The last time the budget market shook itself to the core was with the launch of the Poco F1 back in late 2018. For the time, the Poco F1 was declared the ultimate flagship killer of 2018 with its incredible internals and price.
Not only did it feature flagship internals, but the Poco F1’s $299 price tag shocked the tech community. Since then a lot has happened, Xiaomi doubled down on separating into sub-brands, Xiaomi finally has a $999 flagship, and Apple has a mid-range flagship for under $400.
The Poco F1 represented the ultimate pinnacle of flagship internals for its weight class. Heck, it even came with a headphone jack in an era where Google and Xiaomi itself began killing it off, further inspiring practicality with Xiaomi’s new sub-brand.
However, it seems like the Poco sub-brand may be making an actual comeback after all this time with the Poco F2. Poco’s official Twitter account has begun the imminent launch of the Poco F2 that’s set to be the actual flagship killer of 2020.
While the specifications of the Poco F2 could be predicted realitively easily to some extent, we would be surprised to see the Poco F2 come with a 90 or 120Hz display considering that the Redmi K30 Pro and Mi 10 Pro feature 60 and 90Hz displays, respectively. If this next launch isn’t a disappointment like the Poco X2 that came before it, we could very well be looking at a flagship killer featuring the Snapdragon 865 SoC, 8GB LPDDR5x of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a 4000mAh+ battery.
With Xiaomi’s classic strategy of rebranding phones, rumors have been suggesting that the Poco F2 may very well be a rebranded K30 Pro.
Regarding pricing though, if Xiaomi’s still sticking to its guts here, the Poco F2 may very well retail for around the $399 mark. If so, the phone may yet again become a staple in the Asian market, further cementing Xiaomi’s presence in the market.
But Xiaomi knows all too well how important this launch may be for them. After all, not only do they have to compete with the OnePlus 8 series, which albeit come at a higher price tag, but would also have to compete with the likes of the Nubia Red Magic 5G in certain markets around the globe. The fight for the Asian market was clearly on show with the launch of the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro in the Indian market where prices where slashed by upto $200 compared to their American counterparts.
With details yet to be confirmed, we’re going to be keeping our eyes peeled for any additional leaks that may come our way.
VR headsets have been around for a while now and have always been considered to be the pinnacle of modern technology in general. With huge potential VR’s immersive qualities are just too good to be true. However, the adaptation of VR wasn’t as quick as some may have thought. Mostly due to the fact that they require somewhat beefy specs and themselves arent cheap by any standards.
All this changed though just after the release of the anticipated sequel to the iconic birth mother of Counter-Strike, Half-Life. Half-Life: Alyx wasn’t the Half-Life 3 fans expected but was something totally different altogether. The only VR factor appealed a lot to enthusiasts and upon its release steam saw a huge flux in VR headset users.
Courtesy: RoadToVR
The latest Steam charts explained linearly by folks over at “RoadtoVR” show that about 1.91% of Steam users had VR headset connected just over the course of April. Compare that to less than 1% of users recorded just back in January 2020. With an almost 300% increment in VR users, a lot could be concluded from the given data.
Courtesy: RoadToVR
First off the given data shows that just how much we could achieve if proper first-party content were to release exclusively on the VR platform. Moreover the fact that Half-Life beautifully took advantage of every VR function only strengthen people’s faith in VR. It is expected that the month of April alone added users around 950,000 to the platform. Now, this doesn’t precisely convert to VR’s sold in a month since there is no account for how many were returning users.
Nevertheless, a number close to 1 million is baffling at any given stance. Now the real question remains is that how many are to stay and how much does the VR population fluctuates in the coming days. Of course the release of Half-Life: Alyx acted as a catalyst in boosting these numbers yet having a million player raise is definitely not something small.
Fortnite devs have been phenomenal over time with the amount of content and updates they bring to the game every now and then. It is no surprise that the game has been around for quite some time and yet the hype stays on top. The Light Sabers from the latest Star Wars movie was previously added to the game as a purchasable item and like every timed item was removed later on.
However, as we approach May the fourth, a widely celebrated Star Wars day across the globe by countless fans the already popular and iconic lightsabers make a comeback to the game for a limited time only. Players can now pick up the advanced weapon of the Jedi and master it. With various lightsabers including Rey’s and Luke’s players can also collect the Kylo Ren’s iconic dark side lightsaber.
From a galaxy far far away the item shop brings players some of the most popular collectables like Star Wars-inspired Emotes, Outfits, Back Blings and much more. The offer, however, ends on May the 5th so you may want to hurry.
With the way Fortnite’s incorporating every major pop culture event they seem to be unstoppable. With virtual music concerts taking place by artists with the likes of Diplo and Travis Scott some may believe that this is the future of pop culture. The game is soaring through 2020 with more players at home than ever it seems that virtual concerts and virtual memorabilia is the way forward and Fortnite just seems to be on top of it all with virtually no competition.
Where other games tend to target the Battle Royale genre as a sense of competition, Fortnite is cruising over with its popular items, outfits and in-game purchases.
For Honor upon its release was arguably one of the most ambitious Ubisoft games at the time. However, things didn’t quite work out their way and with P2P networks instead of dedicated servers. This didn’t stop players from trying out the game itself though.
The game not only offers a unique fighting mechanism but with its breathtaking graphics, there isn’t much to complain about. Moreover with its price down to just $9.89 on the PlayStation Store the offer is more the sweet for gamers just wanting to have a good time and enjoy the genre.
Player left disappointed by the game never picked it up ever again yet Ubisoft kept bringing timely updates to the game to this day. Over time the hack and slash title became what it once desired to be and with thousands of players on and off calling it a dead game is definitely an overstatement.
Many would argue that the game is free on the Epic Store and it’s just not worth spending your precious dollars on but I’d have to disagree. First off not everyone can manage a PC that can run the game with decent visuals and frames. Furthermore having a console means a comfortable relaxing setting with which the price is totally justified. Plus the fact that Ubisoft cares enough for the player base to bring them new content and timely updates is more than enough to convince an avid gamer like me.
