Tag: Gaming Smartphone

Are Gaming Smartphones Really Worth Buying?
Gaming smartphones are one of the new trends with the last couple of generation in the mobile industry. The devices, as the name suggests, are made with modifications or tweaks with gaming in mind. Previously, the genre had failed miserably with many unsuccessful attempts of bringing a new breed of cellular yet portable gaming consoles to the mainstream markets. Since then, consumer’s perspective has changed and the unique handsets are now widely sought after. But, do we really need a gaming smartphone?

To answer the question lets take a look at the brief history of gaming smartphones alongside other portable gaming devices.

Xiaomi Black Shark 2

Portable Gaming

The first video game ever created was Pong back in 1958. Since its inception, a new multi-billion dollar industry has been borne with gaming as its business model. Soon after, in the early 1960s, consumers were looking at video games as the next big thing in the entertainment industry. Hence, companies took notice and game studios were founded. By 1970s, there were already multiple studios with various games for PCs alongside the first form of gaming consoles. Interestingly, the first consoles also birthed the race for portable consoles that have a wider reach and easier accessibilities.

Nintendo DS

Nintendo is widely credited for being the company to popularize the handheld console market with its release of Game Boy in 1989. The portable gaming console was explosive in success and dominated the market for years into the future. Note, this was also the time where the mobile industry had devices become more compact meaning more portability. The gaming industry and mobile industry went parallel for the better part of each respective infant stages. However, the advancement in technology meant a cross over was soon to be expected.

Game Boy Original

Gaming Smartphones of Old

Gaming smartphones are not a new breed. Although they are now certainly a lot more viable than before. The reason why many established OEMs kept their distance from them is due to their infamous history. Devices such as the Nokia N-Gage, Sony Ericsson Xperia Play and more are a few that pop into mind. The gaming phones of old were surprisingly more powerful and capable than their handheld gaming consoles at the time in some scenarios.

Nokia N-Gage

For example, the N-Gage was a direct competitor to Game Boy Advance while featuring a much better processor. But, speed isn’t enough as the implementation of controls whilst having games actually made for your platform is rather difficult. The devices launched then suffered either of the two problems or both. At the time, the game studios had no inclination or incentive to collaborate with the mobile OEMs either, since the portable consoles were extremely popular at the time. However, that has since changed.

Known Gaming Phones and Handheld Consoles
- Nokia N-Gage
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
- PlayStation Portable (PSP)
- PlayStation Portable Vita
- Game Boy & Game Boy Advance
- Samsung SPH-B5200
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

Gaming Smartphones Now

Surprisingly, even after the harsh history of the breed, gaming smartphones have stood the test of time. It indirectly implies the unending growth of gaming culture and entertainment. Currently, the smartphone gaming market accounts for more revenue than both PC gaming and console gaming market combined. In other words, studios earn more from games like Candy Crush over games like Call of Duty.

Nubia Red Magic 3

Furthermore, we all know the PUBG Mobile fever that has infected globally, especially India. After the game’s launch, we have seen more smartphone like the Asus ROG Gaming Phones being launched. These smartphones unlike regular feature aesthetical changes which make them look a lot more appealing and gaming-centric. They also carry tweaks and modifications, especially to the UI, to provide an enhanced gaming experience. Unlike the past, there is a booming mobile gaming market to cater to the increasing capabilities of smartphones.

PUBG Mobile

Are They Really Worth It?

Finally, the reason why you are here. Gaming smartphones are worth buying now more than ever before. Tech giants have recognised the true potential of the gaming genre and its immense value and are heavily invested in many mobile gaming studios. However, it would still be advised to wait just a bit longer. Yes, gaming smartphones are the best they have ever been, but they can be better. What we see now is the gaming industry finally penetrating the main stream market of smartphones or as they say, “just the tip of the iceberg.”

Razer Phone 2

Hence, it is expected that specialised hardware, such as MediaTek Helio G90T SoC that is made for gaming, will improve with time and exclusive more mobile gaming studios like Tencent Games will emerge. Regardless of its popularity, the gaming smartphone market is still a niche with its sales not being close to mainstream devices.

