Xiaomi is at it again. Hot off the company’s announcement of their Mi 11 flagship, the company is announcing not one, but two, entry-level devices which make up their new entry-level line up: the Redmi 9T and the Redmi Note 9T. Both come with specifications that make them contenders for your attention if you are looking to purchase a smartphone on the cheap.
Redmi 9T – A non-5G Device for the in-between
Not all devices need to be 5G enabled – that is a truth that is hard to deny as we are squarely in the transitional time between 4G LTE and 5G. Xiaomi is acutely aware of this and continues to provide options for their consumers. The Redmi 9T is the latest in their 4G LTE devices.
The Redmi 9T comes equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662. The Octa-core processor comes with 4 cores clocked at 2.0GHz and a supplemental 4 cores at 1.8GHz. The processor is complemented with the Adreno 610 graphics processor. The combination of which should be able to handle most, if not all, tasks that you can throw at it. In fact, it should be able to handle most high-end games (you’ll have to wait on our review for a full breakdown).
Complementing the formidable internals of the Redmi 9T is a 6.53-inch IPS LCD panel sporting a Full HD+. The display comes with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. It should be large enough to provide a sufficiently immersive experience. It comes with ample space coming in both 64GB and 128GB. This is complemented with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM.
On the camera front, the main camera setup of the Redmi 9T is a quad-camera setup. The main sensor is a 48-megapixel sensor with a 1/20-inch sensor size and 0.8µm pixel size. It has an f/1.8 aperture and wide-angle with 26mm focal length; equipped with phase detection auto-focus (PDAF). This sensor is complemented with a 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor; and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Up front is an 8-megapixel wide sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.
Redmi Note 9T – MediaTek Powered 5G
Together with the Redmi 9T, Xiaomi also announced their new entry to the Redmi Note series: the Redmi Note 9T. The new entry to the Redmi Note is also the first commercially available smartphone running on the new MediaTek Dimensity 800U processor. The new processor is an entry level processor equipped with 5G technology. It comes with 2-cores clocked at 2.4GHz complemented with 6-cores clocked at 1.8GHz. 4GB of RAM complements the processor in addition to 64GB or 128GB of internal storage.
The Redmi Note 9T comes equipped with a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The smartphone is powered by a 5,000mAh lithium polymer battery which supports 18W fast charging.
On the camera front, the Redmi Note 9T is equipped with a triple sensor main camera setup. It comes with the same 48-megapixel sensor found on the Redmi 9T complemented with a 2-megapixel macro and 2-megapixel depth sensor. Up front is a 13-megapixel sensor with an f/2.3 aperture.
Pricing & Availability
Model
Variant
International Pricing
Malaysian Pricing (Official)
Availability
Redmi 9T
4GB + 64GB
4GB + 128GB
6GB + 128GB
€159 (USD$194.30/MYR783.48)
€189 (USD$230.96/MYR931.30)
n/a
MYR599
n/a
MYR699
January 9, 2021 (International)
January 15, 2021 (Malaysia)
Redmi 9T (NFC)
4GB + 64GB
4GB + 128GB
€169 (USD$206.52/MYR832.75)
€199 (USD$243.18/MYR980.58)
n/a
n/a
February 2021 (International)
Redmi Note 9T
4GB + 64GB
4GB + 128GB
€229 (USD$279.83/MYR1,128.40)
€269 (USD$328.71/MYR1,325.50)
n/a
January 11, 2021 (International)
Exchange rates used are taken at 6:15pm on January 10, 2021 from xe.com; 1 EUR = 4.92752 MYR & 1 EUR = 1.22198 USD
At the end of last year, we saw a major shift in the world of personal and portable computing. We saw Apple launching their new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with a confusing architecture style. They brought out the new notebooks that comes packing a processor that seems to be made for a smartphone. They call it their M1 chip. Whatever it is, it runs a full class Operating System made for modern day PCs.
A little later after that, Qualcomm also announced that they are going to delve into the mobile computing platform. They are going to get their Qualcomm 800 series System on a Chip (SoC) platforms into a notebook PC in 2021. Today, that dream is made a reality with JOI.
Source: JOI
Welcome to the Qualcomm PC experience with the JOI Book SK3000. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 SoC. We admit, it is not the most updated SoC in Qualcomm’s books. We also admit, it is not a 5G supporting chipset. But it is still a reasonably powerful chipset.
You still get 4G connectivity out of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 850. In this day and age, where 5G is still not available, you are going to get the best connectivity experience with 4G still. It supports any of Malaysia’s network too, so you can get away with just about any data plan. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 is also more powerful than the entry level Processors from both AMD and Intel. In that case, it makes plenty of sense in a notebook.