Filled with nostalgia for many including myself the most iconic burnout sequel, Burnout Paradise is on its way on the Nintendo Switch. That too with 60fps and completely remastered with upgraded visuals and everything. Yes, you heard it the Nintendo Switch is getting the iconic burnout title with subtle adjustments and upgrades.
The Burnout franchise has been one of the most iconic racing franchises. The whole destruction phenomena took the early gaming world by storm and to this day remains just as fresh as the day it was introduced. It’s been years since we’ve seen a proper full-fledged burnout game with updated next-gen graphics and gameplay. Sure we’ve had amazing racing games over time but nothing quite matches the burnout series.
The game comes with all the cars, 8 DLC’s and a complete overhaul of visuals. All available on the go. However there is one catch, the price is set at $49.99 which for a remastered game on the Nintendo Switch seems too steep for many. While the game itself is undoubtedly magnificent some may have to check how much nostalgia costs in this case.
Updated with high resolution texture packs, one of the DLC’s offer an action packed online mode dubbed “Cops and Robbers” with 33 variations of Police Cars inspired by Burnout Paradise vehicles.
The game is expected to make its way to consumers this July the 19th.
The Last of Us 2 sequel to the best looking PS3 award-winning game is expected to make a release this year. Calling it the most anticipated PS4 game is definitely an understatement. A few days ago major gameplay and cutscene spoilers were leaked online by an unidentified group. This not only caused people to question Sony’s role in this fiasco.
This was definitely not the first time something like this had happened to Sony. People cancelled their orders for the game and went to all-out protest against Naughty Dog and Sony. However, Sony took swift actions and in an interview confirmed that the culprits have been narrowed down and are not affiliated with Naughty Dog or Sony for a fact.
This not only places Sony in the right zone but also suggests that if things were to spiral out of control a lot could have been damaged. Due to this whole Covid 19 situation, the game itself has had many delays and fans are eager to finally lay their hands on what seems to be Naughty Dog’s best masterpiece yet.
The publishers declined to comment further on the matter but confirmed that actions will be taken against those in the wrong and fans will be reassured justice. The investigation itself is ongoing at the moment they prefer not to jump over conclusions.
Sony has had a bad history with hackers and leaked information in the past and while not everything is nice and dandy they sure have come a long way and we shouldn’t expect any less from them.
Geoff Keighley of “The Game Awards” brings us the “Summer Game Fest 2020” as a way for gamers from all across the globe to interact and have fun. Not only this but the event itself brings a twist to the traditional event hosting.
Game fests and international gaming events have pretty much shaped the way we perceive video games in these modern times. Such events cater to a wider audience and most importantly unites gamers in a way unforeseen.
However, in these tough times and with unarguably every major event and season cancelled or delayed indefinitely things aren’t looking very good for the ever booming gaming industry. With the likes of E3 getting cancelled all is not lost nevertheless. Starting from May and going all the way to August the event celebrates games like never before. With exciting new layers to it like publisher news events, In-game events and playable demos enthusiasts couldn’t have asked for more. But the thing that raises eyebrows is the fact that everything is free and digital.
With the basic outline of the event out of the way, we move towards their first phase that involves top game publishers like Steam, Blizzard, PlayStation and much more. Game announcements are to begin next week.
With a 4 month-long event, a lot is to be expected from folks over at Summer Game Fest and enthusiasts should fasten their seat belts for this is going to be a roller coaster ride. Folks can join them here for instant notifications for news, events and much more.
Summer Game Fest 2020 being the only major event taking place this year a lot is to be expected and well for many is an opportunity to set their place in this everlasting competition. I certainly look forward to what they have to offer.
With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series and OnePlus 8 series, Google has begun dropping their prices of their Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. As the pressure mounts from all these new flagships, it’s best for Google to lower the price of their Pixel 4s and Pixel 4 XLs.
As of today, the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are officially retailing for $499 and $599, a $300 discount off their usual prices. With the prices now slashed, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL seem to be somwhat attractive options amongst the likes of the OnePlus 7 Pro, and newly-launched iPhone SE.
Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Specifications
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC
5.7/6.3-inch 90Hz OLED display
6GB LPDDR4x RAM
64GB / 128GB internal storage
12.2MP / 16MP main/telephoto dual rear camera setup with OIS
8MP Selfie Camera
2800mAh / 3700mAh battery
While the Google Pixel 4 series are pretty respectable, they certainly have missed their fair share of fame. The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are considered to have some of the very best cameras on the market. And while it’s a complete bummer that Google skimped on an ultrawide and went for a telephoto second camera, it’s still a respectable option.
If you’re stuck debating between the iPhone SE and the Google Pixel 4 now, for an extra $100 over Apple’s new iPhone SE, you’re getting an excellent set of cameras, a 90Hz OLED display as well as some decent features under the hood.
With the budget Google Pixel 4a around the corner and due to launch any time now, these newly updated prices are currently available on the official Google store and present an excellent chance to finally upgrade your phone if you’ve been waiting for it.
What left to keep your eyes peeled for is for the upcoming Google Pixel 5 that’s already begun creating a lot of buzz. We personally can’t wait to see what Google pulls out of its magic hat later this year.
Dota 2 is a title synonymous with words like esports championship and fandom. The International Dota 2 championship has been around for quite some time and has shaped the way how we perceive modern esports today.
Valve today in a blog post confirmed that the 10th iteration of the international which was supposed to happen this year will be delayed indefinitely for now. It is more than likely to happen in 2021 since the current situation of the Covid 19 pandemic won’t let Valve even browse through potential dates.
With all the current restrictions nobody should be expecting a rigid timeline for the event. However, all is not lost and enthusiasts shouldn’t lose all hope for Valve as a confidence booster is working on a resurrection of the DPC (Dota Pro Circuit). The DPC is likely to happen this fall and would act as a buffer for enthusiasts and pro players themselves between the Internationals.