MediaTek G90T SoC

Also Read: Gamescom 2019 Roundup Of The Best Upcoming Games

Additionally, there really isn’t a lot that difference, in most cases, between a gaming smartphone and a regular flagship. For the most part, gaming handsets offer a better display with a higher refresh rate panel, overclocked SoC or even better cooling solutions. Conclusively, it is a great time for mobile gamers and huge potential in the industry. With a bit more time, it is expected to mature into a gaming world of its own within amazing portability that beats any handheld consoles.
August 20, 2019
Asus ROG Phone 2 Gaming Smartphone Launch Date Revealed

Its been a while since Asus was confirmed to have been working on the second iteration of ROG Phone (Republic Of Gaming). Asus ROG Phone 2 is going to be the latest device in the gaming smartphone lineup from the company. Previously, many leaks showed an uncertain launch date, but the official release has finally been revealed for the date of 23rd July.

The Taiwanese company teased an image on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. According to the teaser, date, time and venue location of the ASUS’ press conference has been officially revealed. Notably, Tencent Games will be in collaboration, known for its massively popular multiplayer title, PUBG Mobile. It is expected that the company will showcase other gaming related peripherals which will also be available alongside the Asus ROG Phone 2.

Asus will probably be seen flaunting its smooth 120Hz display on its upcoming gaming flagship; a noticeable jump over last gens 90Hz screen. ROG Phone 2 is expected to run an optimized version of PUBG Mobile to fully utilize the 120Hz panel, which is twice the refresh rate found on traditional smartphones. The device was recently reported to have received the 3C Certification in China which also revealed a 30W charger being planned for the device. It will be the second brand after Razer and its Razer Phone lineup to feature such a high refresh rate display panel on its smartphone.

Also Read: Puffin OS Is The Mobile Operating System That Can Crush Android Go

Asus ROG Phone 2 is expected to feature top-end specs similar to its predecessor. It will likely sport at least 6GB of RAM alongside 128GB of ROM run by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 SoC. The upcoming smartphone will be unveiled in China on 23rd July, however, its pricing is still unknown. It will be a great addition to the gaming lineup of smartphones from the company and in the market for gaming enthusiasts.

July 5, 2019
Nube Gaming Smartphone With Extendable Gamepad

Handheld gaming machines have been in the entertainment industries for almost 40 years now. These type of devices have always been a hit or miss with the audiences centred around gaming. Sony is a great example of this with the successful PlayStation Portable aka PSP and the subsequent failure of the PlayStation Vita. However, with the mobile gaming market being the largest revenue generator for the industry, it was inevitable that hybrid technology would be born soon. Nube Mobile is currently developing one such gaming device.

Specifications & Design

The company which is largely unheard of had patented designs last year regarding an extendable smartphone. These extended forms now include buttons such as controller D-pads and even joysticks, and may even feature special cooling functions. Nube Mobiles is based in Hong Kong and also works off of Spain in Malaga. According to the company’s own website, development is underway regarding two products. “One is a new smartphone for new players” while the other is a “new game based on one of the most popular films of the moment.”

The product in question is probably the hybrid device which at a glance would resemble a regular handset with bezels at the top and bottom. In addition to this, the key feature manifests itself once the corners bezels are pulled out from the device. Once fully extended gamepad buttons will flank the screen from the left and right sides. This, in turn, makes the smartphone look like a Nintendo Switch since the button layout is entirely similar. The Nube Gaming Mobile would although likely sport a larger and higher resolution display than the 6.2-inch HD screen found on the Switch.

Nube’s hybrid device has its buttons slightly encaved within the smartphone, just enough to slide in behind the screen. This makes it a practical smartphone and handheld gaming system simultaneously. Optional gamepad for smartphone do exist in the market, but no other company has it in-built within their handsets. Apart from the gaming peripherals, the essential front sensors are provided on the top like any other smartphone. The left side houses the volume rockers while the right has the power button along with two SIM card slots. The charging port is found at the bottom of the device alongside the apparently lone speaker on the left.

Nube Mobile’s upcoming smartphone only has a single camera at the back with a flash. Notably, the camera modules will move when the controls are extended due to their placement. Unfortunately, internal specifications cannot be discerned but going by the trend, a high refresh rate with a powerful processor is expected. The device will also probably be powered by a large battery pack. The website claims that Nube Mobile’s have 5 years of video game industry experience and that the new products will be introduced soon.

Also Read: Samsung Patents A Gaming Laptop With Expandable Display

With the mobile gaming market surpassing the PC and consoles in terms of revenue generated, a new shift in development focus has already started. Popular game studios for the aforementioned platforms are now taking the mobile market more seriously. This is evident with Activision bringing the Call Of Duty experience to smartphones. Official launch dates or any information was not provided by the company, but according to the website, the announcement would’ve been made in April. More updates are expected soon since the month has long since passed.

