Dual cameras are one of the features, that the majority of consumers will consider when buying a smartphone. The trend of two cameras started with the Apple iPhone 7 Plus in 2016. Similarly, flagship Android smartphones adopted the feature, which later started trickling down to budget smartphones as well. In fact, a dual-camera setup has become staple for most budget smartphones today.
So, if you have a budget of around Rs. 15000 and need a smartphone with a dual-camera setup, what do you pick? Let’s have a read!
Xiaomi Mi A1
5.5 inch IPS LCD 1920 x 1080 px display
Snapdragon 625
4GB/64GB
12MP wide-angle + 12MP telephoto
4K video recording
Xiaomi Mi A1 is an allrounder smartphone, which retails for Rs 13,999. The smartphone has a premium metal unibody design with a USB type C port. The device has a dual camera setup, which is similar to the iPhone X with a 12 MP wide angle lens and a 12 MP telephoto lens with lossless zoom. However, the camera misses out on any kind of image stabilisation. The smartphone also has an added advantage of the Android One programme, which guarantees regular software updates.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
5.99 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD display
Snapdragon 636
4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB storage
12MP+5MP depth sensor
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is the latest smartphone to join the dual camera clan. The smartphone has an 18:9 aspect ratio with a 5.99 inch FHD+ display. This is also the first smartphone to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset. The dual camera setup on the device consists of a 12 MP primary sensor and a 5 MP depth sensor, which helps take the depth of field/bokeh effect. The smartphone is priced at Rs 13,999 for the 4GB RAM variant and the 6GB variant will cost Rs 16,999. However, the only caveat this great device has is its Flash Sales.
Moto G5s Plus
5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px display
Snapdragon 625
4GB/64GB
13MP RGB + 13MP Monochrome
The Moto G5s Plus is one more smartphone, that offers a great value for money. The device runs on stock Android OS and retails for Rs 14,750on Amazon. The device has a full metal unibody design with a matte finish. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa-core chipset, that also powers the Mi A1. The smartphone has a 13MP RGB and a 13MP monochrome sensor, which helps to produce selective black and white photos.
Honor 7x
5.99 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD
Kirin 659
4GB, 32GB/64GB
16MP +2MP depth sensor
The Honor 7x is available on Amazon for Rs 12,999 for the 4GB RAM and 32GB storage variant. The device has a 6 inch 18:9 display, powered by the Kirin 659 Octa-core chipset. The dual cameras on the smartphone consist of a 16MP RGB sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The device has an 8MP front-facing camera and expected to support Face Unlock via future software updates.
Honor 9 Lite
5.65 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD
Kirin 659
3GB/32GB, 4GB/64GB
13MP + 2MP depth sensor
The last but definitely not the least is the Honor 9 Lite. In fact, this is the only smartphone that has a premium glass design with a quad camera setup. The pricing starts at Rs 10,999 for the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The device has a 5.65 inch FHD+ 18:9 display, powered by Kirin 659 chipset. The phone has a 13MP primary shooter and a 2MP depth shooter both on the front as well as on the back.
Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 5 Pro along with the Redmi Note 5 on the 14th of February. Up until now, the company has had two flash sales. However, only the 4GB RAM and two colour variants of the Redmi Note 5 Pro were available to buy via the flash sales.
Redmi Note 5 Pro
According to a report, all four colours of the Redmi Note 5 and the Note 5 Pro will be available for the next flash-sale. Similarly, the sale will also include the 6GB RAM variant of the Note 5 Pro. However, only the Black colour will be available in the 6GB RAM variant. The price of the Redmi Note 5 Pro starts at Rs 13,999 and goes up to Rs 16,999 for the 6GB RAM model.
Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has a 5.99-inch 2160 x 1080p IPS LCD display with Gorilla Glass protection. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by Snapdragon 636 Octa-core chipset with either 4GB or 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. In fact, this is the first smartphone in the world to feature this chipset.
The smartphone has a dual primary camera setup with a 12 MP primary camera and secondary 5 MP depth sensing sensor. For the first time, the company has used a 20 MP front-facing camera with soft selfie-light.