Unlike the older generation Qualcomm based PCs, the JOI Book SK3000 is not running on some toned-down version of Windows though. It runs on Windows 10 Pro with Bitlocker tools. It is the real deal.
Source: JOI
The small caveat here is that the JOI Book SK3000 only packs 4GB of RAM. We know that Windows can be a little memory hungry at times too, especially if you rely on Google Chrome as your browser. The new Microsoft Edge is a good Chromium based browser though, that does not require a large amount of RAM to work with. Still, we would have loved to see an 8GB RAM size.
It also comes with a 128GB internal SSD which can be expanded via MicroSD card that is hidden with the SIM card tray. We are not entirely sure if you can upgrade the SSD or the RAM at all at this point. We do know that the JOI Book SK3000 is a full aluminium notebook PC though. In that regards, you can expect some nice heft and a high build quality to it.
Still, it is not all that hefty at 1.05kg though. Within that 1.05kg is a 12.5-inch Full HD IPS display. Within the 1.05kg package is also a 4,500mAh battery that with a quoted 10 hours of battery life. Not quite all-day battery life at this point, but 10 hours is still plenty. Obviously because it is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850, it stays on standby when you do not use it to continue receiving emails and other notifications when it is sleeping. In that mode, the battery should last you much longer.
Source: JOI
Source: JOI
Source: JOI
Source: JOI
The JOI Book SK3000 is now available on JOI and GLOO Official stores on Shopee and Lazada. You can also get your pre-order done on GLOO Official website. Of course, you can get your hands on one via SNS Network stores and authorised resellers across Malaysia. The JOI Book will be priced at MYR 2,199 and comes with a 30-day free trial of Microsoft Office.
After their Unpacked events in August and September 2020, Samsung is continuing their momentum with their first Unpacked event for 2021. The official invites have been released for the upcoming event, Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event 2021, it will be held on 14 January 2021, at 11 pm (GMT+8). You can tune in by heading to their official website www.samsung.com/my and https://news.samsung.com/my. The company is touting the new “Everyday Epic” with their official event tagline: ‘ Welcome to the Everyday Epic’.
In conjunction with the upcoming Unpacked, Samsung is inviting users to sign up to get the latest information from Unpacked. If you’re registered successfully between 4 January to 14 January 2021 will be able to redeem a Galaxy Fit2 worth RM179 when they pre-order the upcoming Galaxy series and fulfilled the terms and conditions that apply. If you’re interested, head to www.samsung.com/my/unpacked/ to sign up.
As always, Samsung has not provided any information about the upcoming Galaxy series. However, we do have an inkling thanks to rumours which have surfaced in the past months. We expect that Samsung will unveil their new flagship smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy S21 series during the event. The new Galaxy S21 series looks to be consisting of three devices: the Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung Galaxy S21+, and Samsung Galaxy S21Ultra.
While we do know that we are also left with a whole lot of uncertainty surrounding the device. Many of us are wondering whether the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a Pen Stylus? Is Samsung providing charger without making any additional purchase?
That said, we also know that Samsung does have a new generation of Galaxy Buds in store too with the rumoured Galaxy Buds Pro and a new product called the Galaxy Tags. While the latter seems to be a simple NFC tag, the Buds Pro brings a new design approach and new features to the growing Galaxy Buds line up.
We’ll have coverage of the big news coming out of Samsung’s Unpacked event. So, do stay tuned!
Xiaomi is one of the most popular Chinese manufacturers producing not only smartphones but also earphones, power banks, smart TVs and other products. In fact, according to IDC, in the smartphone category alone, the company has successfully become the third most popular brand by shipments in the world; beating the likes of Apple, OPPO, vivo and more. Looking to push the envelope further, the company has announced the Mi 11, their latest flagship smartphone equipped with 5G connectivity. Yes, your eyes do not deceive you, they revealed only ONE flagship smartphone; something we haven’t seen from manufacturers in a while!
New Aspirations with a new Flagship
The Mi 11 isn’t just a new flagship from Xiaomi, it marks the company’s move to push boundaries and start taking on giant brands like Samsung and Apple. Most obviously, Xiaomi has its software aspirations fixed squarely on Apple. With the announcement of their new flagship, the company also announced a new update to their signature MIUI interface: MIUI 12.5. The updated MIUI interface continues to focus on user experience with new features focused on increasing performance, reducing load times, optimizing app compatibility, and improving security.