June 19, 2019
Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Gaming Smartphone To Launch In India On 27 May
The highly anticipated Xiaomi Black Shark 2 gaming smartphone is heading towards its India launch, and it brings a host of features to the table. As per previous reports, the device passed its BIS Certification in India on May 7, 2019, indicating that the smartphone may be released in the same month. Latest reports state that the Black Shark 2 is scheduled for an India launch on May 27. Media invites for the same have confirmed the aforementioned launch date.

Xiaomi Black Shark 2: Specifications, Design & Features

The Black Shark 2 picks up a fair share of design aspects from its predecessor. The smartphone measures 163.61 x 75.01 x 8.77 mm and weighs in at 205 grams. It features a 6.39 inch AMOLED display which is surrounded by thin bezels on all sides. The smartphone’s display has a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px and a pixel density of 403 ppi. The display panel can reach brightness levels of upto 430 nits and has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The AMOLED display is pressure sensitive, which can offer a variety of implications while playing games on the device. Biometric security options include an in-display fingerprint sensor.

The right side of the smartphone houses the power button and a “shark slider” which when toggled turns on gaming mode for game-focused performance. The left side of the handset houses the volume rockers. The bottom of the device accommodates the USB Type-C port. Since it is a gaming device, it has a vapour cooling chamber to regulate high temperatures while intensive gaming sessions.

Under the hood, the Black Shark 2 runs on the Snapdragon 855 SoC which consists of an Octa-Core CPU and the Adreno 640 GPU. The smartphone is powered by a 4,000 mAh battery which supports fast charging upto 27 W. Connectivity options on the device include 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, Dual 4G VoLTE and GPS.

The rear of the Black Shark 2 has a unique design with green coloured decals that run along the sides. The rear panel also houses the brand logo and a dual camera setup, which consists of a 48 MP sensor, 12 MP sensor and an LED Flash. The camera can capture 2160p videos at 30 fps. For selfies, it has a 20 MP front-facing camera which is placed in the bezel above the display. The front camera can also capture 1080p videos at 30 fps.

Xiaomi Black Shark 2: Price, Colours And Storage Options

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 7s With 48 MP Camera Launched In India

The Black Shark 2 is available in two colour variants which includes Frozen Silver and Shadow Black. The price for different variants of the smartphone are listed below:
- 6 GB + 128 GB – ¥3199 (~Rs 32,600)
- 8 GB + 128 GB – ¥3499 (~Rs 35,700)
- 12 GB + 256 GB – ¥4199 (~Rs 42,800)
Note that the prices for the smartphone might differ at the time of launch, since the prices mentioned above were roughly translated from its Chinese counterpart’s prices.
May 20, 2019
Nubia Red Magic 3 Makes An Appearance At A Chinese Gaming Event

To encash on the rapidly booming smartphone gaming industry, Chinese smartphone maker, Nubia had launched a couple of gaming-centric smartphones in the past. The previously launched devices were warmly welcomed and in order to further benefit from the trend the company is set to launch the Nubia Red Magic 3. The smartphone is set to launch on the 28th of April and days before the official announcement, it has been spotted at a Chinese gaming event.

Nubia Red Magic 3 Design and Features

According to the images shared on Chinese website ITHome, the Nubia Red Magic 3 has a similar design to the original Red Magic and the Red Magic Mars. The rear of the smartphone harbours a hexagonal shaped fingerprint sensor, slits on each corner, RGB LED strips and the single camera setup. Distinctively, the camera lens has an unconventional diamond shape which is accompanied by an LED Flash.

The slits on each corner of the Red Magic 3 is expected to have similar functionality as the original handset. Accordingly, the bottom slits will be used as cooling vents for the device. Sadly, the details about the front fascia of the smartphone are unavailable and will be publicised at the time of the launch which is imminent.

Also Read: Alleged Case Moulds Of The 2019 iPhone Leak Revealing Triple Rear Cameras

In terms of specifications, the Nubia Red Magic 3 will be kitted with the Snapdragon 855 SoC which is also featured on devices like the Galaxy S10 lineup and Oppo Reno 10x Zoom. The smartphone will be powered by a 5,000 mAh or larger capacity battery which will support fast charging. Furthermore, it will have a high refresh rate display which is claimed to be equivalent to a gaming PC monitor.

April 22, 2019
PUBG Mobile Developer, Tencent May Launch A Gaming Smartphone

Mobile gaming has evolved a lot over the last few years, with games like PUBG Mobile and Clash Royale gaining immense popularity amongst young gamers. The company behind smash-hit games like PUBG Mobile and League Of Legends, Tencent Gaming is now setting its target towards gaming smartphones. The company is reportedly contacting smartphone brands such as ASUS, Xiaomi and Razer for a new gaming device that may be co-branded or self-branded.