In terms of operating system, the smartphone runs on Android 7 Nougat with custom MIUI skin on the top. Finally, the smartphone features a 4000 mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick charge 2.0 capability.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 has a 5.99-inch display with a 2160 x 1080px resolution. Under the hood, the Redmi 5 Plus has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, Adreno 506 GPU, 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of storage. Similarly, the storage is expandable using micro SD card slot.
The Redmi Note 5 is powered by a massive 4000 mAh battery which, according to Xiaomi, has a standby time of up to 17 days. The device has a micro USB port for charging and data syncing along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The device has a 12MP primary camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP secondary camera with beautify 3.0 software. In fact, the camera sensor is identical to the primary camera on the Note 5 Pro.
Three new Motorola smartphones have surfaced online. This time around, it is the Moto E5 series. The Moto E5 series follows the recent smartphone trend with an 18:9 aspect ratio display. However, we are still unclear about the display aspect ratio on the Moto E5 Play and the Moto E5, as the report does not mention anything on the aspect ratio.
Earlier reports have shown that the Moto E5 and the Moto G6 series will feature a glass back, glass front and an aluminium mid-frame like the Moto X4. The company is expected to launch the Moto E5, Moto E5 Play and the Moto E5 Plus in April along with the Moto G6 series.
Moto E5 Plus
The Moto E5 Plus will have a 5.8 inch 18:9 1440 x 720px IPS LCD screen. The smartphone will be powered by either Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 or the MediaTek MT675X chipset. The processor will be coupled with 3GB RAM and 64GB storage.
The phone will have a dual camera setup with a 16 MP f/1.75 aperture primary camera and an 8 MP secondary camera with f/2.0 aperture. Similarly, the smartphone will also support NFC, Bluetooth and WiFi. Finally, the device will have a massive 5000 mAh sealed-battery.
Moto E5
The Moto E5 is has a 5.5 inch 1280 x 720px IPS LCD screen. The phone will have 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. However, there is no information on the chipset used in this iteration.
Similar to the Moto E5 Plus, the Moto E5 has a dual camera setup with a 13 MP primary camera and a 5 MP secondary camera. The device will have a 3028 mAh battery.
Moto E5 Play
The Moto E5 has a 5.2 inch 1280 x 720px IPS LCD display with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. The Play variant also has a dual camera setup with a 12 MP primary camera and a 5 MP secondary camera. Unlike the Moto E5 Plus, there is no information on the chipset, that powers the smartphone. Finally, the smartphone has a 4000 mAh battery.
Three new Huawei smartphones have been listed on TENAA, with similar specifications. All the phones look similar to the recently leaked Honor 7C. The devices are listed with a different model number.
The smartphones are listed under the model number AUM-TL00, AUM-TL10, and AUM-TL20. Similarly, the specifications do match with the Honor 7C or the Huawei Enjoy 8. The smartphones feature a metal unibody design, with a plastic antenna band. However, all three models have a similar China mobile logo at the back, which means, the devices are expected to launch only in China.
Specifications
These smartphones have a 5.7 inch 1440 x 720px IPS LCD display. Under the hood, the mobiles are powered by an unknown Quad-core chipset. The AUM-TL00 has 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. Similarly, the AUM-TL10 and the AUM-TL20 has 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The storage is expandable on all three models using SD card slot.
Considering the recent Huawei/Honor smartphones, these devices might feature an entry-level HiSilicon Kirin chipset. However, the company has also used MediaTek and Qualcomm chipsets on some of the entry-level models. So, they might feature a chipset from either Kirin or MediaTek or Qualcomm.
The AUM-TL10 and the TL20 has a dual 13 MP + 2 MP primary camera setup, whereas the AUM-TL00 has a single 13 MP primary camera. Similarly, the AUM-TL00 and the AUM-TL20 has an 8 MP front-facing camera and the AUM-TL10 has a 5 MP front-facing camera. The only model that, has a fingerprint scanner is the AUM-TL20.
All three models offer Android 8 Oreo with custom EMUI skin on the top. The devices measure 152.4 x 73 x 7.8mm and weigh at 150 grams. In fact, they have a similar 2900 mAh battery.