Xiaomi’s focus on creating a performance centric flagship doesn’t wane when it comes to the Mi 11. It’s the first commercially available smartphone equipped with Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor the Snapdragon 888. The processor is equipped with 5G connectivity on both mmWave and Sub5 spectra with a new 1+3+4 architecture which promises better performance and battery life. The Mi 11 is also equipped with faster UFS3.1 storage for and faster 4600MHz LPDDR5 RAM. In addition, the new Mi flagship also comes with a 4,600 mAh battery that supports 55W fast charging, 50W wireless fast charging and 10W reverse wireless charging.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 has a 4-curve design with AG coating which the company claims to make it more ergonomic and easier to handle. The flagship has also been given a sleeker design coming in at only 8.06mm thick and weighing only 169g. In addition to this, the Mi 11 comes with a 2K AMOLED display with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and 480Hz touch sampling. The panel comes with E4 OLED technology which allows Xiaomi to fine tune the colour accuracy with a ΔE value of about 0.4. The display employs the latest Gorilla Glass Victus when it comes to shatter- and scratch-proofing.
It’s All in the Details from Camera setup to Content Immersion
The Mi 11 comes with a brand-new triple camera setup which Xiaomi claims brings all the features you need to get great video and pictures. The setup comes with a large 1/1.3” 108-megapixel main sensor paired with a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 5-megapixel telemacro sensor. While it may seem like Xiaomi has opted to not have optical zoom on the Mi 11, their inclusion of a telemacro lens allows users to get some optical zoom while also enabling the camera to capture the finer details.
MIUI 12.5, which debuts on the Mi 11, focuses on immersion with features that help make the user experience more immersive than ever before. One of these features is a huge improvement to the haptic engine of the Mi 11. The enhancement allows users to experience more discerning features when it is utilized. Xiaomi touted the many different surfaces the engine can emulate during their presentation. In addition, the company has also added touch sensors which detect how the phone is being held to prevent unwanted screen rotations. Xiaomi is also upping the ante when it comes to sound with a partnership with Harman/Kardon. The Mi 11 comes with stereo speakers calibrated by Harman/Kardon for a more immersive sound experience.
Pricing & Availability
The Mi 11 is available in three colours: Blue, Black, and white. There are also two special Eco Leather editions available in Khaki and Mist Purple. It goes on sale in China starting on January 1, 2020 with prices starting at CN¥3,999 for the 8GB+128GB configuration. The Mi 11 doesn’t come with a wall wart in the box. However, Xiaomi is making a bundled deal available with a 55W GaN charger for the same price (for now). The bundle is originally valued at CN¥4,098.
Configuration
Price (CN¥)
Price (USD$)
Price (MYR)
8GB RAM + 128GB Storage
3,999
611.83
2,478.25
8GB RAM + 256GB Storage
4,299
657.32
2,664.17
12GB RAM + 256GB Storage
4,699
718.48
2,911.59
The Mi 11 is also available in an extremely limited edition made with Scodix Crystal and signed by CEO, Lei Jun which will be available during a special live stream on TikTok (known in China as DouYin).
What can US$ 149 (MYR 599**) get you today? In Malaysia, MYR 600 is what you can expect to pay if you buy about three PlayStation games. Smartphones? You are talking about an entry-level smartphone; something basic maybe.
If you are spending that amount of money on a smartphone, we can tell you a few things. Firstly, you do not expect it to perform like a Samsung Galaxy S device. We will also tell you that it might be a good secondary device for you, if you already have a smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S device. Beyond not expecting to have a device with the quality of a Samsung Galaxy S device, we would also say that you do not expect much. Sure, you can work with all the basic functions of a smartphone like Whatsapp messaging, making calls, play simple games, go to the web, play music, watch videos on YouTube and Netflix, but do not expect a stellar experience with it.
All of the above may be true, until now. You see, smartphone manufacturers like Samsung and HUAWEI have been focusing mainly on pushing their branding into their own class. They want their brand to be premium in perception. In that case, a smartphone worth MYR 599 might not be great if you reach out to these brands. This is not the case for POCO though.
Source: POCO
POCO is a brand that was born to beat the bigger name brands at their own game. They are value players in the field and seems to offer you something more than what you are paying for. That is always true for their higher end devices. Thing is, POCO has never made entry-level smartphones before until they launched the M3 just now.
Before you pass off judgment and give the device a pass though, you should know that POCO has brought their value-for-money philosophy and approach to the device they just launched today. The only difference between this and the high-end device is the low pricing starting at US$ 149 (MYR599**). What the device packs sounds like you are paying for more than it is worth.
First off, the processor, as usual. The POCO M3 comes with a brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 System on a Chip (SoC) that is supposed to be more powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 platform. Which also means that you are getting something that is more comparable to a mid-range smartphone in power than a lowly entry-level. The 11nm Octa-core chip also packs a Qualcomm Adreno 610 GPU to boot and has a dedicated AI engine built-into the chip. While it does not mean that the device will top out any benchmark charts, the SoC is powerful enough to run Android 10 smoothly and work with most games nicely.