The prize pool for the International though is to be funded by 25% of the sales of the next Battle Pass which Valve plans on releasing as early as possible. With global setbacks to Valve including the CS: GO major delay things might take longer than usual to pan out for the developers.
All is not lost nevertheless with online events popping up with a higher frequency than ever online gaming is on a steep rise.
Microsoft’s next-generation console for consumers named the “Xbox Series X” is to make its debut later this year. Amid this Covid 19 outbreak fans were having second thoughts if Microsoft will be able to deliver on time.
While the pandemic itself has caused a global slowdown in many if not all sects of development. Phil Spenser the CEO of Xbox in an interview with CNBC confirmed that the new Xbox would, in fact, deliver on time. He stated that the production on the console itself has been optimal and as expected. The new consoles are sure to make their way into the consumer market.
However, things haven’t completely been all nice and dandy for the American giant. Phil further adds that he fears that this wouldn’t affect much to the console itself rather the game companies. With many of the upcoming titles delayed Xbox seems to be on the right path with the right pace as of now.
In a world where games like The Last Of Us 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 are to delay even more than they were supposed to, Microsoft’s Halo series is to make its way on time at Q4 2020 along with the Xbox Series X.
Moreover during this quarantine gaming has seen explosive growth since more and more people practise social distancing and with that, it is key for tech giants to keep pushing out content. Phil also stated that they won’t push things when they’re certainly not ready.
The Xbox Series X is a direct competitor to the upcoming PlayStation 5 and the way this looks it may have the upper hand as of yet. Microsoft also confirmed the first-ever gameplay demo on the console scheduled for later this week. Certainly, gaming is on the rise and it’ll be interesting to see how this pans out for Microsoft in times of despair.
Apple’s recently launch of the iPhone SE has startled everyone. From consumers to its rivals. Apple has done the impossible by launching the iPhone SE at such a killer price that even the Android market couldn’t compete with at the moment. However, it seems like Apple may want to continue the trend moving forward as rumors chime in regarding Apple’s upcoming flagships, the iPhone 12 series.
For the past couple of years, Apple and its Android counterparts have been in a major price war competing for the highest price tag. Both Apple and Samsung pushed the fence with phones reaching the $1400 mark competing for what seemed to be a new category dubbed as the “premium flagship”.
Apple’s Tim Cook justified the price hike suggesting that they had to do it due to the decline of smartphone sales. Samsung, on the other hand, followed suit. With Samsung and Apple competing on the higher-end of the market, one of the best ways Apple could undercut Samsung’s upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 20 could be with a major price drop. As Jon Prosser from Front Page Tech reports, the upcoming Apple iPhone 12 may retail for as low as $650.
And if that wasn’t enough, all of the iPhones, including the base iPhone 12 would come with OLED displays as well as support for 5G. If that wasn’t insane enough, companies like OnePlus and others blamed their major price hikes on 5G and yet Apple’s here offering the iPhone 12 for some insane prices.
Regarding the credibility of these reports, these reports are coming from the same source that spilled the beans on the iPhone SE, so it seems to be credible.
Additional details regarding the iPhones, as leaked by Jon Prosser includes their model numbers, the number of cameras as well as a cheesy implementation of Apple’s new LiDAR technology that they’ve begun incorporating into their latest iPad Pro 2020. If true, it seems like Apple’s push for AR may popularize the whole technology that has largely been ignored by the masses.
iPhone 12 (2020) Series Specifications
iPhone 12 (D52G)
5.4-inch OLED Display
5G Support
Dual camera setup
US $649
iPhone 12 (D53G)
6.1-inch OLED display
5G support
Dual camera setup
US $749
iPhone 12 Pro (D53P)
6.1-inch OLED display
5G support
Triple-camera setup with LiDAR
$999
iPhone 12 Pro Max (D54P)
6.7-inch OLED display
5G support
Triple Camera setup with LiDAR
US $1,099
While we’re still quite a few months away, take these leaks with a pinch of salt. If Apple’s actually planning to revamp their pricing structure, the smartphone industry may very well see a reset to their pricings. Afterall, after all these years, having a decent price drop may allow Apple to move more units. Let’s just hope that’s the case.
“Dreams” has been one of the most popular community-oriented games on the PlayStation Store as of today. The title took gamers by storm since it offered a ton of mini-games inside built by the community’s finest and most creative folks.
As of today, the Demo version of the game has landed the PlayStation store and users can head over the store right now and download it straight away. The demo includes a ton of variety with popular playlists including “The Ornithologist’s Private Collection, Ruckus, Cubic, Player Piano Player, Art Therapy and Great Job Human!”.
The complete game while still in its early stages offers a separate “Create” mode for enthusiasts to build and showcase their talent. It certainly gives young developers a proper platform to display their creativity. Moreover, the demo itself would spark creativity amongst developers who for long were waiting for an opportunity. Of course, casual gamers could just sit back and enjoy the various experimental and vivid minigames, especially in these desperate times.
The demo itself is fully compatible with the Dreams companion site and players who end up purchasing the full game would start from where they left off. The demo would also include a complete introduction to the “Create” mode and players can also follow Media Molecule on their social media platforms for more insight.
Xbox Series X is set to make its way to the consumer market later this year and until then Microsoft has launched an “Inside Xbox” program that showcases the abilities of the upcoming console. The program has showcased a lot for the console including RTX capabilities and much more.
However, this time around the next episode in the program will for the first time show the actual gameplay features of the Xbox Series X. The insider first look will premiere on May the 7th at 11 AM ET.
Now the console itself looks promising and while Microsoft did reveal its RTX capabilities on Minecraft not much is still out in the open when it comes to raw gameplay footage. Interestingly enough Microsoft’s openness about the whole next-generation console program might give them an edge over competitors like Sony who haven’t been very straight forward when it comes to brass tack details.
Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is sure to make its way to Xbox Series X and we could expect beta gameplay of the title in this premiere. More importantly, this very much needed insight would give gamers a more well-rounded opinion about the new console as Microsoft plans on its release later this year.
Today Ubisoft has officially announced the newest addition to Assassin Creed franchise. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a brand new RPG set around 9th century England and Scandinavia. A Time of conquest, clan wars and retaliation. Valhalla takes Norse mythology up by several levels showcasing breathtaking views and a mesmerizing storyline.
While the franchise itself hasn’t been at its best recently it is no doubt that the visual feats it achieves have never gone unnoticed. Assassin’s Creed once again shows us the pinnacle of graphical advancement with this cinematic trailer. Moreover, the game is set to make its release on Xbox Series X and the PS5 which will definitely be worth mentioning.
Players get to play Eivor leading his/her clan from the disastrous and dangerous lands of Norway to a more tame yet hostile land of England. Moreover, the RPG factor is highly exaggerated and every minute choice makes a huge impact on the overall story. Talking about the RPG factor, Ubisoft confirms next level customization for players from hairstyles to tattoos, nothing is off the table.
The raider concept set in Norse mythology is definitely something new and something Ubisoft hasn’t been shy of. The French giant has done a lot for experimental games and while not all of them have been huge successes this one for once looks promising. With an action-packed Viking protagonist, there will be raids, conquest and a variety of strategic options for players to have.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is set to release Holidays 2020 on PC, Xbox One, Google Stadia, Xbox Series X, PS4 and last but not the least PS5 and I for once am looking forward to what Ubisoft brings this year. Stay tuned to their Hub for the latest updates.
The PlayStation plus service by Sony offers a free game bundle for a whole month for its subscribers along with other royalties. While the previous month offered PS4 hits like Uncharted 4 and Dirt Rally 2 this month offers a more laid back variety.
Cities Skylines and Farming Simulator 19 both fall into the simulation genre and since a lot of people are practising social distancing there couldn’t be a better time. Both titles offer a wide array of tasks that may spark creativity amongst gamers.
Interestingly enough players get a chance to build their own version of a metropolitan city filled with their unique creative thoughts where the only limit is one’s imagination. Cities Skylines was an instant hit amongst gamers thanks to its versatility and its depth. Players get to see both sides of the coin which makes it a great strategy game.
On the other hand, we have Farming Simulator 19 that takes a totally opposite approach. Players move away from the city life and experience the true rural farming experience away from all the hustle and bustle. Plant, Harvest and tackle the challenges of modern farming life with this Simulator.
Moreover, folks can still grab April’s PS Plus games and redeem them before May the 4th. While these titles are oddly similar in many ways fans were not expecting this from Sony and many were left disappointed since building simulators aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Both titles will be available to download from Tuesday, May 5, until Monday, June 1.
Let’s face it, Red Magic isn’t the biggest brand names out there. With a dwindling presence in the USA, especially in North America, ZTE’s gaming-focused sub-brand ZTE, it set to launch its next gaming phone to the global market next month.
For those who haven’t been following the news lately, the RED Magic 5G is Red Magic’s gaming-centric flagship smartphone, boasting some killer internals. At the Chinese launch last week, Red Magic lifted the curtains off the device as well as the spec sheet. With it’s launch in the Chinese market, we learnt that the Red Magic 5G would come running the latest and greatest Snapdragon 865 SoC as well as a somewhat beastly 4500mAh battery. In addition to that, the Red Magic 5G would also be the first smartphone ever to boast a 144Hz AMOLED display under its hood.
The device is set to come in quite a few variants beginning with a base configuration of 8GB RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.0 internal storage. Forking your budget would allow you to pickup upto 16GB of RAM paired with upto 256GB of internal storage as well as a number of designs to choose from.
Under the hood, the Red Magic 5G would come running Android 10 out of the box along with Red Magic’s in-house Red Magic 3.0 skin which would be quite a delight to see for some… at least in China.
Alongside that, the Red Magic 5G comes with a triple-camera array at the back featuring a 64MP main, 5MP ultra-wide, as well as 2MP macro camera at its rear. Over at the front, Red Magic has gone with an 8MP accomplice to shoot your selfies if you’re that enthusiastic. As with the Galaxy S20 and many other Android phones launching this year, the Red Magic 5G would also support 8K video recording, albeit 24FPS, out of the box.
Other features being dwarfed by the incredibly cheap $540 price tag include a 3.5mm headphone jack, along with dual-speakers upfront as well as support for 55W fast charging to keep it on par with the ROG Phone 2 from last year.
Pre-orders according to the North American region of the brand indicate that enthusiasts would actually be able to bid their pre-orders on April 14th alongside the OnePlus 8 series launch, a branch with a much larger presence than that of Red Magic.
With the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro being a major contender in the US market, we would be thrilled to see how the Red Magic 5G performs, especially considering that the OnePlus 8 Pro would come with 120Hz display anyways, albeit a much higher price. Regardless of the circumstances, we can’t wait to see what OnePlus brings to the table as well, especially has we near the end of the first quarter of 2020.
Samsung is no stranger in the mobile market. Over the past few years, the South Korean giant has been hard at work keeping loyalists and the mid-range market happy.
Following the launch of Apple’s iPhone XR, Samsung decided to follow suit and launch their own “entry-level” flagship dubbed as the Samsung Galaxy S10e, not only allowing Samsung to diversify their options even further, but also compete in the upper mid-range segment, a segment that Samsung hadn’t been able to entice thanks to the introduction of rivals from China.
The Samsung Galaxy S10e, like the Apple iPhone XR, shares a lot in common with its elder brothers, the XS and XS Max. However, Samsung is the one with the decryption codes decided to push the S10e up a notch, making it a more attractive option on paper.
With all the competition surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S10e, where does the Samsung Galaxy S10e stand? Well, here’s my analysis after using it as my main device for the past month.
