,099 to MYR 1,199 range. We could be wrong though.