Conclusion
From the above-mentioned specifications, these devices might be launched under a single moniker. The AUM-TL20 could be to be the most powerful version amongst the three.
Honor is testing the beta version of the Android 8 Oreo build on the Honor 7X. In fact, the update is already available in Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Once the beta testing completes, the update will be made available globally.
What’s new?
The Android 8 Oreo update comes with custom EMUI 8 skin. With the latest update, the UI has been refined with. Similarly, the smartphone also gets the AI capabilities in the camera department. According to reports, the final version of the update will be available by mid-2018.
Specifications of Honor 7x
The Honor 7X has a 5.9 inch LTPS IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px display which translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio.
Under the hood, the Honor 7X has the HiSilicon Kirin 659 chipset, Mali-T830 MP2 GPU, 4GB of RAM and 64GB onboard storage. The onboard storage is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. The device is powered by a 3340 mAh battery which charges via a micro USB slot. Since the device has thin bezels, the fingerprint sensor is placed at the back of the below the dual-camera setup.
The Honor 7X runs Android 7.0 Nougat with EMUI 6.0 on top which gives a user more options for customising their phones.
The smartphone has a dual camera setup at the back. One of the cameras is equipped with a 16MP sensor while the other one is a 2MP depth sensor. The camera setup at the back has PDAF and records 1080P videos at 30fps. On the front is an 8MP camera which also records 1080P videos.
Conclusion
The Honor 7x is one of the best budget smartphones at the Rs 14,000 price mark. At this price tag, the smartphone has a great dual primary camera setup and an 8 MP front-facing camera. Similarly, the smartphone’s build quality is no bargainer as well. Finally, the Android 8 Oreo update makes this smartphone an all-rounder package.
It is now confirmed that the Huawei P20 will be launched in France on the 27th of March. However, one thing that is not clear is the main camera setup on the Huawei P20. Until now, most of the sources predicted the existence of triple camera setup.
The company had a big banner at the MWC 2018 on the Huawei P20 product launch in France on 27th March, which gave us an insight into the triple camera setup. So, we might see a Huawei P20 Plus, which might sport a triple primary camera setup.
However, a new leak from the tipster @evleaks confirms that the smartphone has a dual camera setup, not triple camera setup. In fact, the presence of the notch has been confirmed on the live image of the smartphone.
Initial findings:
The Huawei P20 runs on Android Oreo 8.1 out of the box with the custom EMUI skin on the top. Similar to the Honor View 10, the smartphone has a front-facing fingerprint scanner. The smartphone has a three-sided bezel-less design with a notch on the top.
Due to the placement of fingerprint scanner on the bottom, there is a substantial amount of bezel at the bottom. At the back, there is a LEICA branded dual camera setup similar to the Huawei P10. The camera setup is placed vertically, similar to the Apple iPhone X.
Expected specifications:
The smartphone is expected to have a 6 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD display with a notch on the top. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 970 Octa-core chipset with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. However, we might also see a plus version with OLED display and 8GB RAM.
The smartphone is likely to house a triple lens primary camera setup with RGB + wide angle + telephoto lens combination. On to the front, the smartphone is likely to have dual camera setup. In fact, the dual front-facing camera can aid the facial recognition system as well.
Conclusion:
In a recent interview at the MWC 2018, Huawei CEO confirmed that the Huawei P20 will be more powerful than the Apple iPhone X. In fact, the device has a lot of similarity to the Apple counterpart.
The Nokia 7 Plus could be the first Nokia-branded Android One smartphone. It is expected to be launched at MWC 2018 along with the Nokia 1. After a plethora of leaks and speculations about the Nokia 7 Plus, now we have a live image of the first Nokia smartphone with 18:9 aspect ratio display.
The Nokia 7 Plus will be a spiritual successor of the highly popular Nokia 7 (at least in China). The Nokia 7 was launched with a 16:9 aspect ratio display, powered by Snapdragon 630 Octa-core processor. Nokia 7 Plus, however, is expected to have an 18:9 aspect ratio with an almost bezel-less design. The single Zeiss lens on the Nokia 7 has been doubled on Nokia 7 Plus.