Source: POCO
With the SoC also comes a 4GB RAM. 4GB RAM does not sound like a lot in today’s standards for smartphones. To be fair, it is not that much. 4GB RAM though is enough for a modern Android device and some multitasking. You can still get away with multiple apps open in the background and browse the web with a few tabs on.
While 4GB of RAM might not help that much with speeds, the UFS 2.2 (up to) storage that measures at 128GB (up to) should help you with data read and write speeds. That also means that you can instantly access most of the apps within the device with no speed issues at all. Sure, it may not be as snappy as the flagship devices, but it should still be quick enough that you might not notice the difference.
The triple camera module still features 48-Megapixel in resolution. The main shooter has a 2-Megapixel macro camera and a 2-Megapixel depth sensor for support and more photography options. Of course, there is a front-facing camera that sits pretty in a Dot Drop notch above the display with 8-Megapixel power.
Source: POCO
While there is nothing to shout about in the camera department, the display should be commended. It is a large 6.53-inch Full HD+ display that is only disturbed by the notch for the front-facing camera. You can get it up to 400nits in brightness and it is TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certified. Best of all though it sits under a Corning Gorilla Glass to protect it from clumsiness and stratches.
All this goodness is powered by a larger-than-ever 6,000mAh battery. A Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra only has a 4,500 mAh battery. The 6,000mAh battery should keep you running for days from a single charge. When the power runs out, quickly get it up and running again with 18W fast charging and the included 22W charger. If you really need to, the 6,000mAh battery can share its charge with other devices, so you are now your friends’ hero too.
Additionally, the POCO M3 comes with Dual Speakers and 3.5mm jack. Your old earphones can get some loving from the device. With Hi-Res Audio certification, your older high-end earphones can get some love. That Also means you can load up Hi-Res audio files into the device too if you want. Maybe you might want to consider getting a 512GB MicroSD card for your Hi-Res audio files though.
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
Source: POCO
The POCO M3 will be available on the 27th November 2020 onward globally and in Malaysia in two storage configurations: 4GB + 64GB and 4GB + 128GB. For now, in Malaysia, the POCO M3 will only be available in Cull Blue, and Power Black colour options. The POCO Yellow variant will be available at a later date (pending announcement). You can get your hands on one exclusively via Xiaomi Official Store on Lazada for MYR 599 (US$ 149*) and MYR 699 (US$169*) respectively. On sales launch date though, customers can get the devices for MYR 499 (US$129***) and MYR 599 (US$149***) respectively while stocks last. In addition to the MYR 100 discount on the device, buyers will also get a Mi In-ear Basic Piston Earphone, while stocks last. For more information on the POCO M3 you can head out to their website.
*Official Global Pricing **Official Malaysia Pricing ***Official Black Friday Sale Pricing
The latest generation of mobile network, 5G, is slowly making its way to the masses around the world. With that in mind, more major players in the mobile device market pumping out their own compatible devices. After introducing their 5G capable flagships, Samsung has announced another 5G device- the Galaxy A42 which is priced lower at $450 internationally and only MYR1,599 in Malaysia. It is equipped with all the innovation consumers have come to expect with the Galaxy A series, including a Quad Camera, Infinity-U Display and a long lasting battery.
The Galaxy A42 5G comes with the Snapdragon 750G which brings support for 5G on both mmWave and Sub6 bands according to Qualcomm. However, actual connectivity support has not been revealed by Samsung. The new smartphone comes with a 6.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U Display; which should provide ample viewing space for an immersive media experience. It also has a large 5,000mAh battery with support for Fast Charge which should keep you going for at least one full day. The sleek design of the phone is also ergonomic, with rounded edges to make it more comfortable to grip.
Here comes the catchy features of the Galaxy A42 5G, a powerful multi role Quad Camera that captures images and records videos with enhanced clarity. This consists of 48MP main camera supported by a an 8MP Ultra Wide Camera, a 5MP Macro Camera and a 5MP Depth Camera to capture more detail. Plus, the front-facing camera is a 20MP Selfie Camera, a great addition for selfie enthusiasts. Other Galaxy A42 5G specs include 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, expandable up to 1TB.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy A42 will be available in Prism Dot Black, Prism Dot White and Prism Dot Grey. It is available in Europe for €369 starting from 7 November and is already available in Malaysia via Samsung’s online store for MYR1,599.
4/6/8GB RAM 128GB Internal Storage MicroSD slot (up to 1TB)
Battery5
5,000mAh (typical) 15W Adaptive Fast Charging
Biometric Authentication
On-Screen Fingerprint
Colors6
Prism Dot Black Prism Dot White Prism Dot Gray
1 All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this table including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice. 2 Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners and the camera cut out. 3 Device weight may vary by region and market. 4 Available RAM may vary by country and region. 5 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 4,680mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors. All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this table including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice. 6 Availability may vary by country. 7The disclaimer for weight specifications has been revised on October 22, 2020 to provide more accurate information.