01 | Design and Build Quality
Samsung continues its use of glass and steel on the Samsung Galaxy S10e. It’s built with glass on the front and back with steel railings surrounding the phone. What it hasn’t continued on is its design language that defined the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S8 series of devices, completely ditching the little forehead and chins its predecessors had left. With this change, Samsung pushed the selfie camera embedded into a cutout within the display to keep things looking neat.
While Samsung had been holding out on the notch, their punch-hole seems to have garnered a ton of attention despite still taking up a considerable amount of real-estate on the display. But it seems like not being connected to any of the side railings seems to be the more attractive option after all.
Unlike its predecessors, Samsung has re-done the button layout on the S10e and its elder brothers. On the S10e, you’re looking at the addition of the Bixby button over on the left beneath the volume rocker. Over on the right, Samsung has gone for a fingerprint sensor embedded within the power button keeping it clean.
The Samsung Galaxy S10e comes in a neat selection of colors. The Samsung Galaxy S10e comes in Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, and Canary Yellow.
Other design features of the S10e include a 150g weight, 142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9 mm dimensions as well as the inclusion of Corning’s new Gorilla Glass 5 upfront.
Coming over to the overall feel in the hand, I found myself loving the S10e’s size. After switching from the Poco F1(review), the miniature size of the Samsung Galaxy S10e grew on me. And following my review of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus a few months ago, I found the fingerprint sensor on the Samsung Galaxy S10e a whole lot more satisfactory.
With all the competition surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S10e, it seems like the Samsung Galaxy S10e is the most compact flagship of 2019. Apple’s iPhone XR’s display comes in at 6.1-inches and Sony has given up on its Xperia Compact lineup.
02 | Display & Audio
Coming over to the display of the Samsung Galaxy S10e, I was pleased to see how well the display on the Samsung Galaxy S10e performed. Despite being a 1080p+ panel, the display performed admirably well with more than enough sharpness and saturation. However, one area where the S10e did fall a bit short was in the brightness department.
Samsung, in typical fashion, has had included a decent amount of options to play around with the display including a dark mode that Samsung dubs “Night Mode”.
And while the Samsung Galaxy S10e does lack a 1440p QHD+ display like its elder brothers, the night mode on the S10e made me forget about the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus that I had been rocking a while ago. The inclusion of the new Night Mode on the S10e simply calls for a sweet treat given how well Samsung has themed One UI.
Core apps such as the Calendar, Messaging, Dialer, the Settings section were pure black with a hint of grey here and there. Even though it’s not the best implementation of a Dark mode, it was definitely respectable that Samsung decided to include it on the S10e with its AMOLED display.
Coming over to the audio side of the Samsung Galaxy S10e, I was pleased to hear how well the S10e’s speakers perform. There’s a driver embedded within the earpiece as well as one driver beneath the phone. And while everyone rambles about how the bottom-firing speaker could easily be blocked with your hand, I’m yet to figure where else Samsung could put the speaker on the device.
Regarding audio quality, there isn’t a whole lot to get excited about, but they do get the job done. The speakers on the S10e had a decent amount of volume and more than enough clarity. With that being said, the inclusion of the headphone jack is definitely respectable, especially now that Samsung has axed it from the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus.
My media consumption experience was pretty positive. From the inclusion of an HDR10-enabled display to the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack, the S10e pretty much ticked all of the practical boxes here.
03 | Performance & UI
The Samsung Galaxy S10e comes with an Exynos 9820 under the hood, at least for the devices that Samsung releases in the Asian market. While the Qualcomm variant does get a ton of attention, the 9820 is a decent performer in of itself too.
Coming over to a few benchmarks from the norm, the S10e managed to score 4359 and 9575 in the single-core and multi-core department. Over on the AnTuTu side of things, the S10e managed to score over 320,000 points as a whole, keeping itself in the flagship game.
Model
Samsung Galaxy S10E
Samsung Galaxy S10
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
Size/Display
5.8-inch, Full HD+ Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 19:9 (438ppi)
6GB/8GB RAM (LPDDR4X), 128GB/256GB
+ MicroSD slot (up to 512GB)
8GB RAM (LPDDR4X), 128GB/512GB
+ MicroSD slot (up to 512GB)
8GB/12GB RAM (LPDDR4X), 128GB/512GB/1TB
+ MicroSD slot (up to 512GB)
8GB + 256GB
(No MicroSD)
Battery
3100mAh
3400mAh
4100mAh
4,500mAh
Cameras
Rear: Dual Camera with OIS
– Wide-angle: 12MP Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, F1.5/F2.4, OIS (77°)
– Ultra Wide: 16MP FF, F2.2 (123°)
– 0.5X optical zoom, up to 8X digital zoomFront:
– Selfie: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.9 (80°)
Rear: Triple Camera with Dual OIS
– Telephoto: 12MP PDAF, F2.4, OIS (45°)
– Wide-angle: 12MP Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, F1.5/F2.4, OIS (77°)
– Ultra Wide: 16MP FF, F2.2 (123°)
– 0.5X/2X optical zoom, up to 10X digital zoomFront:
– Selfie: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.9 (80°)
Rear: Triple Camera with Dual OIS
– Telephoto: 12MP PDAF, F2.4, OIS (45°)
– Wide-angle: 12MP Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, F1.5/F2.4, OIS (77°)
– Ultra Wide: 16MP FF, F2.2 (123°)
– 0.5X/2X optical zoom, up to 10X digital zoomFront: Dual Camera
– Selfie: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.9 (80°)
– RGB Depth: 8MP FF, F2.2 (90°)
Rear: Quadruple Camera with Dual OIS
– Telephoto: 12MP PDAF, F2.4, OIS (45°)
– Wide-angle: 12MP Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, F1.5/F2.4, OIS (77°)
– Ultra Wide: 16MP FF, F2.2 (123°)
– 0.5X/2X optical zoom, up to 10X digital zoom
– 3D Depth: hQVGA
Front:
– Selfie: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.9 (80°)
– 3D Depth: hQVGA
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac/ ax (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM
– 1.2Gbps Download / 1.2Gbps Upload
*May differ by market and mobile operator.