It looks like the company is testing the phone internally in India. The leaked image has a name “Raj Sharma” and the word “Namaste”, which means welcome. Therefore, it might hint at a possible launch in India sooner than expected. As we move closer to MWC 2018, more details about the upcoming Nokia device are being leaked.
Rumoured Specifications:
Nokia 7 Plus will be the first Nokia smartphone to offer an 18:9 aspect ratio display. The IPS LCD display will supposedly have a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. The fingerprint sensor along with the dual Zeiss branded cameras are located on the back, with a hint of an orange accent around the camera ring. According to the renders, it could sport an all-glass design, similar to the Moto X4 and Nokia 7.
It is worth noting that the Nokia 7 Plus will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC, coupled with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. The “Android One” branding on the back of the phone guarantees that the device will launch with Android 8 Oreo out of the box. Hence, you can expect regular software updates for the next two years.
Nokia 7 Plus Renders
Renders suggest that the company has decided to retain 3.5 mm headphone jack and a USB type C port charging and data syncing. At least on paper, the Nokia 7 Plus looks like a well-balanced smartphone, with a smart set of specifications.
Apart from the Nokia 8, HMD Global missed the mark by pricing its budget devices higher than expected. The likes of Nokia 6 lost out to Honor 7X, Mi A1 and others. The Nokia 7 Plus, to make a mark in the Indian market, has to be priced close to the Moto X4. At a price close to Rs. 20,000 the device will be the only device with an 18:9 aspect ratio and Snapdragon 660 chipset.
However, nothing can be said about the pricing of the smartphone yet. While the Nokia 7 Plus specifications are impressive, these are leaks at the end of the day.
Launched at a price of Rs. 10999, the Honor 9 Lite is hands down one of the best smartphones you can buy at this price. It is also the only smartphone in this price range to have four cameras, two on the front and two on the back. While we review plenty of smartphones at iGyaan, we decided to put the Honor 9 Lite through its paces. We really wanted to see how good the cameras are on this phone!
Shot On Honor 9 Lite
So, we decided to let a professional photographer review the camera performance of the device. And here are the results.
Honor 9 Lite Overview
It has a 5.65-inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution which translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio.
The display of the smartphone is reminiscent of the Honor 7X with thin bezels and an 18:9 aspect ratio. The Honor branding is housed in the bottom bezel just like the 7X while the fingerprint sensor is comfortably placed on the back of the device. The glass back of the smartphone is extremely reflective and will be a fingerprint magnet.
So, either keep a microfibre cloth handy with you all the time or use a case or a skin to protect it from little smudges and dings. The device is smaller than the Honor 7X thanks to a slightly smaller display as well and it is comfortable to hold and use the device with one hand.
Under the hood, similar to the Honor 7X, the Honor 9 Lite has the HiSilicon Kirin 659 chipset, an octa-core processor, the Mali-T830 MP2 GPU, 3GB or 4GB of RAM and storage options of 32GB and 64GB. It is worth noting that the onboard storage will be expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is placed at the back and the bottom bezel on the front houses the Honor branding.
Powering the device is a 3000 mAh battery which also supports the Super Charge technology.
The Honor 9 Lite has four cameras. To the front and back, it has a 13MP + 2MP setup and both the setups record 1080P videos at 30fps.
With the Honor 7X garnering great reviews for price-to-performance ratio, the Honor 9 Lite has taken it up a notch with its competitive pricing in the India market. It has a modern design, a very capable chipset and dual cameras on the front and back.
Huawei’s sub-brand Honor has launched the new Honor 7X launched in India. Let’s unbox the new device and see what we get inside:
Honor 7X
Documentation
Sim ejector tool
Wall charger
Micro USB cable
[section label=”First Impressions”]
First Impressions
The Honor 7X right from the moment you hold it in your hand gives a solid and sturdy feel. It has an aluminium unibody design with well-rounded edges for a nice snug fit in the hand.