Xiaomi Black Shark 2

As per reports, the company may start working on such a device soon enough. In hindsight, ASUS released the ROG gaming smartphone in the month of October 2018, whereas the Razer Phone was launched in the market in November 2017. Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi released the first Black Shark smartphone in the early half of 2018. All of the aforementioned smartphone provided top-of-the-line specifications, which will be the case if Tencent finally releases a gaming smartphone.

Expected Specifications And Features

Razer Phone 2

Of course, no official announcement regarding such a gaming device has been made yet, but once it’s released, it is expected to feature one of the most powerful chipsets in the market, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. The device may pack 12GB RAM for seamless multi-tasking. Since the display is a crucial factor in gaming smartphones, the Tencent gaming smartphone is speculated to have nothing short of a 90 Hz display, or even a 120 Hz display which is present in the Razer Phone. Furthermore, the gaming smartphone will probably feature an advanced thermal-optimization system that will help keep the temperature of such a device in check.

ASUS ROG Phone

Also Read: ADATA Unveils XPG SPECTRIX D60G DDR4 RGB Memory Module

Additionally, the Tencent gaming smartphone may feature a big battery to squeeze in extra game time. Since most gaming handsets feature fast charging, the Tencent device is expected to go down the same road. It is unclear as of now whether Tencent will move ahead with its decision, but once it happens, the smartphone will apparently be optimized for games like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite. Since Tencent also has a huge 40% stake in popular game publisher Epic Games, the smartphone may have the Epic Store pre-installed. Whatever the case may be, Tencent’s gaming smartphone is expected to receive rave reviews from the gaming society if and when the device makes its way to the smartphone market.

April 18, 2019
Nubia Red Magic 3 Gaming Smartphone To Launch In China On 28th Of April

Nubia, a subsidiary of telecommunications giant ZTE is expected to launch its next gaming smartphone, the Red Magic 3 for a while now. The handset is reported to pack top tier specifications with some industry-first technologies. In a post by a senior executive at the company, it has been revealed the device will launch in China on the 28th of April.

Nubia Red Magic 3

Nubia Red Magic Mars

The upcoming Nubia Red Magic 3 smartphone will be the company’s flagship offering. It is expected to feature a similar design to its predecessor, the Red Magic Mars. Leaks specifications of the device suggest a 6.4-inch display with a high refresh rate. The company suggests the handset will have the highest refresh rate ever seen on a smartphone. As the highest recorded number for a device is 120Hz as seen on the Razer Phone/ Razer Phone 2, the Red Magic 3 may also sport a similar refresh rate display. Unfortunately, the high refresh rate insinuates the handset will utilise an LCD display, as the current OLED display technology is limited to a refresh rate of 90 Hz, as seen in the Asus ROG Phone. For biometrics and security, the smartphone may have a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner with support for face unlock technology.

Nubia has confirmed the Red Magic 3 will run on the 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC. The chipset consists of an octa-core CPU and the Adreno 640 GPU for graphics. To make sure the smartphone remains cool while playing games, the device will be equipped with air and liquid cooling technology, the likes of which the company claims have never been seen before. In terms of optics, the handset is expected to feature a dual rear camera setup, details of which are unknown at the moment. For memory and storage, the Red Magic 3 will feature up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

In regards to the battery capacity, Nubia has also hinted the Red Magic 3 will have a 5000 mAh cell, which will be the largest ever on a gaming smartphone. Along with the massive battery capacity, the smartphone will also support 30W fast charging. To appeal to gamers, the device will also have a 4D vibration motor, which is expected to provide haptic feedback while playing games.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: Facebook Admits To Have “Unintentionally Uploaded” 1.5 Million Email Addresses Without Consent

The Nubia Red Magic 3 gaming smartphone will be unveiled at an event in Beijing, China on the 28th of April as mentioned above. It was also announced earlier that the smartphone, along with the Nubia Alpha smartwatch and Nubia Pods wireless earphones will launch in India in the month of May. Pricing of the Nubia Red Magic is expected to be around Rs. 40,000 in India.

April 18, 2019
Nubia Red Magic 3 Antutu Benchmark Score Leaked

Chinese smartphone maker Nubia is all set to launch the third iteration of its gaming smartphone. Reportedly called the Red Magic 3, it has been leaked constantly over the past few days. A fresh listing on benchmarking tool Antutu has now revealed the score of the upcoming device.