Bluetooth® v 5.0, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*)
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac/ ax (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM
– 1.2Gbps Download / 1.2Gbps Upload
*May differ by market and mobile operator.
Bluetooth® v 5.0, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*)
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac/ ax (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM
– 1.2Gbps Download / 1.2Gbps Upload
*May differ by market and mobile operator.
Bluetooth® v 5.0, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*)
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac/ ax (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM
– 1.2Gbps Download / 1.2Gbps Upload
*May differ by market and mobile operator.
Bluetooth® v 5.0, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*)
Coming over to the overall usability and UI of the Samsung Galaxy S10e, I’d bet most of the enthusiastic folks reading here would be aware that the S10e comes running Samsung’s new One UI software under the hood. Samsung’s new One UI brings a major facelift to Samsung’s dreaded TouchWiz UI that Samsung has been rocking and updating over the years.
Samsung’s new One UI retains a whole lot of the classic Samsung characteristics but still manages to feel new and fresh if you’ve been using Samsung devices for the past few years.
Memory management seems to be fine. Not too bad and not too impressive either. At times, I found that when I recalled a number of apps that I had been using a few hours ago, it would usually reload the app as if nothing had happened. Other than that, the phone ran smoothly. No hiccups and that’s great!.
Regarding gaming performance, the Samsung Galaxy S10e performed admirably well in pretty much every game I could throw at it. And while I’m not a hardcore mobile gamer, Real Racing 3 and PUBG Mobile have been my picks for the past few years, and both ran admirably well on the S10e. With that being said, I think it’s safe to say that pretty much any phone released nowadays is able to perfectly cater to folks who are into casual games.
Sadly, the Samsung Galaxy S10e, along with the S10 and S10 Plus lacks UFS 3.0 and sticks with UFS 2.1 here. And while it’s a major upgrade over the now-dead eMMC storage, it’s sad to see that Samsung managed to supply OnePlus with UFS 3.0 rather than packing it in the S10 family of devices.
04 | Camera Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S10e comes with a 12MP plus 16MP setup on its back. Up on front, you’re looking at a 10MP setup housing itself inside of the cutout. The Samsung Galaxy S10e shares identical setups with its elder brothers, the S10 and S10 Plus, excluding the telephoto shooter.
Like the S10 family of devices, the S10e’s main camera features Samsung’s dual aperture mode. For folks who missed out on the Galaxy S9 launch, the dual aperture mode allows the S10 family of devices to switch its aperture between f/1.5 and f/2.4, allowing the device to capture more light. The main 12MP shooter on the Samsung Galaxy S10e shoots your usual 12MP shots with the inclusion of the dual aperture mode. However, the 16MP shooter takes the S10e to the next level with the inclusion of an ultra-wide shooter, keeping up with the trends of 2019.
Coming over to the video side of things, the Samsung Galaxy S10e is capable of recording videos up to 4k/60FPS. However, the S10e is unable to record videos with its ultra-wide shooter, making its a bummer for folks who really wanted to take advantage of that extra FOV.
Coming over to a few sample shots of the Samsung Galaxy S10e, I think we’re safe to say that the Samsung Galaxy S10e performed admirably well. Shots taken from the main 12MP shooter turned out to be great. The detail produced is good and so its the processing Samsung has grinding underneath its hood.
Shots taken outdoors and indoors are incredible. However, things get a tad bit shaky when shooting at night. Sure, the inclusion of a Night Mode was urgently needed, especially with Google and Huawei trumping the competition. But the way how Samsung handles night mode is definitely something they could work on.
Shots taken with the night mode enabled look okay on the surface. However, outdoor shots with dark skies and dark rooms often cast a whiteish-blue tint, suggesting that the only thing that Night Mode does on the S10e is simply lengthening the shutter speed, and that’s about it.
05 | Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S10e features a 3100mAh battery along with a 5.8-inch display.
The Samsung Galaxy S10e isn’t a major athlete in durability tests, I’d bet many smartphone fanatics may have been expecting that. Despite the smaller size and partly thanks to the 3000mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy S10e managed to last me about 4-5 hours on a single charge, but that’s when I was hoarding on social media apps non-stop. I personally don’t use my phone that much, but when I’m out on a trip, I’m guilty of using my phone non-stop.
However, if you don’t use your phone that extensively, the Samsung Galaxy S10e did manage to last me about 75% of my day on average before requiring another charge. And while that’s not incredible, it’s definitely okay for many folks who do use their phone for a few hours a day.
And while all of that may be fine for many folks, the worst thing about the Samsung Galaxy S10e has to be its 15W fast-charging adapter that Samsung includes inside the box. Samsung was expected to increase the charging speeds to a respectable 25W on the Samsung Galaxy S10 family of devices by the time the S10 5G came around but it seems like Samsung has pushed the whole topic under the rug for now.
06 | Pricing & Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S10e retails about RM2,099 in Malaysia and about $570 in the USA. For under that price, you could either fork out for a OnePlus 7 or a Xiaomi Mi 9, both phones that save you a bit of your buck. But then, if you were going for the OnePlus 7 in the first place, you’d rather pick up the Galaxy S10e for a bit more. Over the OnePlus 7, not only are you getting an ultra-wide camera, but you’re getting a newer design, wireless charging, and an incredible form factor.
The Samsung Galaxy S10e is a major recommend from me. Not only does it come with an excellent design, but it also comes with an excellent design, support for wireless charging, an excellent set of cameras (indoors and in daylight), an excellent display, and an excellent compact size to top it off.
What remains to be bummed about the S10e has to be its mediocre low-light performance and its bundled slow charger, and that’s about it.
Coming over to the pricing again, Pricing the Samsung Galaxy S10e is definitely a major heads up for competition. With the price of the Galaxy S10e falling by the day, the Samsung Galaxy S10e is becoming an excellent option for folks looking to pick up a decent phone in the upper-midrange segment.