OPPO has officially launched its newest model OPPO A73 which will make its official debut exclusively on Shopee Malaysia. The sensually sleek design of the model is the latest entry into OPPO’s affordable A series which brings the company’s selfie and camera technologies to a more affordable price point.
The OPPO A73 has been designed with sleek curves to help with the ergonomics and grip of the phone. Coming in at only 152g and 7.5mm, the phone is one of the thinnest and lightest yet from OPPO’s A series. OPPO has also decided to add a touch of variety with a matte, leather-like finish for a more unique, premium finish. What’s more, the finish makes it fingerprint and scratch-resistant.
Source: OPPO
The guts of the OPPO A73 is an octa-core Snapdragon 662 processor capable of speeds of up to 2.5 GHz with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal memory. The phone will be launching with OPPO’s ColorOS 7.2 which runs on top of Android 10. It’s powered by a 4,105mAh battery with support for 30W VOOC Flash Charge promising a full charge in only 55 minutes. OPPO has also introduced safety features which include five independent thermistors to prevent the overheating while charging.
The OPPO A73 sports a 6.44-inch Full HD AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,4000×1080 pixels. The larger screen size provides users with a more immersive experience when it comes to consuming media and even gaming. It also comes with an under screen fingerprint sensor for quick unlock in addition to the face unlock features which come baked in to ColorOS.
A.I. Beauty Enabled Cameras
The main camera on the OPPO A73 is a quad camera setup OPPO calls a 16MP Ultra Wide-Angle quad-cam system. It consists of a 16MP main camera, a 119 degree 8MP wide-angle camera, a 2MP monochrome camera, and a 2MP retro camera. There are some optimized features which include filters and software enhancements to preserve skin tone. The cameras also come with OPPO’s now ubiquitous A.I. technology which it is calling A.I. Dazzle Color. This helps with advanced scene recognition and enhance captured pictures. For video recording, OPPO A73 come with a steady video feature to help stabilise your video recording for better quality with electronic image stabilization.
Source: OPPO
The front comes with a 16MP A.I. Beauty Beauty Camera to let you have the perfect selfie. Also, an ultra-sensitive f/2.0 aperture that offers you higher sensitivity and more clarity during low light conditions.
Pricing & Availability
Source: OPPO
The OPPO A73 will be available in three colours, Dynamic Orange, Navy Blue, and Classic Silver; priced at RM899 on the OPPO Official Online Store on Shopee and OPPO Official Website.
It will be available for pre-order from 3 to 10 November 2020. OPPO is offering free gift for the first 300 customers who purchase the OPPO A73. They will be entitled to a Weloop Neo Smartband worth RM389 and an OPPO Enco W11 that worth RM159. After this, the phone will be available for sale starting on 11 November, 2020 and will be available on the upcoming 11.11 sales.
The biggest conundrum when it comes to the Android ecosystem has always been the tablet. Initially, the approach that a lot of Android manufacturers took was to just supersize the mobile experience. However, it has slowly become more evident that the tablet isn’t just a supersized screen. In fact, it has become a required commodity for some to keep productive. That behaviour change is what has led to the tablets becoming what they are now – productivity devices.
Samsung’s latest attempt at this is the Galaxy Tab S7 series which takes a more holistic view in how to empower productivity. It brings a whole bunch of new improvements and brand new features that make working on the go with it that much more enjoyable, accessible and effective. That said, let’s walkthrough some of the first impressions you get from the tablet.
Initial Setup
Like any other Samsung or Android device, the tablet turns on pretty fast. The first thing you’re going to see is the setup interface asking you to sign in to your WiFi or to all the different accounts you want to have on your tablet. If you’ve got a version capable of mobile connectivity, it will ask you to insert and unlock your SIM.
Samsung SmartSwitch
Setup was a breeze and, if you’re coming from another tablet, the Tab S7+ will prompt you to use Samsung’s SmartSwitch to seamlessly transfer your data over to the new tablet. This includes all your settings such as WiFi and your accounts.
However, we chose to set it up as a new device. It took less than 10 minutes to get my essentials like WiFi, Google Account and more setup. Then it was on to setting up our apps which was simple enough. We downloaded apps such as Microsoft Office, Any.Do and more. We tried to make sure we got the apps which Samsung was touting as optimised for the Tab S7+.
