I am introducing cryptography.
Cryptography is used to secure and protect data during communication. Encryption is a process which transforms the original information into an unrecognizable form. Decryption is a process of converting encoded/encrypted data in a form that is readable and understood by a human or a computer.
I will confess that Tecno is not a brand I have been tracking closely in recent times. And out of nowhere, they beat a lot of more popular brands to the market with a foldable phone in India. Yes, we did hear about them showcasing a foldable device at MWC 2023, but didn’t expect it to launch here so soon. But here it is, and we would like to share all the information we have about the device with you along with some product images and our hands-on inputs.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi
Tecno Phantom V Fold design and display This phone has a design similar to the Samsung Galaxy Fold with a large squarish 7.85-inch foldable display on the inside and a 6.42-inch screen on the outside when the phone is folded. Both are 10-bit LTPO AMOLED displays with 120 Hz refresh rate and 1100 nits peak brightness. The outer screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and has a resolution of 2550 x 1080 pixels, while the one on the inside flaunts 2296 x 2000 pixels.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi
Typically foldable phones have a noticeable crease on the inside where the screen folds. Techno claims that they have kept the gap to a miniscule 0.11 mm. We can confirm that it wasn’t visible to the naked eye in the demo units. Both the displays looked sharp and bright with lively colour reproduction. One thing we noticed is that the hinges on this phone don’t let you partially fold this device like its Samsung counterpart. It does stay that way for a few seconds before opening up fully.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi
Again, this observation was based on the demo units available at the launch event and remains to be seen if it works better in retail units. The back of the phone is made of recycled plastic waste, and actually feels great to touch and provides a good grip. The phone is 14.5 mm thick when shut, which is a bit too thick for my liking; yes, I know it’s a foldable phone, but still. However, it is less than 7 mm thick when open which is great. The Tecno Phantom V Fold weighs close to 300 grams, and feels that heavy in hand.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi
Tecno Phantom V Fold cameras, battery, specifications The phone is powered by a potent Mediatek Dimensity 9000+ SoC and comes with 12 GB RAM and 512 GB internal storage. It runs HiOS 13 Fold based on Android 13. Battery capacity stands at 5000 mAh and supports 45W wired fast charging that promises to charge the phone fully in under an hour. The phone flaunts five cameras; two at the front and three at the back. You get a 16MP and 32MP shooter respectively on top of each screen.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi
The rear photography department consists of a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP telephoto camera for 2X optical zoom and a 13MP ultrawide camera with 120 degrees FOV and PDAF. Neither cameras have optical image stabilisation, something I was hoping to see on at least one of the 50MP cameras. We would like to reserve our opinion on the camera quality for the Phantom V Fold review as the lighting at the event wasn’t ideal to pass judgement.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Ameya Dalvi
Tecno Phantom V Fold price in India and offers This is where things get interesting. The Tecno Phantom V Fold is priced in India at Rs 88,888 with a one-year warranty. You can get it for an early bird price of Rs 77,777 on Amazon India starting today. That makes it the most affordable foldable phone in India at launch.
And there are a bunch of pre-launch offers too. You can get a one-year extended warranty on the device if you book it soon enough. There are other bank offers and 24 months of interest-free EMI on different platforms to choose from.
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Then there’s a one-time screen replacement option too, however, that is applicable only if you happen to damage the screen in the first six months from purchase. All said and done, the Phantom V Fold looks like an interesting option for those looking for a foldable large-screen phone south of a lakh Rupees. Whether it is worth the asking price is a question we will answer in our detailed review of the phone. But no matter what, this should be enough to start a price war in the foldable phones segment in India.
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Our list of phones under Rs 15,000 this month feels a little strange. Frankly, it doesn’t look like one from 2023. Mind you, these aren’t outdated devices by any stretch, but most of them barring a couple are over a year old. Of course, they used to sell for a higher price before, and we can assure you that they offer better value for money than some of the newer phones under 15K. We have phones with good cameras, high refresh rate displays, some with 5G compliance too and all with 6 GB RAM. Here are your options.