Cooler Master is no stranger in the PC hardware market, that’s for sure. The company has been around since the early 90s and has played a huge part in delivering their best to PC enthusiasts.
During a recent conversation with the folks over at Cooler Master, we asked if we could review Cooler Master’s new range of liquid coolers. Today, we have Cooler Master’s new MasterLiquid ML240L RGB Liquid Cooler for review that we put to the test with our new Ryzen 2700x build.
The Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB one of the latest range of coolers Cooler Master is offering to PC enthusiasts today, sitting right in between its 120mm and 360mm brothers. As the name suggests, the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB features a 240mm radiator with some extra RGB flair to go along with it in 2019. Furthermore, in typical Cooler Master fashion, the radiator supports mounting of up to four fans, two on either side for folks planning for a push/pull configuration.
Cooler Master ML240L RGB
RADIATOR MATERIAL
Aluminum
DIMENSIONS (L X W X H)
277 x 119.6 x 27mm / 10.9 x 4.7 x 1.1 inch
FAN SPEED
650-2000 RPM (PWM) ± 10%
FAN AIR PRESSURE
2.34 mmH2O (Max)
FAN MTTF
160,000 Hours
PUMP DIMENSIONS
80.3 x 76 x 42.2 mm / 3.2 x 3.0 x 1.7"
PUMP MTTF
70,000 Hours
With the specifications out of the way, let’s talk about RGB. Now there are two zones where you could play with RGB on the ML240L; the CPU cooler itself and the fans.
Cooler Master includes an RGB Controller for the RGB to remain in sync as well as a Y-splitter for folks who are all out of fan headers.
Regarding the overall build quality of the ML240L RGB, you would be happy to hear that the ML240L is just about as fine as any other RGB cooler in its price segment. However, that’s just about it. The radiator, including the water block, doesn’t give you the most assuring of confidence but to reflect the price tag well enough to let it by.
Coming over to the installation process, I was happy to see the heap of tools and screws Cooler Master has offered with the MasterLiquid ML240L RGB. However, the flip side of the installation process came when I found out the horrid number of cables that connect to the MasterLiquid ML240L RGB at various sections of the cooler. I mean, we’re looking at two cables coming out of each of the two fans as well as two more cables that made their way out of the pump, tallying in a total of six wires. However, it didn’t end there. The RGB controller that Cooler Master bundles with the watercooler also come with their fair share of extra cables.
Building a neat PC in with the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB required a ton of planning to keep the cable management clean, even though the case of choice here was the Phanteks P400S, a case well-known for its above-average cable management capabilities.
Regarding temperatures, we decided to put up the only cooler we had to compare it to, the AMD Wraith Prism Cooler that comes bundled with the 2700x.
CPU Coolers (Overclocked @ 3.8GHz) | 100% Fan Speed
Idle
Load
AMD Wraith Prism
42
81
Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB
36
69
The Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB performed incredibly well in our tests. While it may not be the best when it comes to build quality, it sure kicks some major ass amidst all the competition.
While the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB may not be the best cooler out there, it’s certainly up there. While that may be the case, what’s definitely the case is the fact that the ML240L RGB is an incredible upgrade over the stock AMD Wraith Prism cooler that comes bundled inside of the box. And for less than RM300 bundled with the incredible RGB flair Cooler Master has packed the cooler with, you wouldn’t be disappointed to pickup this watercooler, that’s for sure!
Google’s Pixel franchise has come a long way ever since the arrival of the very first Pixel smartphone. The brand itself has matured dramatically over time and has improved upon itself extremely well. Recently, Google released the Pixel 3 Lite smartphones focussed on a much more budget oriented market. Leaks for Google’s next flagship, however, have not stopped at all.
In fact, Auto CAD renders of the rumoured Pixel 4 XL have already surfaced on the internet. The Pixel 4 XL is expected to make an appearance later this year and with only a few months left before the unviel, the renders express quite a lot.
The leaked renders show a very much streamlined Pixel smartphone with a proper no notch display that means serious business. As for the general shape of the body, the Pixel 4 XL follows the footprints of the previous Pixel devices but that is where the similarity ends. The front, back and the sides of the smartphone differ completely and many are calling out Google for their weird design choices.
As for the front of the phone, the Pixel 4 XL seemingly does not go for the crazy “notch” like the Pixel 3 XL and has a sleek upside down chin on top very similar to what the Xperia lineup has to offer. As far as the back of the phone is concerned, Google has decided to ditch the iconic two-tone glass design for a cleaner smoother one shade back.
The camera bump is a rounded square with dual camera setup with a depth sensor and since Google has been amazing with its cameras we expect this one to definitely pack a punch. The camera bump also resembles the leaked iPhone XI renders and has made fans furious thanks to its spectacular looks.
The sides are more rounded than ever and the power and volume switches are both on the right-hand side. Moreover, the phone is expected to house all the latest basic features like facial recognition, in-display fingerprint sensor and much more.
Following the massive leaks over the past week, Samsung has finally decided to reveal when they would be revealing the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 to the world.
Samsung has revealed that they would be unveiling the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 on August the 7th. The event, as usual, would be taking place in NYC, USA, where Samsung is rumored to reveal a family of Note 10-branded devices to the masses.
According to rumors and leaks, the Samsung would be revealing the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 in two variants, the Galaxy Note 10, and the Note 10 Plus, with the Plus featuring a plethora of extra goodies and features under its hood. While leaked pictures have revealed massive design changes over the Galaxy Note 9 from last year and from this year’s Galaxy S10 family, what’s yet to be revealed is what the Note 10 Plus brings to the table next month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TzMnJhgwww
Based on the trailer published by Samsung earlier today, it seems like Samsung would be revealing the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 family in a plethora of new color schemes as hinted by the shadow of the rotating S-Pen in the trailer. If our skepticisms are correct, we could be looking at the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 family launching in at least four colors; black, blue, red, and yellow. Furthermore, the trailer also seems to be confirming the reposition of the cutout camera as detailed in the trailer, making the position of the camera a whole lot more symmetrical and appealing to some.