[section label=”Specifications”]
Specifications
The Honor 7X has a 5.9 inch LTPS IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px display which translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio.
Under the hood, the Honor 7X has the HiSilicon Kirin 659 chipset, Mali-T830 MP2, 4GB of RAM and three storage options of 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. The onboard storage is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. The device is powered by a 3340 mAh battery which charges via a micro USB slot. Since the device has thin bezels, the fingerprint sensor is placed at the back of the below the dual-camera setup.
The Honor 7X runs Android 7.0 Nougat with EMUI 6.0 on top which gives a user more options for customising their phones.
The smartphone has a dual camera setup at the back. One of the cameras is equipped with a 16MP senor while the other one is a 2MP depth sensor. The camera setup at the back has PDAF and records 1080P videos at 30fps. On the front is an 8MP camera which also records 1080P videos.
So far in 2017, Sony has launched some impressive premium devices as well as capable mid-rangers. The company has however, strayed away from the growing trends of thin bezel phones and dual cameras. It looks like Sony will give in to one of those trends with a smartphone which will have dual front facing cameras.
According to a GFXBench listing, the Sony phone with the model number Xperia H3213 Avenger will have dual cameras on the front of the device. The listing reveals that the new Sony will be equipped with a 16MP + 8MP camera setup. Front facing dual cameras are not as common but, recently there have been phones like the Honor 9i which also sport a similar setup. The front facing cameras will also record 4K videos. The back of the phone has a 21MP camera.
Honor 9i with dual front facing cameras
Other specifications listed include a 6-inch display with a 1920 x 1080 px display. The resolution means that even though the phone will have a big display, it will not be a tall and bezel-less display.
Despite the dual camera setup, the Sony Xperia H3213 Avenger will not be a flagship smartphone. It has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset, along with 4GB of RAM and 32GB onboard storage. It is safe to assume that the onboard storage will be expandable via microSD card.
There is no word from company that it is working on mid range smartphone with a dual camera setup at front so it is hard to know when the phone will be launched. The device will be an interesting entrant in the sub-20K category in India which already has some great devices like the Xiaomi Mi A1 and the Moto G5s Plus.
The OnePlus 5T will be launched globally on the 16th of November at an event in New York. But, before the smartphone is launched, there are a few leaks that need attention. This new leaks sheds some light on what the camera performance of the OnePlus 5T might be like. It appears that OnePlus has decided to drop its troubled telephoto lens in favour of a lens better equipped for handling low light scenes.
This leak corroborates with an early review of the OnePlus 5T’s camera which said that said the OnePlus 5T’s secondary lens will offer the same focal length as the primary lens, as well as a similar wider aperture to boost low-light photography.
The OnePlus 5, at the time of its launch, was claimed to be OnePlus’ best camera phone till date. Although it was superior to other OnePlus devices, the smartphone received flak for its shaky ‘portrait mode’ photos.
Carl Pei, OnePlus co-founder has been tweeting low-light images for the past few days and it seems like the images were in fact clicked with a OnePlus 5T.
The Motorola Moto X4 comes to India for a price of Rs 20999 for the 3GB RAM variant and Rs 22999 for the 4GB RAM variant , after an unexpectedly long wait. Is the new Moto X series phone the right sequel to the popular Moto X Play and Moto X Style?
[section label=”Build Quality and Design”]
Build Quality and Design
The design of the Moto X4 is pretty impressive, with a glass front and 3D curved glass back, the phone has a rigid aluminium frame and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 with Native Damage Resistance. The Moto X4 is also IP68 water resistant, making it a really interesting proposition in the present price bracket.
The matte-finish frame feels excellent in the hand and the curved back fits comfortably in your palm. The cameras are placed in the notorious Moto round camera bump, however is well protected by a metal lip around the glass. The phone is offered up in two colors the Super Black and the Sterling Blue, both are interesting shades of their respective base colors and make the device look premium. Motorola has also placed all markings on the bottom of the phone next to the USB – C connector, making the device look clean.
The displays do have a top and lower bezel, but they are put to use with the large forward fitting speaker and front flash, along with the Fingerprint sensor which sits below the screen.