Best phones to buy under Rs 15,000 in India
Poco M5 / Poco M4 5G The new Poco M5 is the most recent of the lot, and also the most affordable. It is quite stylish too, courtesy of a leather-like texture at the back. Powering this phone is a Mediatek Helio G99 chip with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage. It has a 6.58-inch Full HD+ display with a 90 Hz refresh rate, 240 Hz touch sampling rate and Widevine L1 certification. The screen is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
It flaunts a 50MP camera at the back, which is accompanied by a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. It has a 5000 mAh battery that should comfortably last for close to two days of moderate use. It supports 18W fast charging with a 22.5W fast charger included in the package. The Poco M5 runs Android 12 with a layer of MIUI 13 on top.
If you want a similar phone, but one that’s 5G ready, then you should consider the Poco M4 5G. Is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip and the rest of the specs are quite similar to the Poco M5. It misses out on a 2MP macro camera (which is fine) and you will have to shell out 3K extra for it. All things considered, if you can do without 5G, the M5 offers far better value for money at its current price.
Infinix Hot 20 5G The Infinix Hot 20 5G is the other 5G-ready phone in this list and offers an impressive feature set. It sports a 6.6-inch Full HD+ display with a 120 Hz refresh rate which is good to have in this budget. This phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 810 SoC, which is a great choice for this segment. You get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage that can be expanded further up to 1 TB with a microSD card. There is a dedicated card slot along with two slots for SIM cards.
The photography department consists of a 50MP primary camera along with an AI lens which is also used as a depth sensor. The 8MP front camera gets the job done with selfies and video calls. The Infinix Hot 20 5G has a 5000 mAh battery that can keep it running for a day and a half of normal use. It supports 18W fast charging. This Infinix phone runs Android 12 with XOS 10.6 UI.
Motorola G40 The Motorola G62 and G72 that we included in our previous sub-15K list are a lot more expensive now and not available in this budget. As a result, we have opted for the Motorola G40 instead, which is now available for a great price. It is a neat choice for those looking for a large-screen phone with a near-stock Android UI. And that’s not all, the photography department here is quite impressive too. You get a 64MP primary camera, along with an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP depth sensor. Its 16MP front camera will have the selfie crowd interested.
You get a large 6.8-inch Full HD+ LCD display with HDR10 compliance and a 120 Hz refresh rate. The Moto G40 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G SoC which is still quite potent and is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal (expandable) storage. Battery backup is impressive too with a 6000 mAh battery keeping the phone powered for close to two days of moderate use. It supports 20W fast charging with QuickCharge 4. Last but not the least, the G40 runs Android 11, and you get a near-stock Android user interface.
Realme Narzo 50 Just like the G40, the Realme Narzo 50 is now available for under 13K and ticks a lot of boxes. It has an elegant design and sports a 6.6-inch Full HD+ display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio G96 chip, which is decent enough for this budget. And of course, you get 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage that can be expanded further using a microSD card. This phone launched with Android 11, and an Android 13 update is expected soon.
The photography department here is mainly about the 50MP primary camera that does most of the heavy lifting. The 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera make up the numbers. The 16MP front camera is pretty good for selfies and video calls. The Realme Narzo 50 has a 5000 mAh battery that keeps it running for over a day and a half of moderate use. Even better, the company bundles a 33W fast charger to juice it up quickly.
Samsung Galaxy F41 The Samsung Galaxy F41 can also be purchased under 15K currently. It offers a good mix of features, in addition to the brand name. The striking features of this phone are its sharp 6.4-inch sAMOLED Full HD+ display and a mammoth 6000 mAh battery that can last for two full days of moderate usage. It is powered by an Exynos 9611 SoC, and you can purchase its 6 GB RAM and 128 GB (expandable) storage variant in this budget.
