Google Pixel 7 Long-term Review: A common man’s Pixel 7 Pro

Pros:
– Key features of Pixel 7 Pro for significantly less money
– Premium build and design
– IP68 ingress protection
– Excellent main camera
– Best Android 13 experience; more updates guaranteed
– Sharp display
– Good overall performance

Cons:
– Slow charging; no charger in the box
– Ultra-wide camera does not have auto-focus
– Temperamental fingerprint scanner

Rating: 4/5
Price: Rs 59,999

The Google Pixel 7 Pro is a wonderful all-round phone that comfortably made it to our ‘Best phones of 2022’ list, courtesy of its great camera performance and smooth software experience. Despite the positive experience, it isn’t exactly an affordable phone for a vast majority of buyers. A lot of people don’t care about features like a curved display or QHD resolution. For most Pixel phones are mainly about the camera quality and faster software updates.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

If you think on similar lines, the Google Pixel 7 may suit you better. It retains a lot of goodness of the Pixel 7 Pro that includes the main camera as well as the software experience, and also the processing hardware. Yes, it misses out on the extra telephoto camera and a higher refresh rate display among other things, but saves you a good Rs 25,000. Time to figure out if it indeed translates into better value for money.

Google Pixel 7 Design: Feels premium with a sturdy build and just the right size
The Pixel 7 feels rugged in hand and looks premium courtesy of an aluminium frame and glass back. The IP68 rating for dust and fluid resistance has been retained here, which is good to see. The curved screen on the Pro has been replaced with a flat one here, which is acceptable. The display and back are protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The fingerprints and smudge marks are barely visible on the Snow White variant that we got for review. The combination of a white body and metallic grey borders looks classy.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

The metallic grey extends to the trademark camera band at the back. The design is quite similar to that of the 7 Pro but with one less camera. While it makes the phone design more striking, the protrusion makes the phone look bulkier, and there’s a noticeable amount of dust accumulation at its base. Due to the relatively smaller screen, the phone feels great in hand. The weight has been kept under 200 grams too.

The volume rockers as well as the power button are placed along the right edge. The placement of the in-display fingerprint scanner is perfect, and one can access it without stretching the thumb much. The scanner remains moody though, and at times just doesn’t recognise your fingerprint and asks for the pin or pattern. The SIM tray is located along the left edge of the phone, while a USB-C port and a speaker are present along the bottom edge. A memory card slot and 3.5 mm headphone jack are absent.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

Google Pixel 7 Display: Sharp display but with 90 Hz refresh rate
The Google Pixel 7 has a compact 6.3-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1400 nits. The HDR10+ compliant screen is quite sharp with excellent colour reproduction and contrast. Just like in case of the Pro, you do not get elaborate colour adjustments here. You just get two modes – Adaptive and Natural. The former makes the colours look slightly more vivid while the latter keeps things natural. Try both and choose one that suits your taste. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

Google has been stingy with the refresh rate here, and it has been limited to 90 Hz. It isn’t a deal breaker yet and significantly smoother than 60 Hz, but this isn’t exactly a budget phone and the company should have opted for 120 Hz in my opinion. Phones selling for less than half its price offer 120 Hz AMOLED displays. As I mentioned earlier, you do not get a curved display here, and we are perfectly fine with that. Always on display is available if you prefer it. 

Google Pixel 7 Performance: At par with that of the Pixel 7 Pro
The Pixel 7 is powered by Google’s second generation Tensor 2 processor that powers the Pixel 7 Pro too. As we concluded in the 7 Pro review, it isn’t as powerful as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chips in synthetic benchmarks, and only incrementally faster than the first Tensor chip. The raw performance of the Tensor 2 is similar to Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 888 SoC, which isn’t bad at all. But one mustn’t forget its AI crunching capabilities that popular synthetic benchmarks do not compute.

You get just one variant of this phone in India with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage. We would have preferred a 256 GB option, but even the company’s flagship hasn’t been blessed with that. The Tensor 2 breezes through day-to-day tasks like accessing social media or chat apps, watching videos, browsing the internet, opening multiple tabs or switching between them. Things were equally smooth in photography and gaming. The phone generally stays cool and only gets a little warm after half an hour of gaming. 

We ran a few synthetic benchmarks to gauge its performance. I won’t bore you with the numbers this time but we can safely state that the scores are literally neck and neck with the Pixel 7 Pro with less than 2% variance at most. Even the frame rates in 3DMark Wild Life and Wild Life Extreme benchmarks are exact. Benchmark scores apart, the Pixel 7 managed to run every game we tried on it smoothly at high settings without a stutter.

This phone has two speakers, one behind the earpiece and the other at the base of the phone. Collectively they produce a fairly loud sound output with good stereo separation. The phone is Bluetooth 5.2 compliant and has tri-band WiFi with support for a/b/g/n/ac/6e standards. The call quality and reception were perfectly fine during the course of our testing.  

Google Pixel 7 Battery performance: Decent battery life with no real fast charging
The battery backup on the Pixel 7 is pretty decent. Despite a lesser capacity 4355 mAh battery as compared to the 7 Pro, it lasts a little longer than the Pro courtesy of its smaller and lower resolution display. It stays powered for close to 30 hours of moderate use, which is fine for the segment. The charging times remain poor in comparison to the competition though. Google does not include a charger in the bundle; just a USB-C cable. 

If you use a generic 10W charger, the phone takes close to 3 hours to charge fully. That holds true even for popular Super VOOC/ Super DART fast chargers from Oppo or OnePlus that can only deliver a 5V/2A output for the Pixel 7. The phone does support 20W fast charging using USB-PD 3.0 chargers. So we got a couple of compatible chargers from Stuffcool, including their Neo 45 that can deliver 20W and 25W USB-PD output. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

The fastest time we clocked for charging the Pixel 7 from 1% to 100% was 1 hour and 35 minutes. Using an even faster USB-PD charger didn’t speed up things as the power draw is capped for this phone. While its best charging time is nowhere close to the proprietary solutions from most brands these days, it is still half of what standard 10W chargers take. So if you don’t have one already, it is advisable to buy a charger that supports 20W USB-PD output at least.

Google Pixel 7 Camera performance: Flagship grade main camera in all conditions
You get two cameras at the back as compared to three on the Pixel 7 Pro. The 50MP primary camera with Laser auto-focus and optical image stabilisation (OIS) is exactly the same as on the 7 Pro and performs as well. The 48MP telephoto camera has been omitted here to have some points of differentiation between the two phones. The 12MP ultra-wide camera, though seems similar on paper, misses one crucial element. While the slightly narrower 114-degrees FOV is not an issue, the lack of auto-focus is. Due to its absence, the ultra-wide camera cannot double up as a quality macro camera as on the Pro. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

The main camera captures some excellent shots in bright as well as low light conditions. The colours are accurate, and pretty much like that of the actual subject. The contrast is excellent, which has been a trademark of Pixel phones over the years. The camera captures great detail in images with impressive dynamic range. The same is applicable for low light photography too. 

The phone automatically switches to Night Sight mode when the light is low and that brightens up the image without going overboard or compromising on the detail. However, the red shades feel slightly softer with Night Sight enabled. The Pixel phones have been great at capturing portrait shots, and the Pixel 7 is no different with excellent edge detection and near perfect background separation. A 2X zoom option in Portrait mode is available here too, and is quite handy. 