Regarding any massive changes, we wouldn’t be betting on much yet. However, the biggest improvement with the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus has to be the inclusion of their new UFS 3.0 modules. Samsung had announced mass production of their new UFS 3.0 chips ahead of the launch of the now ill-fated Galaxy Fold back in March but only managed to arrive in the OnePlus 7 Pro last month trumping Samsung at their own game.
If we were to continue rolling the rumor mill, we’d say that we may see a marginally larger battery, probably around the 4300mAh mark this year along with at least three cameras stalking the back of the device.
With the Note 10 now confirmed to be revealed within a month’s time, we can’t wait to see what Samsung reveals later this week.
We finally have more details on the upcoming Netflix series based on CDPR’s Witcher series. Here’s the official series poster, with a catchy tagline “The worst monsters are the ones we create“.
Netflix also published some official images, which give us a better look at Henry Cavill playing Geralt, along with other main side characters like Yennefer & Ciri.
Anya Chalotra is playing as Yennefer, while Princess Ciri is being portrayed by Freya Allan. Both actresses are relatively new in the industry, especially when you compare them to Henry Cavill, who has been in the field for a long while.
The cast has been traveling all across Eastern Europe for the shooting of the new series and looking at the images, it is looking really good. Henry Cavill is looking pretty impressive portraying Geral of Rivia, and so far, it is looking very promising.
The Witcher Netflix series is expected to launch somewhere in the fourth quarter of 2019. According to Netflix, the cast will be attending the San Diego Comic Con 2019, at a booth in Hall H, on July 29, 2019.
Around a month ago, Huawei basically got banned by the USA. The reason being that the Chinese company has a backdoor in it’s phones and other cellular devices that allow the Chinese government to spy on America. While the allegations got declined by Huawei, the company was still put on Trump’s “entity list”. The Entity List is sort of like a blacklist, and Huawei is there along with 68 other companies.
That is, until things worked out for Huawei. Yesterday, Trump announced that the company will be allowed to do business with the USA again. It looked like Huawei got the green light from the USA, until Trump’s economic adviser stepped in today. NEC chairman Larry Kudlow, talking on Fox Sunday, said that Trump’s comments are not final.
All that is going to happen is Commerce will grant some additional licenses where there is general availability.
– Larry Kudlow, Chairman US National Economic Council.
The American administration believes that Huawei is a threat to National security. If the administration is adamant on choking Huawei, not many concessions will be made by the Senate.
If we’re right at interpreting, this means that Huawei will only be able to source stuff that is available worldwide, from the USA. This again puts Huawei at a tough spot, since Google’s Play Store and Gmail app is of course, only available from the US. Does that mean Huawei still can’t use Android with Google Play Store and security updates straight from Google? We don’t know until the Trump administration launches a formal statement clarifying all this.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege has been a massive success. The multiplayer FPS based title garnered thousands of players instantly and thanks to its realistic operators and situations the game made its way to the top beating the old veterans in the esports scene.
Lucky for enthusiasts, Ubisoft has come up with a sequel to the Rainbow Six franchise with a new trailer revealed at E3. The upcoming title named Rainbow Six Quarantine now offers a story based experience with an immense bump in graphics and overall visuals. The reveal trailer is only about a couple of minutes long gives off horrific vibes with a zombie situation at hand.
The short clip shows us as being trapped in the washing room surrounded by enemies while in a short period of time a ton happens following through the gush of Adrenalin. Support barely catches us alive while we’re almost unconscious.
Overall the game’s approach and vibes are definitely positive yet a question remains. Given how in recent years we’ve seen various different zombie games and they have been getting better and better. Considering how Rainbow Six Siege has set player’s standards it’ll undoubtedly be tough for Ubisoft to pull this one off. They’ll most certainly want to bring variety into the classic zombie action thriller with a very Rainbow Six original twist.
The game is set to release next year on the PS4, Xbox One and PC while players can already register to participate to play the game early. So don’t miss out your chance to register for further updates about the game at the provided website.
Xiaomi’s Redmi K20 and K20 Pro had been the buzz ever since Xiaomi branched out Redmi brand as a separate entity. The call for a Redmi-branded Snapdragon 855 smartphone was finally fulfilled in China late last month with the launch of the K20 and K20 Pro. Like many launches, Xiaomi is finally bringing the K20 to the rest of the market beginning with the debut of the non-Pro K20 re-branded as the Mi 9T in Spain.
For a bit of a refresher, the Redmi K20 features the following hardware underneath its beautiful new shell.
Xiaomi Redmi K20 / Mi 9T Specifications
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730
6 / 8GB LPDDR4x RAM
64 / 128 / 256GB UFS 2.1 ROM
6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display featuring a 91.2% screen-to-body ratio
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
7th-Gen Under-Display Fingerprint Sensor
NFC
48MP (Main) / 13MP (Ultra-wide) / 8MP Rear Camera Setup
20MP Selfie Camera
Hi-Res 3.5mm headphone jack
Type-C Charging Port
4000mAh battery
27W Fast Charging (with support for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4.0 technology)
The Xiaomi Mi 9T seems to be an incredible option albeit being a mid-ranger. From the inclusion of NFC, to the inclusion of the Hi-Res 3.5mm headphone jack, the Mi 9T seems to be a more than compelling option for folks who are out on the hunt for a mid-ranger that won’t burn your wallet.
The Xiaomi Mi 9T is set to retail for as low as €329 for the 6GB / 64GB variant. If you’re planning to pickup an upsized variant of the Mi 9T, Xiaomi also has a 6GB / 128GB variant set to retail for €369. The device is set to launch on June the 17th in Spain in two colors, that is, Carbon Black and Glacier Blue. For folks who are worried about the Flame Red version, Xiaomi has promised to bring that in later.