Nubia Red Magic 3

A smartphone with a model number NX629J was spotted on Antutu. Since the Nubia Red Magic Mars has the model number NX609J, it is expected that the listing is of its successor, the Red Magic 3. The smartphone is expected to feature a similar design to its predecessor. Nubia claimed that the upcoming gaming device will have a high refresh rate display, which is expected 120Hz panel similar to the one found on the Razer Phone.

The Antutu listing confirms the Nubia Red Magic 3 will run on the 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 640 GPU. For memory, the listing reveals 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. However, the company claimed the device will have the highest capacity of RAM available currently. Since the highest available RAM in smartphones is 12GB, it is expected to be provided as a variant in the smartphone.

The benchmarking tool revealed that the Nubia Red Magic 3 has an impressive score of 4,37,504. It is the highest score any smartphone has achieved on the tool and is higher than the Xiaomi Black Shark 2, which held the top position until now. The device received a score of 4,30,000 on Antutu. Interestingly, the smartphone features similar specifications to the upcoming Red Magic 3. This is in part due to the rumoured Air + Liquid cooling technology which will be an industry first and will prevent the smartphone from overheating.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S10 5G To Go On Sale On The 5th Of April

The Nubia Red Magic 3 is expected to be powered by a 5000mAh battery and is confirmed to feature 30W fast charging. An interesting addition will be a 4D vibration motor, which will provide haptic feedback while gaming. Like its predecessor, the Nubia Red Magic 3 is also expected to have RGB LED lights on its back. It might also have remappable shoulder pads which were first introduced by the Asus ROG phone.

April 2, 2019
Nubia Red Magic 3 Leaked To Support 30W Fast Charging

Components including the camera, display and chipset for the most modern smartphones are supplied by a handful of suppliers. Therefore, it is hard to develop and manufacture a smartphone that stands out of the bunch. Razer, a recognised gaming peripheral brand tried to change that by launching a gaming-oriented smartphone, the Razer Phone in the year 2017. Following Razer, several OEMs have started to release their own versions of a gaming smartphone. The Chinese smartphone maker, Nubia is also set to launch the third iteration of its gaming handset soon. Allegedly called the Nubia Red Magic 3, specifications of the device have been previously revealed by a senior company executive. The upcoming handset has obtained the China Compulsory Certificate (3C) which reveals one of its notable features. The certificate conveys that the anticipated smartphone will support 30W fast charging.

Nubia Red Magic 3 Specifications

Like most gaming smartphones, the Nubia Red Magic 3 is expected to feature a design that aesthetically appeals to gamers. It may be similar to the Red Magic Mars launched last year. A few days ago, a senior executive of the company revealed some features and specifications of the device. It is confirmed to be kitted with the 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC. The chipset is the latest from Qualcomm and has an Octa-core CPU combined with Adreno 640 GPU. For memory, it will have 12GB of RAM, the highest available on smartphones currently.

To prevent the Nubia Red Magic 3 from overheating, it will reportedly have a combination of Air + Liquid cooling technology which will be the industry first. Notably, the smartphone is also expected to feature a display with an astoundingly high refresh rate. It may sport a 120Hz refresh rate display panel which was first seen in the Razer Phone. Another interesting addition will be a 4D vibration motor, which will provide haptic feedback while gaming. The Nubia Red Magic 3 is reported to be powered by a 5000mAh battery. As previously mentioned it will support 30w fast charging.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 With S Pen Launched

Like its predecessor, the Nubia Red Magic 3 is also expected to have RGB LED lights on its back. It might also have remappable shoulder pads which were first introduced by the Asus ROG phone.

March 29, 2019
Key Features Of Nubia’s Upcoming Red Magic 3 Gaming Smartphone Confirmed

Gaming smartphones are slowly gaining popularity, and consequently, every smartphone brand is looking towards releasing its own iteration of a gaming device. Nubia is well versed in the gaming smartphone industry, and the company will soon release its next device in the gaming segment, which is the Nubia Red Magic 3. On March 18, Nubia’s General Manager confirmed six features of the upcoming smartphone.

Nubia Red Magic 3 Features

The Red Magic 3 will feature a combination of air and liquid cooling to optimize the device’s temperature. The advanced cooling system will ensure that the smartphone can handle extensive thermal stress while running graphics-intensive games. In terms of the chipset, the Nubia Red Magic 3 is confirmed to be kitted with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC. The 7nm Snapdragon 855 chipset consists of an octa-core Kryo 485 CPU clocked at 2.84 GHz and the Adreno 640 GPU.