Speaking of zoom, while a dedicated telephoto camera is missing here, you still get 2X to 8X zoom options which are mostly digital. The 2X output feels as good as optical zoom, and things are just about usable up to 5X. Beyond that images feel too soft and lack detail. The 12MP ultra-wide camera is quite good when the light is good, and the colours and dynamic range are comparable to the main camera. But when the light is low, it is best to stick to the main camera. As I mentioned earlier, the ultra-wide camera lacks auto-focus, and hence you do not get a macro mode here.

The selfie camera is the same as on the Pixel 7 Pro. The 10.8MP front camera does a good job with selfies with natural skin tones. It has a fairly broad FOV and supports portrait shots too that come out quite well. This phone can record 4K videos at 30 and 60 fps, and can go as high as 240 FPS for 1080p videos. You get OIS and EIS support to compensate for the shakes. A 10-bit HDR option is available for videos too. You can record 4K videos at 30 or 60 FPS with the front camera as well. The recorded videos from the rear cameras are sharp and stabilised and pretty good for this segment. 

Click here for unedited camera samples: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ueKcLmbJbyRuPG9E6

OS and user interface: As good as its gets on Android
There is absolutely no change in this department as compared to the Google Pixel 7 Pro, and you get the best Android 13 experience at the moment. The Pixel 7 runs the latest iteration of Android 13 with the February 2023 security patch, and one can expect more periodic updates. As with all Pixel devices, you get pure Android experience without any bloatware, and with the Material You design language. The user interface is fluid, totally lag free and void of any major bugs. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

As we have said in the past, Pixel phones are as much about the software experience as the hardware. And that also includes the camera image processing in addition to some cool tools for image editing. The Magic Eraser and Camouflage options are more than handy, with the former letting you remove objects or humans from the images by simply circling or highlighting them. It produces perfectly acceptable results after a couple of attempts. 

The face unlock on the Pixel 7 is still work in progress, and not in the same league as Apple’s Face ID yet. You get a bunch of useful tools on this phone to play with that won’t beg for your attention, but the software and AI algorithm quietly do their job in the background. Be it object recognition using Google Lens or speech recognition/ voice typing, things just work. Often we take the software aspect for granted, and only notice it when it malfunctions. So credit where it’s due for such a seamless experience. 

Final words: 
The Google Pixel 7 is priced at Rs 59,999 in India with a one year warranty, which makes it a good Rs 25,000 cheaper than the Pixel 7 Pro. It can often be spotted for Rs 5,000 to 10,000 lower in online sales. What one needs to let go of for that price difference is a higher resolution curved display, a dedicated telephoto camera (the one on the 7 Pro is quite awesome) and auto-focus on the ultra-wide camera, thus forfeiting its macro capabilities. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

For 25K less, I can live without them given that we still get the same primary camera, the same processing hardware and the exact software experience here. Add to that, fast and periodic software updates for the foreseeable future, making the Pixel 7 an excellent all-round phone under 60K. Yes, you may need to spend more on a relevant fast charger if you don’t have one already, and even then the charging times are anything but fast for this age. Despite that, the Pixel 7 is a strong option in this budget.

As for alternatives, there are quite a few in this budget, but when it comes to pure Android experience and main camera performance, there are none. I would still like to recommend a couple of options that offer some extras in other departments. Firstly, the Realme GT 2 Pro with powerful processing hardware, an excellent display, good cameras and fast charging. And secondly, the newly launched powerhouse, the OnePlus 11 5G is arguably the most powerful phone out there at the moment with versatile cameras, an even better display and faster charging. Choose one depending on the features that appeal to you more.

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 review: The perfect companion for professionals on the go

Pros:
– Build quality and weight
– Crisp, sharp and vibrant 2K touch-enabled display
– Banging set of speakers, mics and webcam
– Performance 
– Excellent keyboard
– 5G connectivity

Cons:
– Only two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports including power. 
– No SD Card slot
– Can get a little hot during resource-intensive tasks

Price: Rs 2,14,700 for the tested configuration
Rating: 4.25/5

There are several ultraportable, thin and light laptops on the market that are also capable enough to get the job done. However, finding an ultraportable laptop that weighs less than 1 kilogram, is like finding a living and breathing unicorn. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2, is that exact unicorn.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is a tiny workhorse of a machine that weighs just a hair over 970 grams. It has good battery life, it is built like a tank, comes with an exquisite display and has an Intel CPU that is more than powerful enough to take on whatever is thrown at it (within reason, of course). Aesthetic wise too, the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is sharp, sleek and understated.

Having said that, it is a bit on the pricier side. But then, the specs build and features are only half the story here. Where the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 really shows its worth is the suite of ThinkPad-specific features that it comes with. That’s what you’re actually paying for. 

Designed and meant for professionals, this is a no-nonsense work machine. We take a look at what makes the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 worth the price that Lenovo is asking for it.

Specifications and features
The ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 that we tested came with the 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P CPU which comes with a total of 12 cores (4 Performance cores and 8 Efficiency cores). Our unit was paired with a healthy 16GB LPDDR5 SDRAM running at 5200MHz in a quad-channel configuration, although you can spec it up to an i7-1280P and 32GB RAM. 

The CPU has a Max Turbo Frequency of 4.7 GHz on the P cores, and 3.40 GHz on the E cores. For graphics, we have Intel-integrated Iris Xe Graphics.

For the display, we get a 13-inch 2K (2160 x 1350), IPS display that has a matte anti-glare coating. The display which has been set in a 16:10 aspect ratio, uses a touch panel which supports up to 450 nits of peak brightness and has a refresh rate of 60Hz. It also supports 99 per cent of the sRGB colour range and comes with Dolby Vision. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

For storage, our unit had the top-of-the-line 1TB PCIe 4.0-based NVMe M.2 SSD. You also get a 49.5W 3-cell battery. 

For ports, you get only two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports and an audio jack. Wireless connectivity is taken care of by WiFi 6e, Bluetooth 5.2, and wireless 4G or 5G connectivity. 

Then, there is the whole suite of ThinkPad exclusive features.

There are a bunch of hardware-based security features like ThinkShutter, Privacy Guard, Match on Chip Fingerprint, IR Camera, Thunderbolt Security, Chassis Intrusion Switch, Chassis E-Lock, Smart USB Protection, and USB Secure Hard Drive SmartCard support

On the software front, you get Glance Privacy Alert, Lenovo WiFi Security, BufferZone, Intel Authenticate, Intel Software Guard Extensions, Self-healing BIOS, Secure Wipe etc.

And then, there are a few creature comforts that make the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 the ultimate ultraportable laptop for professionals. Some of the most impressive ones are the inclusion of the Dolby Suite, and the lengths to which Lenovo went to ensure a strong built quality.