[section label=”Unboxing Video “]
Watch our unboxing video here-
[section label=”Hardware”]
Hardware
The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch screen and while Motorola has used OLED displays in their phones frequently, the Moto X4 continues to use a 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display. Inside the Moto X4 has the Snapdragon 630 chipset with the Adreno 508 GPU. The 2.2 GHz oct core chipset manages to deliver impressive daily performance. Options of 3 / 4 GB of RAM and 32/ 64 GB of Storage (respectively) along with a 3000 mAh battery with Moto TurboPower charging.
The chipset does have FM radio capabilities and DUAL SIM support along with VoLTE for Indian networks.
The forward firing speaker is loud and clear, we would have liked the dual stereo speakers Moto has used in the past, but this single one works well. The dimply is vibrant and bright with excellent color accuracy and viewing angles. The display is easily readable indoors and out and offers a 10 point multi touch just as most smartphones nowadays.
Consumption of content will be a plenty with the loud speaker and good looking display the responsiveness of the device also enhances the multimedia experience. A few customisations for the display are available, a color mode and adaptive brightness come standard. Also standard is a display size modifier to allow for larger or smaller fits and icons.
The sound output from the 3.5mm jack and the included earphones are impressive, adding a pair of high quality headphones will also offer better results.
[section label=”Performance and Gaming”]
Performance and Gaming
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset ( mid-high range chipset) works well on the Moto X4, paired up with the 4 GB RAM variant that we tested the phone offers impressive perforce for gaming and day to day usage. Multi tasking and peak task management along with RAM management is good with the stock Android and despite using the phone for over 4 weeks we found no slow down from the UI.
Games run well, including graphic intensive games manage to run at full graphics with impressive frame rates and no lag from the gaming experience. The forward firing speaker also helps the gaming experience, and whether you play arcade or intense games, the experience is pretty satisfactory.
[section label=”Android and Moto Experience”]
Android and Moto Experience
The Moto X4 runs a pure Android 7.1 ROM, with minor customisations from MOTO and a custom Camera APP. The user experience is lag free and pretty much as good as a pixel device. The Moto app has some interesting additions including the Moto Key which almost ever user for Moto X4 will learn to love. Much like Touch ID and Face ID the Moto Key on the Moto X4 will allow users to store passwords and sensitive information on the secure part of the Snapdragon 630 chip encrypted with the users fingerprints. This also will allow access into a windows computer, acting as a portable fingerprint reader for your laptop or desktop. The app available to download for Windows allows several more customisations.
The single button navigation also opens up more display real-estate and its gesture based experience is truly something that one can get used to .
The Moto X4 will be updated to Android Oreo soon claims the company, this will also enable Bluetooth 5.0 which is an OS dependant update, and the phone presently offers Bluetooth 4.1. But you do get the muti speaker connectivity because Bluetooth 5.0 hardware exists in the device, You can pair upto 4 different bluetooth speakers sync them up and have your own little party.
[section label=”Cameras”]
Cameras
The Moto X4 is made up of dual cameras at the rear, with one 12 MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and Dual Pixel AF while the other an 8 MP wide lens camera with an f/2.2 aperture.A huge improvement in the dual camera experience of the Moto X4 from previous Moto devices. With one Wide sensor the camera is able to do a lot more in the same space.
Wide Angle
Normal Shot
Wide Angle
Normal Shot
The HDR on the camera is really impressive offering up good levels of contrast on both the highs and mids. The dynamic range is pretty flexible and can be left in automatic for some interesting image results from the camera.
HDR On
HDR Off
The depth mode is a lot more accurate and fine tuned as well. Selecting out elements from the depth shot and editing them on the in built app allows for background replacement/blur or monochrome effects which can reproduce a lifelike shot.
Spot Colour (Red)
Normal Shot
Video capture from the phone with a resolution of 4k at 30 fps is good as well, we do miss stabilisation on the video capture which makes video caught by shaky hands, well “shaky!”
Both in video and images you get precise color saturation and sharp images, also assisted with the dual AF offered by the 12 MP primary camera. Additionally the manual mode assists in delivering more precise controls for the Photo Nerds in us.