Amongst other features, the ZTE-associated company also confirmed the presence of the highest amount of RAM in a smartphone to date. Considering that 12 GB RAM is the top industry benchmark till now, the Red Magic 3 will definitely sport the same, if not more. Another interesting feature of the device seems to be the refresh rate of the smartphone’s display. Nubia’s GM mentioned that the Red Magic 3’s screen will have the highest refresh rate ever seen in a gaming handset, which will be even higher than most gaming PCs. Razer Phone has a 120 Hz display, so it’s very interesting to see how Nubia follows up on that.

The gaming smartphone will also feature a 4D vibration motor to enhance haptic feedback while playing games. The feedback will be customizable via an application present on the device. Last but not least, the Red Magic 3 will have an upgraded battery than its predecessor’s 3,800 mAh power cell. A better battery would mean more gaming hours on the device, which might make the device a good deal for a lot of smartphone gamers out there.

Availability

Also Read: Apple Launches iPad Air 10.5 & 5th Gen iPad Mini

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer also hinted that the device may see the light of the market in April 2019, so more information may be available in the upcoming weeks. The top-of-the-line specifications present on the Red Magic 3 may just make it a neat flagship as well as an ambitious gaming smartphone.

March 19, 2019
Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Launching Soon
Xiaomi launched the gaming-oriented Black Shark smartphone in early 2018 which was followed by beefed-up Black Shark Helo in November 2018.

A Weibo post shared by the company’s product director states it will soon launch a new Black Shark gaming smartphone which will be packed with new features. Unfortunately, the post does not reveal any specifications of the smartphone. However, it is expected to have the following features.

Black Shark 2.0 Expected Features
- Snapdragon 855- The Snapdragon 855 is the latest and greatest SoC that Qualcomm currently offers. The chipset consists of an Octa-Core CPU along with the Adreno 640 GPU and is manufactured using 7 nm fabrication technology.
- Gaming Accessories- Except for the unconventional looks, Black Shark smartphones also support a wide variety of accessories. And the upcoming device is also expected to support gaming accessories like Bluetooth gamepad and wireless gaming earphones.
- Liquid Cooling- The praiseworthy Razer Phone 2 which is a competitor to Black Shark smartphones has a wide vapour cooling chamber. Thus, the upcoming Black Shark smartphone might also have a similar cooling chamber.
- Edge-To-Edge Display- Both Black Shark smartphones launched last year have thick top and bottom bezels. And the company would also want to improve the looks of the future device, there it is expected to have minimal bezels and an edge-to-edge display.
- 10 GB RAM- The Black Shark Helo smartphone launched late last year is available in 10 GB of RAM. Therefore, its successor is assumed to have the same or higher RAM storage.
Launch Date

Also Read: The Portless Meizu Zero Is Available For Pre-Order At $1299

The source does not reveal information about the launch date of the Black Shark 2. But reports claim that the device will launch in the month of April or May this year.
February 5, 2019
Nubia Red Magic Gaming Phone Launched In India

Nubia is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer that is based out of Shenzhen. The company was initially started in 2012 by ZTE. But in 2017, ZTE reduced their stake in it after which Nubia became an independent company. Nubia has previously offered some smartphones in India but they have not seen substantial growth. However, this might change soon as the company has launched their gaming oriented Nubia Red Magic smartphone in the country.

Nubia Red Magic Gaming Phone Giveaway! Click here to enter.

Design

The Nubia Red Magic has a striking design with front glass and rear aluminium build. The front of the smartphone has negligible left/right bezels while the top/bottom bezels are quite prominent. The smartphone measures 158.1 x 74.9 x 9.5 mm and weighs in at 185 grams. The power button, volume rockers, and the dedicated GameBoost switch are present on the right side of the device while the left side accommodates the dual SIM slot. The 3.5 mm audio jack rests on the top and the USB Type-C port rests on the bottom.

Display

The Nubia Red Magic has a 5.99-inch Full HD LCD display with a 78.5% screen-to-body ratio. The display panel has a resolution of 2160 x 1080 px and a pixel density of 402 ppi. The screen has an aspect ratio of 18:9. The protect the device from scratches and shocks it gets Dinorex T2X-a glass.

Processor And Operating System

The Nubia Red Magic features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. The Snapdragon 835 is comprised of an Octa-Core CPU and Adreno 540 GPU. Out of the eight cores, four are clocked at 2.35 GHz and other four are clocked at 1.9 GHz.