Design and Build:
To say that the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is built like a tank would be a gross understatement. The Nano Gen 2 is a slim device, measuring in at 0.57 X 11.5 X 8.2 inches. The chassis is made up of matte black magnesium and aluminium and has a carbon fibre hybrid lid. The laptop cleared MIL-STD 810H torture tests for road dangers such as tremors, shock, and temperature extremes.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

Despite its diminutive size, you get a laptop that is seriously tough. There is no deck flex whatsoever, and the display despite being a 16:10, doesn’t wobble when you lift it up. Speaking of lifting it up, the hinges are smooth as butter and allow users to pick the lid up with just one finger, without exerting any force on the base. The hinge also allows the display to be opened at a 180-degree angle. 

We also love the act that Lenovo has gone for very minimal branding on the laptop. You get just one Lenovo badge on the laptop, and a couple of ThinkPad badges. The title of the ‘i’ in ThinkPad acts as a tiny LED indicator, which, is a neat little touch.

On the left, you get both the USB-C / Thunderbolt ports and a 3.5mm jack. Those are all the ports that you get, which is a shame. While the fact that both the ports are Thunderbolt certified is a nice touch, you are seriously limited if you want to use a host of devices and want to charge the laptop at the same time. 

What is even worrying is that this, despite being a professional-grade laptop, does not come with an HDMI port or a card reader. At the very least, it should have had at least one USB-A or another USB-C port on the right-hand side.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

Speaking of the right-hand side, you get another the power button port and a couple of vents, which have an aggressive, but understated design. The fingerprint scanner is under the keyboard, right beside the trackpad. You also get the Evo badging on the left-hand side, so that means the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 meets all the standards set by Intel

The Keyboard and trackpad 
The keyboard on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is one of the highlights of the device. Typing on it is truly a blissful experience, Very rarely do we come across a keyboard that is as inviting and as cajoling as the one found on the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2. 

During our thorough testing, not once did we feel that the typing experience on the keyboard was lacking in any way. Lenovo really knows how to nail the keyboard. All the laptops that we have tested from Lenovo, have been nothing short of exquisite. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

Furthermore, the keyboard is backlit. The layout is simple and well-spaced, and it does not have any idiosyncrasy that a user might need to adjust to – it simply works. We also love the fact that we have dedicated arrow keys, and separate Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys. 

The function keys double up as keys to start and end video calls. They also get the usual volume up and down, and brightness adjustment keys. To adjust the brightness of the keyboard’s backlight though, you will have to use the spacebar, which seems slightly odd, but is actually the most logical place if you think about it.

Then there is the trackpad. It is a small one, given the diminutive size of the laptop but nonetheless, it is great to use. The trackpad could have been slightly bigger, had it not been for the three switches at the top of it, but then, those three switches, the left, right and centre click, is quintessential to a ThinkPad.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

Another quintessential ThinkPad feature is the red nubbin that you get right in the middle of the keyboard. Depending on your use case scenario, you’ll either hate it or love it so much that you actually start missing it on other laptops. I, for one, can’t have enough of it. It helps in editing Word documents and Excel spreadsheets in a way that only longtime ThinkPad users can understand. 

The Webcam, mic and speakers
One of the standards that Intel set for their Evo badges recently, is the inclusion of a 1080p, FHD webcam, and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 gets that. You also get IR functionalities which means that you can log in using Windows Hello facial recognition. The camera and the IR also support the User Presence Sensing feature and offer Zero Touch Login and Lock which lets you lock and unlock the device as you approach or walk away from your desk.

The images and the video that the webcam takes are well-lit and vibrant, with excellent clarity, and is just perfect for all your work needs. You also get a privacy shutter on the webcam.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

As for the speakers, you get two 2-watt woofers and two 1-watt tweeters, tuned and certified by Dolby Atmos. Overall, the laptop gets pretty loud, but they don’t have a punchy bass. Having said that, there is no distortion even at full volume, and the speakers are more than enough for your conference calls or to consume content on YouTube or Netflix. These speakers are really good considering that this is ultraportable. 

You also get four array microphones, 360-degree far-field pickup and Dolby Voice, which just enhances the quality of your voice by using a bunch of different features. We really loved how the voice separation, dynamic levelling and noise reduction worked on the laptop. 

The Display
Lenovo is really pushing the 16:10 aspect ratio in its laptops for a while now. The ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is no different. The taller aspect ratio makes working on documents and spreadsheets a joy – other productivity tasks, especially photo editing on Lightroom also take advantage of the taller screen.

Our test unit came with a 13-inch 2K (2160 x 1350), IPS touchscreen display, which was very responsive. There is a variant without a touchscreen panel, which will be a lot more budget-friendly, so do check that out if you’re considering the X1 Nano. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

While the display is not as impressive as an OLED panel would have been, nevertheless, it is impressive. The ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 has a refresh rate of 60Hz. The display is surrounded by pretty thin bezels which makes using it a very immersive experience. 

With a peak brightness of 450 nits, the display is surprisingly bright for an IPS panel. Furthermore, it is vibrant enough and is very accurate in reproducing colours, as it covers 99 per cent of the sRGB colour space.

The panel is certified by Dolby Vision, which means that the dynamic range on the device is phenomenal and it shows. Thanks to the capabilities of the display with colours, and content consumption. You can even play light, indie games on the laptop and still enjoy them to the fullest. We wouldn’t hesitate to colour-grade videos or work on high res photos on this display for professional use, although rendering them to a file might be a slight issue in certain scenarios. 

Performance
As far as ultraportable laptops are concerned the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is in a league of its own when it comes to performance. Our test unit came with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P CPU, with a Max Turbo Frequency of 4.7 GHz on the P cores, 3.40 GHz on the E cores, and 16 threads. It also came with 16GB LPDDR5 SDRAM, rated at 5200Mhz. If you’re looking for more oomph, you can spec your Xi Nano to include an i7-1280P and 32GB RAM. 

On paper, the Intel Core i7-1260P may look a little underwhelming to some, but this 28W beast is more than capable of pulling its punches. The Core i7-1260P does pretty well is most synthetic benchmarks and scores respectfully. 

All of this comes down to Intel’s thread director and the hybrid performance that comes with the splitting up of E-cores and P-cores. As expected, the Core i7-1260P does phenomenally well in light, single-threaded tasks, but what is really surprising is its performance in heavier multi-threaded tasks as well.

This isn’t a gaming laptop and doesn’t come with a GPU. Still, we were able to play light games like Rocket League, at 1920×1200, at the highest visual setting at some pretty playable framerates. Furthermore, we were able to batch-process a ton of images in Lightroom while colour-correcting them, without any issues.

There is one issue though. Like all ultraportables, the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 does heat up a little, especially under consistent heavy load. This happened to us when we were benchmarking the laptops, and once during an extended period of colour-correcting images. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The laptop gets a little toasty under such circumstances, but not to the extent where it should be alarming. But even during the thermal peaks, there’s no sign of thermal throttling. This is thanks to Lenovo’s cooling design for the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 and the generously sized vents and heat pipes in the laptop. 

Battery Life
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 comes with a 49.5W 3-cell battery, which comes with a rather nifty 65W charging brick. Despite its diminutive size, the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 has a fairly decent battery life. Intel’s power efficiency really comes to life here. 