The Samsung Galaxy F41 offers three cameras at the back – a 64MP primary, 8MP ultrawide camera and a 5MP depth sensor. Not to forget the 32MP front camera located in a drop notch that will have the selfie enthusiasts hooked. The phone launched with Android 10 and is upgradable to Android 12 with Samsung’s One UI 4.1, which is another big plus. All these factors make the F41 a very good option in this budget for brand-conscious buyers, despite being close to two years old.
Pros: – Phenomenal AMOLED Display that is very responsive to touch – Solid build quality despite being a thin and light – Top-notch performance in productivity tasks – Solid-sounding speakers – Sleek design – Keyboard and trackpad combo is a joy to use – A whole suite of software features – Integrates well with other Samsung devices
Cons: – On the more expensive end of the spectrum – Battery life can be a hit and a miss at times.
Price:Starts at Rs 1,55,990/- Rating: 4.5/5
From an engineering standpoint, a thin and light ultrabook is one of the most difficult pieces of tech to make. Not only does the device need to be ultraportable, sleek and magnificent to look at, it also cannot compromise on performance, the very thing that makes it an ultrabook, a machine fit for the pros.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das
In this regard, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 truly lives up to the word “Pro” in its name. In our regular day-to-day office work, there was hardly anything that made it break a sweat – editing videos, editing photos, tons of writing – it did all of it and did it well.
What makes the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 so special is its suite of software features. Samsung is really going all out in making its own ecosystem as robust as that of Apple. While it may be hard to believe for some, they are doing a pretty incredible job in that regard. With the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360, they certainly get one step closer to perfection.
Make no mistake – if you’re looking to replicate the Apple ecosystem on Android and Windows, Samsung is your best bet as of yet. As for the laptops, there are certain aspects to it that actually makes the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 a better option than the best MacBook you can think of. Read on to find out why.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: Specifications The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 we assessed was equipped with the 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1360P CPU, which has a total of 12 cores comprising 4 Performance cores and 8 Efficiency cores. The CPU operates at a base core frequency of 2.2GHz and offers Performance cores that can reach up to 5Ghz and Efficiency cores that can reach up to 3.7Ghz.
In terms of memory, our unit featured an integrated 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and Intel’s Iris Xe graphics. The device sports a 16-inch 3K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, touch input capabilities, and an S Pen. Samsung refers to this as the Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display.
Our unit also boasted top-of-the-line storage with a 1 TB PCIe 4.0-based NVMe M.2 SSD and a 76Wh battery. It provides various ports, including one USB 3.2 Type-A port, two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, one 2-in-1 audio port, and a microSD card slot.
The device is equipped with WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: Design and Build The design of the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is understated, minimalist and elegant. It is a versatile device that can transform from a laptop to a tablet with ease, thanks to its convertible 2-in-1 design. This feature offers users the flexibility to switch between a traditional laptop setup and a tablet-like configuration for creative tasks, especially with the inclusion of the S Pen stylus.
For those who enjoy streaming content, the tent mode is an ideal option as it provides a convenient viewing angle that can be adjusted to suit individual preferences. With the display flipped around and propped up, the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 can be used for streaming movies or TV shows, making it a perfect choice for entertainment on the go.
The S Pen stylus also adds a new dimension to the device, as it provides a comfortable and natural way to write, draw or take notes directly on the screen. This feature is particularly useful for artists, graphic designers, or anyone who needs to jot down their ideas quickly and conveniently.
The ultrabook looks humongous in size, but at 1.6 kilograms, it is pretty light and easy to carry around. The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 boasts an aluminium build that not only adds durability but also creates a high-end appearance that makes the device feel more valuable.
What’s really impressive is the fact that there is virtually no deck flex, even when you’re typing away furiously. The screen has very little wobble; the hinges have great travel, feel solid and have a very smooth feel when opening or closing.