Camera And Storage

The Nubia Red Magic has a f/2.0 aperture equipped 8 MP front facing camera and a f/1.7 aperture equipped 24 MP main rear camera. The smartphone can capture 2160p videos at 30fps from the rear camera and 1080p video at 30fps from the front camera. In terms of memory and storage, the Nubia Red Magic has 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of inbuilt storage.

Battery And Operating System

The Nubia Red Magic is powered by a 3,800 mAh Lithium-Ion battery which supports fast charging up to 18 W. Unlike the global variant, the India specific model runs on 8.1 Oreo stock Android.

Connectivity And Other Features

The Red Magic supports dual 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0 and 802.11 ac Wi-Fi. The rear of the device has Red coloured mesh grills which act as the cooling vents for the Multi-Layer cooling technology that the smartphone has.

Price And Availability

The Nubia Red Magic is exclusively available on Amazon and carries a price tag of Rs 29,999.

Nubia Red Magic Gaming Phone Giveaway! Click here to enter.

December 19, 2018
Asus ROG Phone To Soon Launch In India
Asus unveiled their ROG (Republic Of Gamers) Phone during Computex which was held in Taipei, earlier this year. From its design to the user interface, the smartphone is every bit what a gaming phone should be. The smartphone is already on sale in the US and UK. According to androidcentral, Asus will launch the ROG phone in India as well ,on November 29.

Design & Features

The Asus ROG Phone has a 6-inch AMOLED display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. The display has a pixel density of 402 ppi and a refresh rate of 90 Hz which allows for smooth gaming and video watching experience. The display also gets Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection to prevent it from scratches against hard surfaces. The handset has dual front-firing speakers each of which are placed on the top and bottom front bezel. It has an 8 MP front facing camera that can also capture 1080p videos at 30 fps.

The right side of the ROG Phone is occupied by the volume rockers, power button, and two user customisable pressure sensitive ridged controls while the bottom side houses the 3.5mm jack and a USB-C port. The smartphone gets two additional USB Type-C ports on the left side. Asus claims these will come in handy to plug in accessories or charge it while still playing games on it.

Asus offers a variety of accessories for the smartphone like a cooling attachment(provided in the box), dock and many more. The smartphone has an unconventional looking glass back with dual rear cameras, a fingerprint sensor and an RGB LED lit ROG logo. Under the hood, the smartphone features the Octa-Core 845 SoC. The four Kyro Gold cores of the chipset have a frequency of 2.96 GHz while the remaining four Kyro Gold cores are clocked at 1.7 GHz.

Talking about the rear camera setup, the Asus ROG phone has dual 12 MP + 8 MP sensor that can capture 2160p videos at 60 fps. The smartphone is powered by a massive 4,000 mAh Li-Ion battery which supports 30 W Quick Charge 4.0. For connectivity, it has Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer.

Price, Variants & Availability

The Asus ROG Phone will be announced in India on the 29 November but no pricing details are currently available. However, it is expected to have a similar price tag as the UK variants which start at £799 (around Rs 72,800). The smartphone will be available in two storage variants which are as follows:
- 8 GB RAM + 128 GB ROM
- 8 GB RAM + 512 GB ROM
Also Read: Snapdragon 8150 Registers Highest AI Benchmark Score

In short, the ROG Phone will be a solid flagship smartphone and will attract a lot of gaming enthusiasts in the country.
November 21, 2018
Nubia Red Magic 2 Spotted On Geekbench
Nubia is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer based in Shenzhen. Earlier this year, the company launched a gaming-centric smartphone called the Nubia Red Magic in Europe & China. Due to a positive response from consumers, the company is expected to soon launch its successor. And recently, a Nubia smartphone has been spotted on Geekbench which most probably is the Nubia Red Magic 2. The alleged Nubia Red Magic 2 has the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Chipset.

Geekbench Results

The model number of the Nubia Red Magic 1 was NX609J, whereas the new device has the NX619J model number. The similar model numbers of both the phones state that this, in fact, is the successor to the Red Magic 1. The device in the listing gets a respectable single-core score of 2375 points and a multi-core score of 9066 points. The Geekbench listing also reveals that the upcoming smartphone runs on the latest Android 9.0 Pie operating system.

Under the hood, the Nubia Red Magic 1 runs the Octa-Core Snapdragon 845 with a base clock frequency of 1.77 GHz. Additionally, the smartphone gets 6 GB of RAM which is the same as the base variant of the previous device. However, the listing does not provide any other specifications that the new handset will feature. But, the company is expected to ship the new device with better features and specifications than its predecessor.