Premium Finish with Heft
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ gives a pretty first impression. It’s design is clean with clean, rounded edges and screen that covers nearly the whole face of the tablet. On the back you have a pristine machined aluminium body with a brushed finish. The camera is emblazoned with a black, reflective bar which also acts as an indicator as to where the magnets for the S Pen are.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is the one of the most premium feeling tablets I have had the pleasure of using from Samsung. The angular design and rounded edges give the tablet a more premium feel. I was pretty impressed with the initial feel of the device as well, it had a good amount of heft and the build itself felt sturdy and well-built. The Mystic Black colour makes it look even more premium and gives it a sleek, timeless look.
The S Pen Mightier than Before
The S Pen of the Tab S7+ brings along with it a whole array of new features but more importantly, it has been redesigned to feel so much more natural in hand. The smooth, rounded body of the S Pen make it more ergonomic and the positioning of the button this round is in a place that feels a lot more natural – even clicking the button some how feels more satisfying.
The new S Pen features bring a layer of productivity that hasn’t been around in previous entries. However, the biggest improvement that comes to mind is the amount of apps that can now effectively take advantage of it – from apps like Adobe’s Photoshop and Illustrator to the Microsoft Office suite, the level of integration and compatibility of the S Pen puts it on par with it’s largest competition – the iPad.
First Impressions After 24 Hours
The Galaxy Tab S7+ leaves an impression alright. The first 24 hours of using the tab felt a lot like using and setting up a new laptop. The keyboard, which comes together with the Tab S7 series in Malaysia, allows a sense of freedom to be productive answering emails and even typing out articles. To be very frank, it was hard to not try to do everything on the tablet.
The interface is smooth and feels more optimised than before. There’s sense of refinement in the overall experience – at least in the first 24 hours compared to the tablets before. Things felt cleaner, more organised and built for productivity. The best part of the tab is that every thing is in reach – the tablet, the keyboard and the S Pen; making it easy to seamlessly transition from answering emails to sketching to reading and highlighting.
When it comes to tablets, Android has had the shorter end of the stick – particularly when it comes to optimisation and overall usability. However, Samsung has steadily been imbuing their approach to tablets with more and more features and software enhancements that have steadily made their Tab S one of the best Android tablets out there. This year, with their Galaxy Tab S7+, they’ve created one that gave me one of the best first impressions I’ve had from an Android Tablet.
When Xiaomi introduced the Mi 9T and Mi 9T Pro last year, the device became a sensation. It was one of the best value-for-money buys that you can make in the year 2019 and it was something that really caught our attention. It performed admirably too, definitely one of the best smartphones to come out of 2020. Then comes the big question. How do you follow up from such a smartphone?
Last night was Xiaomi’s answer to that question of replacing the Xiaomi Mi 9T series. The answer was a plain and simple Xiaomi Mi 10T series. Of course, the series branches out into three devices to cover three different market segments.
Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro
Source: Xiaomi
The most powerful device in the series is obviously the ‘Pro’. It is quite expected at this point, with that naming moniker. Obviously as well, the device packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 System on a Chip (SoC), the most powerful Qualcomm SoC before the Snapdragon 856+ launched.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 is a rather powerful chip still though. That powerful SoC with Adreno 650 GPU combined with 8GB of RAM is sure to make the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro the most powerful smartphone the Chinese manufacturer has seen in their stables. All that power will be accentuated by the write and read speeds of the 256GB (up to) UFS 3.1 memory module.
Source: Xiaomi
This Android 12 with MIUI 12 device runs on a large 5,000mAh battery to keep everything running from morning to night, and even more. If not, the Xiaomi Mi 10T super-fast charges at 33W. All that is wrapped in a mix of glass body and aluminium frame.
The front of the device is mostly plain Corning Gorilla Glass 5 housing the large 6.67-inch TrueColor DotDisplay. At 144Hz the Full HD+ display feels smooth and snappy, a real difference in experiencing MIUI 12. Yes, you read that right; 144Hz, not 120Hz.
Source: Xiaomi
That super-fast gaming-centric display is not just fast though. It is a properly pretty display with P3 colour gamut and TrueColor for more accurate colours. They also understand that not all contents are displayed at 144Hz, so the display also comes with AdaptiveSync and Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation (MEMC) technologies to match framerates and make it seem like your 60Hz videos play at 120Hz or even 144Hz.
At the corner of the display is a 20-Megapixel front facing camera to ensure your selfies look good. Of course, that is not the only camera that the device has. It is a modern flagship after all. Out the back then is a large 108-Megapixel sensor supported by a 13-Megapixel ultra-wide camera and 5-Megapixel macro camera. No telephoto nonsense here. That 108-Megapixel shooter gives the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro the ability to shoot videos at 8K resolution.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Xiaomi Mi 10T
Source: Xiaomi
A step down from the Pro is the regular Xiaomi Mi 10T. Technically, there is not much in difference between the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro. The Xiaomi Mi 10T packs the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC as the Mi 10T Pro.