[section label=”Phone and Battery”]
Phone and Battery
With support for all Indian networks on the 660 chipsets modem, and a robust Antenna on the Moto X4 call performance was top notch, with no call drops in weak network areas. The use of a three mic setup improves noise cancellation on the other end of the call and the earpiece is nice and loud. It is worth noting that the included headset also works with the noise cancellation microphones, and the earphones offer a full and impressive sound stage for music and voice calls.
Battery life will range from 4 hours of screen on time to 11 hours of screen on time depending on what your usage patterns look like. On an average the phone lasts a full day and then some, but in scenarios where you may need extra battery the TurboPower charger can juice you up for a good 5-7 hours of usage in about 15 minutes.
[section label=”Conclusion”]
Conclusion
Despite pretty big top and bottom bezels, the Motorola Moto X4 has a premium design and robust build quality a rigid frame and most importantly is the only phone in this price range with IP68 water proofing. The dual cameras are a lot more refined and offer up some interesting picture and video capabilities. Call quality and battery life on the Moto X4 delivers its due and the phone offers up a full experience. The phone is also kept in an interesting price bracket which leaves a good wiggle room for other brands whose flagship chipset based phones are 5-8 thousand in the north.
For the price and for IP68 alone the Moto X4 may just be the right phone in this price bracket, and with a lack of serious competition in this price range, Motorola may just reap the benefits of their pricing strategy. We would have liked to see a larger battery, an OLED display and stereo speakers. But the current arrangement is good at the price and we don’t really have that much to complain about.
In the market for a phone for Around Rs. 20000? give serious thought to the Moto X4.
Xiaomi has announced the new Mi A1 at an event in New Delhi at a price of Rs 14,999. The phone will be available in Black, Gold and Rose Gold colour variants. The Mi A1 will be the first Xiaomi smartphone to feature stock Android OS in association with Google’s Android One program. The company has also confirmed that the device will receive Android 8.0 Oreo update before the end of 2017 and will be in line to receive to Android P update next year.
The smartphone has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass on top for protection and aluminum unibody build. Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery and 2A charging through the Type C port. The Mi A1 runs pure Android 7.1.2 Nougat OS. Even though the phone has stock Android OS, Xiaomi has retained a few apps, such as the Mi camera app since the Google app doesn’t support dual-camera functions right now. The phone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 8x ARM Cortex A53 2.0GHz 64-bit processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card. Handling the graphics under the hood is the Adreno 505 GPU. The pyrolytic graphite sheet will help in heat management as well, Xiaomi claims. The Xiaomi Mi A1 has an IR blaster to control appliances in your home or office. The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device below the camera. Xiaomi has also included a dedicated headphone amplifier for better music listening experience.
In terms of optics, the smartphone features dual sensors – 12MP with an f/2.2 aperture (26mm) and 12MP with an f/2.6 aperture (50mm) setup with 1.25-micron pixel size. Out of the two cameras at the back, the primary one is equipped with a telephoto lens and the secondary camera has a wide-angle lens. The telephoto lens allows the user to take bokeh effect shots with blurred background and a 2X optical lossless zoom. For landscape shots, Xiaomi has introduced a wide angle lens while on the front is a 5MP camera.
The Xiaomi Mi A1 is priced at Rs 14,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage variant and will be available on Flipkart, mi.com, Mi Home stores and offline partner stores. The smartphone will go on sale from September 12 at Noon online and offline. Xiaomi has teamed up with Airtel to give up to 300GB of 4G data to new and existing Airtel customers on the purchase of the Xiaomi Mi A1.
Xiaomi is sending out press invites for its scheduled event on 5 September in New Delhi, India, where the company is expected to launch its ‘flagship dual camera’ smartphone. Xiaomi’s media invite states “Join us for the launch of our first dual camera smartphone in India”. We are still unsure whether the Mi 6 or Mi 5X are to be launched.
The event invite image sported a dual camera, suggesting, that one of the sensors will come with a larger aperture than the other.
Both the dual camera smartphones have already beenlaunched in China. Therefore, in terms of specifications and features, not much is left for speculations.