With that notwithstanding, in an average working day which involved a ton of writing, some photo editing, a whole lot of browsing, and quite a bit of content consumption on YouTube and Netflix, we got about 7-8 hours at about 60 per cent screen brightness, which is great.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

During our thorough battery testing though, which basically is replaying a 4K video on the loop, again and again, the laptop conked out in just under 4 hours or so. 

While Intel’s 12th-gen P-series processors do take a toll on battery life we get to see a significant boost in power. Also, you have to consider the fact that you’re driving a 2K display that is vibrant and sharp. Yes, there are other ultraportables out there that have better battery life. Are they as capable as the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2? Not by a mile. 

Conclusion
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 strikes a great balance between performance, portability and productivity. There were days when I just tossed the laptop in my backpack and forgot if it was in there or not – you really don’t feel its weight when you’re carrying it in your backpack.

Yes, there are some shortcomings. We would have loved to see some more ports on the laptop, at least a USB-A or an additional USB-C port on the right-hand side, and maybe the heat dissipation could have been better.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

And, yes an SD card slot has become an essential in laptops, especially for one that costs as much as the X1 Nano does. The performance and feature sets that are exclusive to ThinkPads, however, do make up for some of the shortcomings. As a pure work-specific ultraportable laptop, though, there’s hardly anything out there that beats the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2, especially when you consider that gorgeous screen, and that awesome keyboard. 

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Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Headphone Review: Budget studio monitors go wireless at a price

Pros: 
– Almost neutral sound signature
– Excellent battery backup
– Comfortable to wear
– Multipoint support
– Can be used as wired headphones with an Aux cable

Cons: 
– Over-priced in India
– No ANC, ingress protection, companion app
– No high-end codecs support
– Plasticky build, non-foldable design 
– Poor passive noise isolation

Price: Rs 13,499

Rating: 3.3/5

A large percentage of wearable audio products are understandably targeted at masses, and as a result, cater to their taste in sound. In simpler terms, most headphones offer boosted bass for that extra thump. Then we have some that offer a more balanced sound and features like active noise cancellation (ANC). And lastly, we have studio monitors, which strive to reproduce the sound as is without boosting any frequencies.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

The last category is fairly niche, and a huge chunk of the target audience prefers wired headphones. Audio-Technica ATH-M20x was an immensely popular headphone for those looking for studio-quality sound at an affordable price; in fact, it still is. The company has now launched a Bluetooth version of the same, ATH-M20xBT that hopes to do the same without wires. Let’s see if it succeeds and if it’s worth the asking price.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Headphones – Build, design, comfort: 6/10
There is nothing wrong with the ATH-M20xBT’s aesthetics with a typical Audio-Technica design language and a smooth black matte finish. But I wasn’t pleased with its build quality, which feels distinctly plasticky, and even more so given its pricing. The hard plastic shells seem like they may crack after a fall or two, but we are not sure as we didn’t do a drop test. Another concern was the durability of the thin wire connecting the two earcups through the headband. The weight is perfectly fine at 216 grams. 

The padded earcups sit well over the ears with just the right amount of pressure. The fit not being too tight makes sense as these headphones are not meant to be used during workouts. And that’s not just because of the sound profile here, but there is no IP rating for ingress protection, and one wouldn’t want to risk sweat damaging the product. The headband padding is just about fine. While the comfort is good, the passive noise isolation is quite poor on the M20xBT. You can hear almost everything around you even after wearing the headphones.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

The earcups can neither be turned much nor folded, making the product hard to carry around, as it takes up a lot of space in your bag. A carry pouch is missing here, which is something the company shouldn’t have been miserly with. The left ear-cup hosts all the buttons and connectors. A 3.5 mm aux input and a USB-C port can be found there next to a status LED and playback controls. A USB charging cable and an aux cable are present in the package.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Headphones – Key features: 5/10
Though the price raises your expectations, the ATH-M20xBT is quite light in this department. In essence, it is a basic pair of Bluetooth 5.0 wireless headphones with support for only SBC and AAC codecs. There is no ANC either. We understand that its entire focus is on delivering studio-quality sound and robust battery backup, but a better codec like aptX or LDAC would have certainly helped with the former. 

You don’t get a companion app to alter the sound profile or update its firmware. Each ear cup of these closed-back headphones hosts a 40 mm driver. The claimed frequency response ranges between 5 Hz to 32 KHz, which is impressive. Another standout feature of this product is its battery backup, with the company promising up to 60 hours of playtime; a claim we will verify shortly.

Like most wireless headphones, this product can also be used as a wired headphone using the bundled or any aux cable. There are three physical buttons on the left earcup that include the volume rockers and a play/pause button that doubles up as a power switch as well as a Bluetooth pairing button. Long pressing the volume up and down keys lets you jump to the next and previous tracks respectively. This headphone is uncomplicated to use but too basic in terms of features.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Headphones – Performance: 7/10
The wireless range on these headphones is quite good up to the advertised 10 metres mark with a clear line of sight; no complaints there. Pairing this device with a phone or a tablet is also a straightforward process. Moving on to the sound quality, the Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT does deliver close to neutral sound output. That means no particular frequency range gets a boost and you indeed get almost studio-quality sound.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

Before you jump out of your seat in excitement, here’s a word of caution. Just because your self-proclaimed audiophile friend claims that neutral sound is the best thing on this planet does not necessarily mean you will enjoy it. You do not get prominent bass here as we are generally accustomed to, and some may find the sound a bit too bright for their liking. So first gauge what’s on offer here and then consider spending on it. 

Now judging it for what it is, the bass is minimal and yet has a decent punch. As a result, the midrange frequencies get a chance to shine and shine they do. The vocals are crisp and most instrument sounds are distinctly audible with a more than decent separation. The highs have ample sparkle but could have been tempered better. The S sounds tend to sound a little harsh, and you do not have the extra bass here to balance them. The detail in the audio is good but the soundstage is average at best. The volume needs to be pushed up to 80% for normal loudness.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi

The ATH-M20xBT is a good option for listening to vocal or instrument-heavy tracks, be it jazz or classical. If you are more into Rock, EDM or Bollywood, they aren’t as enjoyable on these headphones. It is not too bad for watching web series and movies either. The latency is low enough and there was no noticeable lag between the video and audio when watching content from various OTT platforms. There is ample clarity in the dialogues, though the thump in action sequences is a notch or two lower than ideal. But let’s not forget, these are meant to be studio monitors, and they serve that purpose well. 

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Headphones – Call quality: 6.5/10
Most on-the-ear headphones struggle when it comes to calling quality. With the M20xBT, it is pretty decent in quieter areas. When indoors, people on either end of the call are audible to each other with fair clarity. In noisy environments, the microphone tends to pick up some ambient noise as well as wind noise, and your voice sounds a bit distant. The person on the call did complain about it. So when outdoors, you may want to answer the call on your phone directly.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Headphones – Battery life: 9/10
The battery life of the ATH-M20xBT is probably its best attribute in my opinion. The company claims that the battery can last up to 60 hours under test conditions, and the results were not bad for us. At about 3 hours of daily audio playback at 80% loudness, the battery lasted a full fortnight; that translates into 45 hours of battery backup. During the course of the testing, I couldn’t use it for a week, and one needs to factor that in too. 