You can even get it with up to 8GB RAM arrangement with 128GB of memory in tow too, comparable to the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro. Both packs the same sized display with the same refresh rate and colour calibration. Both also pack the same battery size at 5,000mAh.
The difference is out the back of the device. The Xiaomi Mi 10T also still has the same smaller 13-Megapixel Ultra-wide shooter and 5-Megapixel macro camera at the back. But instead of the powerful 108-Megapixel camera, it is a 64-Megapixel sensor in place. This could be the next best value device of the year, we think.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Mi 10T Lite
Source: Xiaomi
If you are looking for something that is more considerate for your wallet, then there is the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite. As its name suggest, this is sort of the baby Xiaomi Mi 10T. Of course, you cannot expect it to be anywhere near as powerful as the bigger brother, the Xiaomi Mi 10T and the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro too.
It packs the power of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC for big performance at a budget. The 750G also packs 5G capabilities for good measure, in case you want a taste of it when it is available. But it is also still powerful enough to run your PUBG Mobile smoothly.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G that is paired with 6GB of RAM space is powerful enough to power MIUI 12 based on Android 11 on the 120Hz 6,67-inch Full HD display. The display is nicely protected against weather and other abuse via a Corning Gorilla Glass. Under that same glass at the top of the display is a 16-Megapixel front-facing shooter.
Source: Xiaomi
Out the back, you also find a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 to house a 64-Megapixel main shooter. That main shooter is paired with an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 2-Megapixel Macro lens, and a 2-Megapixel depth sensor making it a quad-camera set-up effectively.
Keeping everything running all day long is a 4,820mAh battery. While that is still smaller than the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro, it is a decent battery size. If you need to get it charged, the 33W charger in the box should fix you up quickly.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Specifications
Mi 10T Pro
Mi 10T
Mi 10T Lite
Display
144Hz 6.67″ TrueColor DotDisplay 20:9 aspect ratio, 2400×1080 FHD+, AdaptiveSync display: 30Hz/48Hz/50Hz/60Hz/90Hz/120Hz/144Hz Support MEMC Support DCI-P3, HDR10 Brightness: 500 nits (typ), 650 nits max brightness (typ) Color contrast ratio: 1500:1 (typ) Sunlight display 3.0, Reading mode 3.0 TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification 360° ambient light sensor
144Hz 6.67″ TrueColor DotDisplay 20:9 aspect ratio, 2400×1080 FHD+, AdaptiveSync display: 30Hz/48Hz/50Hz/60Hz/90Hz/120Hz/144Hz Support MEMC Support DCI-P3, HDR10 Brightness: 500 nits (typ), 650 nits max brightness (typ) Color contrast ratio: 1500:1 (typ) Sunlight display 3.0, Reading mode 3.0 TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification 360° ambient light sensor
Alongside the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, Mi 10T, and Mi 10T Lite, Xiaomi introduces their new Mi Watch (not to be confused with Apple Watch). The Mi Watch is made for the active Mi fans with its bright AMOLED display measuring in at 1.39-inch in diameter displaying all the things you need to know about your lifestyle.
The Mi Watch can keep track of up to 117 kinds of exercises in all different modes. There are six different sensors and a GPS tracker to offer you all the sorts of information you need for a healthy lifestyle. The best part though, is that you only need to charge the Mi Watch once in every 16 days.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Availability and Pricing
The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, Mi 10T, and Mi 10T Lite will be launching in Malaysia very soon. In fact, it is supposed to be launched locally on the 6th of October 2020. The Xiaomi Mi Watch is also expected to make an appearance at the local launch. There are no confirmed prices yet at this point. We will be updating this page very soon with that information.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
UPDATE: The Xiaomi Mi Watch will be available in Malaysia from December 6th onward in Malaysia. No prices have been announced at this time, but we are expecting it to be priced well below the MYR 1,299 mark. The Xiaomi Mi 10T series will be available in regular and Pro variant for MYR 1,699 (8GB + 128GB) and MYR 1,999 (8GB + 256GB). The Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro is available 9th October onward in all Mi authorised stores, official concept stores, and partner online retailers across Malaysia. No news on the Mi 10T Lite.
Source: Xiaomi
UPDATE 2: Xiaomi is holding their first ever roadshow for the Mi 10T and the Mi10T Pro in four locations across Malaysia. The road show will be held on the 9th to the 11th of October 2020 in Sunway Pyramid, One Utama (Mi Store), Gurney Plaza Penang (Mi Store), and Paradigm Mall JB (Mi Store). If you are one of the first 450 customers to buy the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, you are entitled to get a free Mi LED 4S 55-inch television alongside a Mi True Wireless Earphone 2 Basic. The first 3,000 customers are entitled to the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic. Your purchase of the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro also comes with 6-months of Netflix Mobile Plan subscription for free.