Nubia Red Magic

The Nubia Red Magic has a futuristic looking design with an aluminum back and 6-inch LCD display. The back of the device has a hexagonally shaped camera module, LED flash, and the fingerprint sensor. To accentuate its gaming orientation, the smartphone also has a customisable RGB LED strip at the back. The phone also has dual rear firing speakers and multilayer cooling technology to keep the phone temperatures in check even while playing heavy games. The device has a right side mounted sliding switch that toggles the gaming mode. When toggled, the device limits the number of background tasks to maximise gaming performance.

Nubia Red Magic Full Specifications
- Display: 5.99-inch Full HD+ 2160 × 1080 pixels, 18:9 aspect ratio
- Operating System: Android 8.1 Oreo
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
- RAM: 6 GB / 8 GB LPDDR4x
- Storage: 64 GB / 128 GB
- Rear Cameras: 24 MP, LED Flash
- Selfie Camera: 8 MP
- Security: Rear fingerprint scanner
- Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac 2.4G + 5G, Bluetooth 5 .0 + LE, GPS, USB Type-C , 3.5 mm audio jack
- Battery: 3800 mAh
- Dimensions: 158.1 × 74.9 × 6.8 mm
- Weight: 185 grams
All in all, the successor to the Nubia Red Magic 1 with the latest Snapdragon 845 chipset will be a capable gaming smartphone. It is also expected to carry forward a lot of design elements from its predecessor which looks really good. Unfortunately, the launch date of the smartphone is currently unknown and we will have to wait for the company to officially announce it.
November 19, 2018
Nubia Red Magic Gaming Phone To Launch Soon In India
Nubia Technology is a smartphone manufacturer based in Shenzhen, China which was first started by ZTE in 2012. But in 2017, ZTE reduced its stake in the company after which Nubia became an independent company. Previously Nubia has manufactured some cool looking smartphones in black colours with red accents. Though the company offers good smartphones they have not seen substantial growth in the Indian market. That could also be due to almost non-existent marketing and availability of the smartphones in India.

Nubia launched a gaming niche specific Red Magic smartphone in Europe & China earlier this year. The company initially offered 10,000 units of the gaming smartphone on a Chinese vendor jd.com which got sold out in a mere 37 seconds. The gaming phone was also put on sale on the crowdfunding website, Indiegogo where it surpassed its initial goal by 240%.

Red Magic Design

The smartphone has a front glass and rear aluminum build which looks really good in the black and red color with an RGB led bar running across the back. The front of the glass has prominent top and bottom bezels. The front camera and speakerphone are also placed on the top bezel.

The Red Magic has 4 red colored mesh grills on the back of the device. Out of which the top two act as exhaust holes for the multilayer cooling technology. While the bottom right mesh acts as the loudspeaker for the phone. The back of the device also houses the hexagonally shaped camera, LED flash and the fingerprint sensor. The RGB light bar is placed below the fingerprint reader and can be set to the choice of the user or changes according to the colours on the display. The company logo and branding is also engraved onto the rear aluminium panel.

The power button and the volume rockers are present on the right side of the device. Additionally, the Red Magic also has a dedicated Compete mode button that is placed over the volume rocker. The gaming button when slid up, closes the background applications and enters a dedicated gaming space for maximum gaming performance. The handset also has a 3.5 mm jack to connect to your favorite headphones and a bottom mounted USB Type-C port for data sync and charging.

In terms of the user interface, the Red Magic uses Nubia’s custom skin which is built on top of Android.

Gaming Accessories

As it is a gaming centered smartphone the company also offers some accessories which include a Bluetooth controller, extra long charging cable and protective cases. However, the accessories are sold separately.

Red Magic Specifications
- Display: 5.99-inch Full HD+ 2160 × 1080 pixels, 18:9 aspect ratio
- Operating System: Android 8.1 Oreo
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
- RAM: 6 GB / 8 GB LPDDR4x
- Storage: 64 GB / 128 GB
- Rear Cameras: 24 MP, LED Flash
- Selfie Camera: 8 MP
- Security: Rear fingerprint scanner
- Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac 2.4G + 5G, Bluetooth 5 .0 + LE, GPS, USB Type-C , 3.5 mm audio jack
- Battery: 3800 mAh
- Dimensions: 158.1 × 74.9 × 6.8 mm
- Weight: 185 grams
Price & Availability

The smartphone has a price tag of CNY 2,499 (around Rs. 26,400) for the 6 GB / 64 GB variant and CNY 2,999 (about Rs. 31,600) for the 8 GB / 128 GB variant in China.The price in India is reported to be under Rs 30,000 and it might be available in India soon after the festive season.
October 29, 2018