That highlights the fact that its standby time is impressive too. Thus, if your usage is similar to mine, you may need to charge these headphones only twice a month, which is great. This headphone takes about four hours to charge fully using a standard USB-C charger. It supports fast charging too, but the figures are modest. 10 minutes of charge can give you close to 3 hours of playtime, which is handy if not special. 

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Headphones – Price and verdict
The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT wireless headphone is priced at Rs 13,499 with a one-year warranty. The pricing is something I have the biggest issue with. This pair is popular abroad because it is affordable and priced under $79. Even with duties and taxes, it shouldn’t reach anywhere close to its selling price in India. Around 8K, it would have been a neat option for those looking for wireless studio monitors with close to the neutral sound. At 13.5K, it is hard to recommend. 

It is a niche category here, and a huge chunk of the target audience for studio monitors still prefer wired headphones. That price tag won’t entice them enough to switch. Also, the feature set is extremely limited to command that kind of price. It would make more sense to opt for its wired version instead, the Audio-Technica ATH-M20x, for almost one-third its selling price here, and a relevant adapter for the phone in case it doesn’t have a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

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Intel 13th Gen i7 13700K CPU Review: A processor that’s clearly punching above its class

Pros
– Sheer Performance
– Pricing compared to competitors
– Larger Cache and Core Count
– Solid multicore and single-core performance
– Hybrid Architecture
– Compatible with previous Chipsets
– Performance almost at par with the i9 at just a fraction of the cost

Cons
– Power consumption
– Needs a proper cooling solution to extract all the performance.
– Possibly the last generation of CPUs using the LGA 1700 Socket

Price: Rs 44,500
Rating: 4.5/5

Intel 13th Gen i7 13700K Review: Overview
Intel’s i7 lineup of CPUs has been the best for high-end desktops, dedicated to gaming, for years now. Yes, there’s the i9 lineup of Intel CPUs, but unless you’re a serious content creator who’ll actually use all the cores at their highest speeds, the i9 would be like taking a fighter jet to a gunfight. Yes, you can do that, but that’s one overachieving response if there ever was one. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The lower-tiered i5 13600K is a solid mid-tier performer and has been crucial in establishing Intel’s position as the go-to CPU for mid-tier gaming. The i7-13700K takes all that performance, turns the dial up to 11 and just goes for it. 

For a few years now, Intel has had to play catch up with AMD’s Ryzen series and the performance they offered across different price points. With the 13th Gen Intel processors, especially the i5 13600K and the i7 13700K, finally, team red has a competitor that gives a proper and hard fight. 

What sets the latest generation of Intel’s CPUs is their hybrid architecture. Intel started their current hybrid architecture with the Alder lake lineup. With Raptor lake, Intel has fine-tuned and turned the dial all the way to 11. 

Although the 13th Gen CPUs are still based on the same Intel 7 process as the 12th Gen, and it has the same hybrid design of performance cores (P-cores) and efficiency cores (E-cores), the Core i7 13700K has the same number of cores as the Intel Core i9 12900K from the previous generation. All in all the i7 13700K CPUs have twice as many E-cores as the previous generation. Basically, you get 8 Performance cores and 8 Efficiency and 24 threads.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

It genuinely is a better version of the i9 12900K but for a lot less money. Because hyper-threading is enabled on the core i7 13700k, the P-Cores have a thread count of 16. The E-Cores do not support multithreading. This basically increases the thread count on this SKU to 24 compared to the core i7 12700k’s thread count of 20.

The end result is that you get a fantastic CPU that punches above its weight class, and performs like a beast. 

Intel 13th Gen i7 13700K Review: Specifications
Intel’s 13the Gen CPUs, including the Intel i5 13600K Intel and the i7 13700K is based on the Raptor lake architecture, which is a generational improvement over the Alder lake architecture. Like the previous generation of Intel CPUs, the i7 13700K uses the Intel 1700 socket and is made using the Intel 7 manufacturing process. The 13th Gen CPUs are expected to be the last CPUs built on Intel 7 before the move to Intel 4, and the last to support the Intel 1700 socket.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The i7 13700K comes with a total of 16 cores, which consists of 8 P-cores and 8 E-cores, and has a total of 24 threads. The P-Cores have a base clock of 3.40GHz, whereas E-Cores have a base clock of 2.50GHz. Overall, the maximum turbo frequency is 5.4GHz. This is a single thread frequency from the Turbo Boost Max Technology 3, and it is dependent on the temperature and power conditions, as well as the load type.

The P-Cores’ maximum turbo frequency is 5.3GHz. The E-Cores’ maximum turbo frequency is 4.2GHz. As for power consumption, the CPU’s power draw is 125W at base frequencies and 253W at maximum turbo frequency.

Multi-threaded performance gets another boost thanks to Intel’s hyperthreading technology on the higher-boosting P-cores. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

All of this makes the entire 13th Gen lineup of CPUs the first consumer-grade desktop CPUs to breach the 5GHz barrier. This also makes the 13th Generation of CPUs the fastest in the world, out of the box. 

The entire L2 cache size is 24MB, while the L3 cache size is 30MB. In comparison, the Intel i7 12700K had an L2 Cachce of 14MB and and L3 cache of 25MB, whereas the Intel i9 12900K had an L2 Cache of 12MB and an L3 cache of 30MB. The increase in Caches across the board is significant. 

Intel has also raised the L2 cache for each p-core from 1.25MB to 2MB and doubled the amount of L2 cache for each cluster of e-cores to 4MB in the 13700K. Intel also increased the L3 cache by 5MB.

As for the onboard graphics, the Core i7 13700K comes with UDH 770 GPU and has a base clock of 300MHz with a boost clock of 1.6GHz. It comprises 32 processing units. The maximum resolution supported by HDMI is 4096X2160 at 60Hz. On Display Port, the output resolution is 7680×4320 at 60Hz. The CPU also supports Intel Quick Sync Video and Clear Video HD technology, with a maximum display support of 4.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The Core i7 13700K supports both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM, just like the Core i5 13600K, and the previous-gen Alder lake CPUs. However, with the Raptor lake CPU, users get a faster DDR5 memory controller that supports DDR5 up to 5600MHz. You also get support for up to 128GB RAM in set in dual-channel configuration, along with ECC memory support.

The CPU has eight DMI lanes based on DMI 4.0. As for PCIe lanes, they are compatible with both, PCIe Gen 4.0 and 5.0 and are a total of 20, with 16 for the GPU and 4 for any compatible NVMe SSD. The SKU is compatible with PCIe Gen 4.0 and 5.0.

Intel 13th Gen i7 13700K Review: Compatibility
Although Intel’s 13th Gen CPUs come with the new Z790 chipset, they are also backwards compatible with the Z690 as well as the H670 and B660 chipsets, all of which have the LGA 1700 socket. Just ensure that your motherboards have had their BIOS and firmware updated for the 13th Gen CPUs, and you’ll be good to go. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The Z690 and H670 motherboards do let you use DDR5 memory, but with varying limitations on XMP profiles, so you might want to look into that. The Z790 motherboards, though slightly expensive, are well worth the money spent for they have some new features that the Z690 and similar boards don’t. For example, a Z790 board from a reputable partner manufacturer will have PCIe 5.0 support, as well as a bunch of other creature comforts, which, in the long run, will prove beneficial. 