Xiaomi Mi 6
Xiaomi was launched the Mi 6 in April with a standard 5.15-inch, 1920 x 1080 px IPS LCD display and a Snapdragon 835 chipset clocked at 2.45 GHz. The Mi 6 runs Android 7.1.1 (Nougat), has 6GB of RAM and 64 GB of onboard storage. The smartphone is powered by a 3350 mah battery and features a fingerprint sensor housed inside the home button.
The Xiaomi Mi 6’s ‘flagship dual camera’ consists of two rear 12 MP cameras – the primary camera has a wide angle lens and the secondary camera has a telephoto lens. The standard lens has an f/1.8 aperture, while the second lens has an f/2.6 aperture. This dual-camera setup is similar to the one on the iPhone 7 Plus. On the front, the smartphone features an 8 MP camera which records 1080P videos at 30 FPS. The dual-cameras are capable of recording 4K videos at 30 FPS and 720P videos 120 FPS.
The smartphone was launched in different colour variants – Black, Blue, White and Ceramic Black with 18-karat gold camera rims. The Xiaomi Mi 6 was priced at RMB 2499 ( Rs. 23445 approx) and the ceramic variant (not available in India) costed RMB 2999 (Rs. 28153 approx.) at the time of its launch in China. The dual camera flagship is expected to be priced at Rs. 26999 in India.
Check out our unboxing of the Mi 6 below.
Xiaomi Mi 5X
Launched in July, the Xiaomi Mi 5X features a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 px IPS LCD display and a familiar large bezel design, unlike the 2017 flagships. The smartphone runs Android 7.1.1 and is rumoured to be based on MIUI 9, whereas the Chinese edition is based on MiUi 8.5. Unlike the Xiaomi Mi 6, the Mi 5X is powered by a 3,080 mAh battery with fast charging capabilities through the USB Type C port, but the included charger does not support fast charging.
The Mi 5X has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, clocked at 2GHz coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card up to 128GB.
Xiaomi Mi 5X features a dual 12 MP camera setup, one of the cameras has a wide-angle lens with a 1.25-micron pixel size and an f/2.2 aperture, while the other is a telephoto lens with a 1-micron pixel size and an f/2.6 aperture. The camera app has a portrait mode very similar to the one on the iPhone 7 Plus, which allows blurring out of the background. The dual-cameras are also capable of recording 4K videos at 30 FPS and 720P videos 120 FPS. On the front of the smartphone is a 5 MP camera with real-time beautification and the ability to record 1080p video at 30 fps. The fingerprint sensor sits below the display on the front
The Mi 5X, was introduced in three colour variants – Black, Gold and Pink and was priced at CNY 1,499 (roughly Rs. 14,200) at the time of its launch in China.
Check out our Xiaomi Mi 5X unboxing and hands on video.
India’s homegrown brand Micromax may not have seen good days in the past few year, but, it appears that the company is planning a comeback to the market. The company which had become popular thanks to their budget alternatives to big brands like Samsung and HTC back at a time where players like Xiaomi and OnePlus were nonexistent, now is challenged by many big smartphone players offering budget smartphones.
The smartphone market has become extremely aggressive and competitive, forcing big players like Samsung, Sony and Moto to launch products that compete with the budget alternatives of Chinese brands. While for India’s brands, especially those who depend on Chinese OEM manufacturers to manufacture their products, the margins continue to shrink.
This made it difficult for Micromax to tackle the current market, and while the company was plagued by bad market reputation, and poor after sales service, there were issues within the organizational structure.
Our sources tell us that Micromax has prepared and is ready to hit the market with mid-rangers phones priced around the Rs. 15,000 price bracket. These phones will offer up not only a few interesting features and specifications but will also include impressive warranties. The first series of smartphones from Micromax should start appearing end of March or early April.
Micromax’s Online brand YU will also see a revamp and major launches in the coming months. Micromax appears to have re-organized the company’s structure and is planning more products for the mobile accessories market as well.
Micromax’s twitter handle also recently became active with some news of an upcoming smartphone.