UPDATE 3: The first sales roadshow of the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro is now exclusively online, in light of the current pandemic situation. The first sales campaign will still happen on all Xiaomi’s online sales platforms including their official store on Lazada from 9 October 2020 onward. The exhibition planned at Sunway Pyramid on the same day will still happen for experiential purposes only.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 was launched earlier this year in March. It was touted as a very capable device with what plenty of fans wanted from a Samsung Galaxy device. In theory, it sounded like the Samsung Galaxy S20 was a capable smartphone with all its bells and whistles. In reality, its price point is a little steep for its price point and that made it a little less desirable.
It has come to this, the new smartphone that will correct all the problems with the ultra-premium S20 line-up. The regular Samsung Galaxy S20 line-up starts at MYR 3,599. The new Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE) will go for MYR 3,399 instead, even cheaper than the regular Samsung Galaxy S20 device.
Source: Samsung
What do you get for MYR 3,399? You get the best parts of the Samsung Galaxy S20 device in a package at a more reachable price point, in short. You get a 32-Megapixel front-facing camera greeting you as you lift the device to face you. This is an even higher resolution than what you are getting from a regular Samsung Galaxy S20.
The display might seem like a little bit of a downgrade at first with no curved edges. It is not technically a downgrade though as you are still working with a Full HD+ 120Hz display for a super smooth experience. It is not like you are getting a much smaller display with the Super AMOLED Infinity-O display measuring at 6.5-inch.
Source: Samsung
Turn it around and you see a sort of matte textured back that makes it stand out in the crowd a little bit. It comes in six funky colours too, to fit your personalities and moods. It comes in Cloud Red, Cloud Orange, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, and Cloud White. These colours are completely new to the Samsung Galaxy S line up and is more inline with the Samsung Galaxy Note20 series colours as well, so some premium touch there.
The matte backing surrounds a triple camera module that is the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE’s main shooters. It houses a main 12-Megapixel camera flanked by a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide sensor and an 8-Megapixel telephoto sensor making the photo trinity. You can take advantage of all the cameras at a single touch via Samsung’s Single Take feature in the camera app. The telephoto lens and main shooter combination give the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE the very impressive 30X Space Zoom capabilities too.
Within all the prettiness and IP68 rated body is an immensely powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. No Exynos here, they have listened to the fans. Paired to the chipset is an ample 8GB of RAM too (up to). Thanks to the chipset too, you get 5G connectivity out of the box.
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
To top it all off is a big 4,500mAh battery that should keep the device running all day. The large internal battery is also a Super-Fast Charging capable battery as well, so if you do have a charger capable of 25W of output, your device can charge from an empty battery to full in less than one hour and a half. The charger that is included with the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE though is a 15W charger, a regular Fast Charging wall adapter.
Dual SIM model (Hybrid SIM slot) – One Nano SIM and one Nano SIM or one MicroSD slot (up to 1TB)
Battery
4,500mAh (typical)
Charging
Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible) *WPC certified Wireless charging *Wireless PowerShare
OS
Android 10
Network
[5G] 5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Sub6 [LTE] Enhanced 4×4 MIMO, Up to 5CA, LTE D/L Cat.19 (1.6Gbps),LTE U/L Cat.18 (211Mbps) [Wi-Fi] Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4G+5GHz, HE80, MIMO, 1024-QAM, Up to 1.2Gbps Download / Up to 1.2Gbps Upload [Bluetooth] Bluetooth® v 5.0, USB type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou)
Lock type: pattern, PIN, password, Fingerprint sensor, Face recognition
Audio
[Stereo speakers sound by AKG] Surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus included.) – [Ultra high quality audio playback] UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 * DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. [Audio playback format] MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF [Bluetooth] Dual Audio: connect two Bluetooth devices to the Galaxy S20 FE to play audio through the two devices simultaneously. * The two connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output. Scalable Codec: Enhanced Bluetooth connection under ambient radio frequency interference. * Available only for certain accessories made by Samsung. [Recording] Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. * AOP: Acoustic Overload Point
Video
[Video playback format] MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM [TV connection] Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30 fps) Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps)
Water Resistance
IP68
Price and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is now available for pre-order from Samsung Experience Stores, Authorised Partners and Samsung Malaysia’s E-Store until the 8th of October 2020. As mentioned, there are six colours available for the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE – Cloud Red, Cloud Orange, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, and Cloud White. If you pre-ordered your device, you get a UV Sterilizer Wireless Charger box, Samsung’s One-Time Screen Crack Protection, and a Clear Standing Cover worth MYR 586 in total. You can get your hands on one for MYR 3,399 (US$ 699.99*) onward.
*Official U.S. pricing based on Samsung U.S. website