And since this is an i7 that we are talking about, pairing it with the best available RAM would give you just that little extra boost, so again, we recommend investing in a Z790 board. 

Intel 13th Gen i7 13700K Review: Our test bench
For our tests, we ran the Core i7 13700K with the Z790 motherboard. Given the power consumption of the chip, we did not want to risk leaving any performance on the table, so we went with our own MSI MAG CoreLiquid 360R V2. For RAM, we went with a pair of Vengeance 32GB kit (2x16GB) DDR5 running at 5200MHz that Corsair lent us. 

For the GPU, we were using our own MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Ventus 3X 8G OC, and the Corsair CX750 Watt modular PSU for power.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

Intel 13th Gen i7 13700K Review: Performance
It should not come as a surprise that the Core i7 13700K completely annihilates the decimates the last generation Core i7 12700K across benchmarks. What is surprising though is that it performs just as well as the last generation Core i9 12900K, in a number of scenarios, with very few sacrifices in terms of power consumption and temperatures. This is in continuation of our findings when we reviewed the Core i5 13600K.

Cinebench R23 Benchmarks. Higher numbers are better.

There are a number of reasons why the 13th Gen CPUs are performing so better than the 12th Gen CPUs. First, is the increase in the number of E-Cores across the lineup, but more importantly, in the Core i7 13700K. Second, Intel has increased the size of the L2 caches on its Raptor Lake processors, along with a slight improvement in the read and write speeds.

Intel’s 13th-generation CPUs also include some intriguing capabilities that make life easier for consumers, particularly when it comes to background operations. Thread Director, for example, collaborates with the Windows Scheduler. Essentially, the CPU will categorise the threads and assist the system in determining which ones to employ for tasks. This allows for significantly more efficient management of background operations.

Pugetbench Benchmarks. Higher numbers are better.

If we take a closer look at how the cores behave during the Cinebench, we see that the i7 13700K maintained an all-core frequency of 5.2 GHz for the P-cores and 4.1GHz for the E-cores after an hour of load testing. The 13700K thereafter appeared to sustain a clock frequency of 5.4 GHz under stress for single-core operations.

Please bear in mind that depending on the load type, this turbo frequency is just for a single core, and there are a plethora of variables that might effect it. Thermal headroom, power limit, cooling solution, thermal paste application, how excellent a motherboard is, and so on, as well as the load type.

Crossmark benchmarks for the Intel i7 13700K

In games as well, the CPU performed exceptionally well, which, given its benchmark scores, shouldn’t come as a surprise. In Battlefield 5, we were consistently getting 175+ fps at 1440p, whereas in titles like Far Cyr 6, Forza Horizon 5, and Borderlands 3, we were consistently getting over 100fps at 1440p.

Intel 13th Gen i7 13700K Review: Power consumption & thermals
When it comes to core power usage the i7 13700K is close to the i9 12900K but still slightly lower thanks to Raptor Lake architectural upgrades. Having said that, it is more power-hungry than the i7 12700K.

System-wide power draw during Cinebench Benchmarks and Idle. Lower numbers are better.

The i7 13700K’s thermal performance is again at par considering its overall speed. Though the i7 13700K runs at 98-99, fluctuating between the two, without hampering the performance. 

Maximum CPU temperature during Cinebench Benchmarks. Lower numbers are better.

Even under the heaviest of loads, our CPU did not hit the dreaded 100 degrees in a closed case. 

Intel 13th Gen i7 13700K Review: Verdict
Overall, the Core i7-13700K has a well-balanced performance profile, with no obvious shortcomings in certain types of productivity apps. As a result, the 13700K is an agile gamer as well as a great all-rounder processor for productive tasks.

The Core i7 13700K has a strong price-to-performance advantage, which is even greater when we consider motherboard and memory costs. Intel has maintained compatibility for DDR4 memory, enabling a route to substantially lower memory and motherboard costs than AMD’s AM5 ecosystem, which needs DDR5 memory. Intel claims that if a previous-generation 600-series motherboard has appropriate power delivery, you won’t lose any performance, offering up another avenue for value hunters.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

If you’re looking only to game on your system and are looking for a reasonable, mid-tier gaming tower, then the Intel Core i5 13600K is still the better choice, as you can easily start off lower and then build your system gradually, especially if budget is a constraint for you and you’re sure you won’t get into serious content creation anytime soon. 

However, if you plan on streaming or any serious content creation, you will be better off with the Core i7 13700K. Think of it this way –  it is considerably friendlier on the pocket if you try and spec out a similar machine from team red, and even then, you will be leaving some single-threaded as well as multithreaded performance on the table. You will effectively have to spend considerably more if you plan on getting an AMD machine, that performs like the i7 13700K. And because the performance is almost at par with last year’s i9 12900K, if not better in most scenarios, you get to enjoy the fruits of top-of-the-line CPU, but at a significantly lower cost.

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Best phones under Rs 40,000 (Feb 2023): Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, iQOO 9 5G to Realme GT Neo 3

Our list of phones under Rs 40,000 has an interesting mix. Some of the phones present here were selling for a much higher price not too long ago. Needless to say they are a great buy under 40K. This is a substantial budget to expect phones with powerful processors, high quality cameras, excellent displays and more, and we have just that for you. So let’s take a look at some solid all-round phones you can buy within Rs 40,000 this month.

Best phones to buy under Rs 40,000 in India

Motorola Edge 30 Pro 5G
Let’s start with the first of the two Moto phones. The Motorola Edge 30 Pro 5G seems to have received a major price cut lately and you can get it close to 35K at the moment. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, which is still extremely powerful, and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. Its 6.7-inch Full HD+ OLED screen flaunts a 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and can display over a billion colours. You get Corning Gorilla Glass protection against scratches at the front and back.

The photography department on the Motorola Edge 30 Pro is impressive too, starting with a 50MP primary camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and another 50MP camera for ultra-wide photography; there’s a 2MP depth sensor too. The 60MP front camera is bound to impress the selfie enthusiasts. Its 4800 mAh battery comfortably lasts close to a day and a half of moderate use and supports 68W fast charging as well as 15W fast wireless charging. This phone runs Android 12, and like most Motorola phones, you get a clean and near-stock user interface. 

Motorola Edge 30 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 35,499 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

Motorola Edge 30 Fusion
With the Edge 30 Pro selling for that price, we were in two minds if this second Moto phone deserved a place on this list. We chose to go with the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion purely for its sleek and stylish design. It is easily the best-looking phone in this list courtesy of its curved display and just 7.5 mm thickness. And it’s not just about looks, it has got some serious substance too. 

You get a 10-bit 6.55-inch P-OLED display with 144 Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ compliance. There is Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection against scratches at the front and back. It is powered by a Snapdragon 888+ chip which is no pushover, and is accompanied by 8 GB RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 internal storage. This phone runs Android 12, and again, being a Motorola phone, you get a clean and near-stock user interface.

The camera spread on the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion is fairly varied. It is helmed by a 50MP primary camera with OIS. The 13MP ultra-wide camera with auto-focus is quite versatile and also doubles up as a quality macro camera. A 2MP depth sensor completes the pack at the back. The 32MP front camera will have the selfie crowd interested. Its 4400 mAh battery can go on for over a day of moderate use, and a 68W fast charger is bundled along.

Motorola Edge 30 Fusion price in India: Rs 39,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Here’s another pleasant surprise, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G in this budget. This phone too has a sleek design and also flaunts an IP68 rating for dust and fluid resistance. It has a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with HDR10+ compliance, 120 Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection. It is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2100 chip which can be found in several high-end phones from the company. You can get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant in this budget. The phone launched with Android 12, and an Android 13 update for this phone with Samsung’s One UI 5 released late last year.

Photography department on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G comprises three cameras at the back starting with a 12MP primary camera with OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with 123 degrees FOV and an 8MP telephoto camera with OIS that provides 3X optical zoom. The camera performance is impressive with excellent detail and wide dynamic range, and its low light performance is noteworthy too. A 4500 mAh battery keeps the phone running for close to a day and a half of moderate use and supports wireless charging as well.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G price in India: Rs 39,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

iQOO 9 5G
Just like the Motorola Edge 30 Fusion, the iQOO 9 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888+ chip, and you get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant in this budget. Its 6.56-inch HDR10+ compliant Full HD+ AMOLED display has 120 Hz refresh rate and can display a billion colour shades. The phone runs Android 12 with FunTouch OS 12, and one can expect more software updates for this device in the future.

The rear camera department here is quite loaded. You get a 48MP primary camera with Gimbal stabilisation, accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 13MP 50 mm professional portrait camera for great portrait shots. The 16MP front camera is more than handy for selfies and video calls. The iQOO 9 5G has a 4350 mAh battery that can last over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge it fully in just 18 minutes. 

iQOO 9 5G price in India: Rs 39,499 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage

Realme GT Neo 3
With the OnePlus 10R not in stock at the moment, we choose its Realme twin this time, the GT Neo 3 with identical specifications. It is powered by Mediatek’s flagship grade Dimensity 8100 chip, which is comparable in performance to a Snapdragon 888. Its 256 GB internal storage variants with 8 GB RAM can be yours with a few bucks to spare. The phone launched with Android 12 with Realme UI 3.0, and the Android 13 update has started rolling out.

The Realme GT Neo 3 has a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display that supports 10-bit colour depth, flaunts HDR10+ compliance and 120 Hz refresh rate. The camera department has a 50MP primary camera with OIS that captures some impressive shots in different modes. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2MP macro camera. The 16MP front camera is decent enough for selfies and video calls. It has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps it powered for over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 80W fast charger juices it up fully in a little over half an hour. 

Realme GT Neo 3 price in India: Rs 38,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage

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Samsung Galaxy S23 review: A simply brilliant smartphone that packs a big punch

Pros
– Unparalleled performance
– Brilliant set of cameras
– Exquisite Display 
– Understated, but premium design
– The way it feels in the hand
– Speakers
– Long software update commitment
– Battery life

Cons
– 25W wired charging, with no charging brick in the box

Price: Rs 95,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant
Rating: 4.75/5

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is one of the best compact smartphones in the market. Having said that, it packs a punch that would stun even its elder siblings, the Galaxy S23 Plus and even the mighty Galaxy S23 Ultra. In fact, there are certain areas in which the petite Galaxy S23 is actually better than both of its elder siblings. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

What really stood out was the display and the cameras. Barring the design of the rear panel, there are not a lot of new or revolutionary aspects of the Samsung Galaxy S23. However, the finetuning that Samsung has done for the Galaxy S23, and the attention it has given to tiny, little things is what makes the device so praise-worthy. 

I am just going to say it out loud – this is as good a smartphone can get in 2023, especially if you’re in the market looking for one that is compact and easy to yield. The Galaxy S23 is so much more than a mere spec update over the Galaxy S22 from last year – this one is in a league of its own.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

Samsung Galaxy S23 review: The design
Like its elder sibling, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Galaxy S23 looks a lot more premium than most of the smartphones that masquerade as premium smartphones using some trick or the other. The difference, again, between the S23 and all those other premium smartphones is that the Galaxy S23 looks premium because it is premium. 

The Galaxy S23 is a very beautiful device to look at, and an even more beautiful device to hold, thanks to its more compact size. It isn’t as humongous as most of your other smartphones, the Galaxy S23 Ultra included, but the way the device feels in your hand, the ease with which one is able to operate it using just one hand is pretty commendable. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

This also makes the Galaxy S23 much more pocketable and user-friendly than most gigantic premium smartphones of today. And yes, just like the S23 Ultra, the Galaxy S22 is built like a tank and has a ton of premium-feeling material on the outside. 

Compared to last year, Samsung decided to go for a cleaner design for their entry-level S series device this year – while the S22 had a discernible camera housing, the S23 does not – instead, it has a cleaner, flat back design, in which the rear cameras and flash just float. The cameras are surrounded by a metallic ring on all of the glass elements, just like it did in the S23 Ultra. 

Our test device was a dark green unit, which looked particularly stunning, thanks to its matte finish. Other than green, you get a ton of other colour options as well –  phantom black, cream, green, lavender, graphite and lime.

The 6.1-inch 1080p AMOLED screen on the front is the same as on the Galaxy S22, but with enhanced brightness. The front of the S23 is identical to the S22, right down to the amazingly small screen bezels and camera cutout. This time around, you get Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panels on both, the front and the back. The panels on the S23 are flat, as opposed to the slight curvature that the S23 Ultra gets.

The aluminium frame also has flatter edgers, although, they have a very slight curvature, which helps it blend into the front and back panels. This not only gives the device a very premium hand feel but also makes gripping the S23 a lot easier and more comfortable.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The button placement on all three S23 models is the same, so on the right, we get to see the volume rockers, as well as the power button. Despite the device’s smaller size, the power button and the volume rockers are of the same size as the S23 Ultra and have been spaced out a little, because of which it is easy to distinguish between the two very easily.

At the bottom, we get a familiar view – a speaker grille for one of the speakers, a USB Type-C port, and the SIM tray, of course with the exception of the S-Pen.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

Samsung’s push for sustainability is visible in the Galaxy S23 as well. Just like the S23 Ultra, the rear and front panels use a ton of recycled materials, such as recycled glass and plastic, whereas the aluminium frame is also made of recycled aluminium.

Samsung Galaxy S23 review: The display
The S23 Ultra has one of the best displays in a smartphone this year. The new Galaxy S23 features the same 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display as the Galaxy S22. However, there’s one major improvement –  it has 35 per cent greater peak brightness, which exponentially improves the experience of watching anything in HDR. And thanks to support for Widevine L1, stream apps can stream at 1080p in HDR10 without any hassle.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The AMOLED display has a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. However, because this is a smaller screen, at 6.1-inches, it has a much better pixel density. As a result, everything that you watch on this screen is tack sharp and crisp, comparable to the S23 Ultra. We also get support for a dynamic refresh rate of 120Hz, a broad colour gamut, and HDR10+. The panel also supports a peak brightness of 1750 nits.

The colours from the panel are, rich, and super-contrasty, and beautifully saturated. The images are sharp and crisp. Even under direct sunlight, we had no issues whatsoever in reading off of the screen and viewing content. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

What makes the display stand out is the Vivid or the wide colour gamut mode. The inclusion of a new Advanced Vision Booster which automatically adjusts the screen for maximum colour accuracy and contrast in low-light environments is a nice touch

Samsung Galaxy S23 review: The camera
The cameras on the Galaxy S23 are nearly identical to those on the Galaxy S22. We get a 50MP sensor (Samsung S5KGN3 sensor) for the primary camera, a 12MP sensor (Sony IMX564) for the ultra-wide camera and a 10MP sensor (Samsung S5K3K1 sensor) with a 3X telephoto lens on the back, and a 12MP sensor for the front-facing camera. 

The 50MP main sensor comes with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS. The 10MP telephoto camera also uses PDAF and OIS. The front-facing 12MP selfie camera also uses dual-pixel PDAF.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

By default, the 50MP sensor shoots 12MP binned photos for. The photographs it captures are simply amazing. You can also use the 50MP sensor to click 50MP RAW photos, and get a bit of astrophotography done using the Exper RAW mode. Yes, we get that setting in the main camera app itself and don’t need to download an app separately. 

The main 50MP sensor produces some seriously aesthetic photographs full of vivid colours, and good and sharp contrast. The photos have a broad dynamic range especially when the lighting is spot on. The images have a slightly warm tone, and punchier colours, which, may throw off some people, who like to edit their photos in their own way. For a majority of people though, the pictures are social media ready, straight out of the camera. 

Switching to the 12MP ultra-wide sensor means you give up some detail and brightness, but nonetheless the images are pretty sharp. The Portrait Mode, which uses the 10MP telephoto lens, captures beautiful portrait images with some nice and creamy bokeh and has precise edge recognition and details. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The night mode works really and shots taken in low light have plenty of detail. Yes, there’s some noise, but overall, users will be pretty pleased with what the S23 is capable in terrible lighting conditions. 

As for the zooming capabilities, they are legendary. You don’t get the 100X zoom with the S23 as you did with the S23 Ultra, but the 30X zoom that the S23 gets is at par with the S23 Ultra – it has plenty of details and the images are more than good enough. 

In well-lit conditions, the 12MP selfie camera captures decent detail and colours, albeit some flattening of face features is visible. The HDR is again, pretty awesome. The portrait mode on the front-facing camera, is again, exquisite.  

As far as video recording is concerned, the S23 can record at 8K resolution up to 30 frames per second. The Galaxy S23’s footage has accurate colour tones and very crisp images. Video stabilization has also improved on the Galaxy S23 compared to the Galaxy S22.

For some unedited, raw photos taken using the Galaxy S23, click here.

Samsung Galaxy S23 review: The performance, software experience and UI
The Galaxy S23 is the fastest Android smartphone on the market, and sometimes, even faster than its elder sibling, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. That’s what at least some of the benchmarks that we tested say.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is powered by the same custom overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that powers the S23 Ultra, so the performance of the Galaxy S23 is at par with its elder sibling. 

Our test unit came with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 internal storage. The base variant with the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage uses the same sort of RAM but uses UFS 3.1 chips for storage, so performance might be a little slower. The difference, however, will be practically indiscernible. Unfortunately, you don’t get a microSDXC slot in any of the devices across the S23 series. 

During our thorough testing, we did not experience any stuttering or lagging. With quick app loading times and practically seamless multitasking, the Galaxy S23 provides an amazingly smooth experience. Even when pushed to its limits, like playing graphically intensive games, and rendering out videos, the Galaxy S23 had a stable and impressive performance.

Having said that, the Galaxy S23 does heat up to the touch a little, but, without compromising on performance. It isn’t alarming in any way and should be expected in a device of this size. Do note, that Samsung has used a vapour cooling system for the S23 series this year. 

As for gaming, it easily takes care of seriously demanding games like Genshin Impact, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Apex Legends at the highest setting, at 45-60fps without any issue. Like the S23 Ultra, we also get ray tracing support at a hardware level, but then, there are no games to test that feature out. 

The Samsung Galaxy S23 comes with OneUI 5.1, which is based on Android 13. Just like the S23 Ultra, there are a ton of features, and you will need days to completely go through all the features that OneUI 5.1 gives you, at this level. You obviously don’t get the added features that are native to the S-Pen.

Just like the S23 Ultra, the Galaxy S23 comes with all the bells and whistles that you would expect a modern-day flagship device to have – BlueTooth 5.3, USB C 3.2, all the 5G bands that you might possibly need, et all. However, just like the S23 Ultra, it does not have WiFi 7, which the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 supports. Also, what has been surprising this year is the fact that neither S23 Ultra nor the S23 and the S23 plus feature satellite connectivity, even though Qualcomm showed how a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-equipped demo device could send and receive texts over satellite. Having said that, for all intents and purposes, satellite connectivity will be specific to certain regions, with little to no chance of the feature getting launched in India, mainly because of government regulations. 

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

As with the S23 Ultra, the Galaxy S23 will also be getting four generations of OS upgrades for these phones and five years of security upgrades.

Samsung Galaxy S23 review: The battery life
As opposed to the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 5000mAh battery, the Galaxy S23 comes with a 3900mAh unit, which is an improvement over the last year’s S22. Compared to the S23 Ultra, the battery life is a little, but not by a low, which was a bit surprising for us. The S23 Ultra already has a phenomenal battery life that takes you by surprise. The Galaxy S23 is not far off in that regard as the spec sheet will have you believe.

Without any sort of optimisations, we were getting around 6-7 hours of screen on time with 70 per cent brightness, with about 10 per cent power still left after a 16-hour day, which is surprising given the battery’s capacity. The Galaxy S23 can last you a day, provided you’re willing to make some sacrifices.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

The charging department, however, is where Samsung lets us down. The S23 Plus and the S23 Ultra, both get up to 45W fast wired charging. The Galaxy S23, however, has been kneecapped at 25W wired charging. Plus, the device also does not come with a charging brick, but only with a USB-C to USB-C cable, just like the other two devices in the series. Luckily, the S23 does support fast wireless charging, as well as reverse wired and wireless charging.

Having said that, because the battery is smaller compared to the S23 Ultra, charging it up does not take a long time. We were able to charge our device from zero to a full charge in about 75 minutes or so.

Samsung Galaxy S23 review: The verdict
It is really hard to find a fault with the Galaxy S23, especially when you look at it as an overall package. Our only criticism would be the exclusion of proper fast charging tech for the battery – 25W is just not going to cut it for flagships in this day and age.

Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das

However, everything else that distinguishes a smartphone from a proper flagship smartphone, is been painstakingly perfected. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is getting all the hype and deservedly so – it is a masterpiece unto itself. However, for most regular people, the regular Galaxy S23 works just fine, if not better. 

It’s significantly cheaper, the battery life is almost similar, despite what the spec sheet would make you believe, the speakers are fantastic, the performance is as good as the S23 Ultra, and the display is exquisite. The camera, barring the 200MP sensor and the 100X zoom is as good as the S23 Ultra. 

Essentially, if you want to experience what a proper flagship device is capable of but don’t want to spend flagship-like money, get the Galaxy S23 and you’re sorted.

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