This sophisticated look is consistent in both laptop and tent modes. Whether you’re working in a coffee shop or a professional office, this ultrabooks aesthetic is sure to impress anyone who takes even a cursory look at it – it looks expensive and sophisticated.
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The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 boasts an impressive array of ports. On the right, you get a USB-A port, a microSD card slot, and a headphone/mic jack. On the left, we find an HDMI port, two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports.
We really like the fact that Samsung has bothered to include a USB-A port at all. Most thin and lights have practically ditched the humble, but mighty USB-A port.
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The full-sized HDMI port is also a useful addition, as it allows users to connect the device to an external monitor, and is a port that we usually don’t see on a thin and light ultrabook.
We also like the fact that the vents of the display are tucked away and are usually not visible when you have the device in its laptop orientation and are using it regularly.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: The Keyboard and trackpad Despite being somewhat shallow, the keyboard on the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 offers a comfortable typing experience thanks to its well-sized keycaps and ample spacing, which remain unaffected even with the numeric keypad included.
The key switches are soft yet snappy, giving a satisfying tactile response while typing, which provides enough precision to prevent accidental keystrokes. While it may not be the best keyboard ever to be built into a laptop, it surely ranks near the top as it provides a rather comfortable and pleasant experience even for extended periods of typing. The keyboard also has a fingerprint reader, which is integrated into the power button.
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The touchpad, on the other hand, is on a completely different level. Without a doubt, it is one of the best in its class. It takes up the entirety of the available space on the palm rest, making it large enough to allow for easy gesture control. Additionally, the touchpad’s buttons have a quiet but firm response, providing a satisfying clicking sound without being too noisy. It’s not that the trackpad is just huge in size – it is pretty accurate as well. Palm rejection on the trackpad also works really well.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: The Webcam and Speakers The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 comes with a 1080p HD webcam that is pretty decent. It isn’t the greatest webcam in the world, but as far as integrated webcams are concerned, it is pretty impressive. It gets the colours right and works well in some challenging situations. It will do just fine for most of your video conferencing needs. There is no physical shutter for the webcam, as some other brands have, but there is a quick keyboard shortcut to turn off the camera and microphone electronically.
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The audio experience on the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is quite impressive, thanks to its four speakers comprising two 5-watt woofers and two 2-watt tweeters. These speakers provide ample volume without any noticeable distortion even when turned up to maximum. The mids and highs are distinct and well-defined, and the bass is more pronounced than one would expect from a laptop.
However, some users may find that the bass lacks the punch and depth they desire, though this is not a significant issue for most use cases. Overall, the quad speakers on the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 produce solid audio that is clear and balanced across the spectrum.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: The Display The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 boasts an impressive 16-inch 3K (2,880 x 1,800) AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a refresh rate of 120Hz, making it suitable for both work and play. Samsung has stated that the display can reach a maximum brightness of 400 nits, which is quite apparent when viewing the screen.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das
There were times when the display felt a little better than what we get in the 16-inch MacBook Pro – at other times, it seemed almost at par. Yes, the specs would suggest that Apple’s display is of a higher resolution, but honestly, so far, we really haven’t been able to discern much difference in terms of resolution.
The display covers 100% of the sRGB colour gamut and 85.2% of the more demanding DCI-P3 colour space, which is an excellent achievement. The display is as stunning as OLED panels can be. The blacks are deep, and the colours are vivid without appearing oversaturated. At 3K the display is impressively sharp. Additionally, the display is VESA DisplayHDR 500 certified, which makes it capable of playing HDR content with solid performance.
So good is the colour performance of this display, that we can confidently edit photos and colour grade videos on this, without any worry.
As for the construction, there are virtually no bezels around the display, apart from a chin at the bottom. The chin, sort of curves into the laptop, which gives it a premium look.
All in all, whether you’re using the laptop for your work, or for content consumption (or even content creation) it is a joy to use the display.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: Performance The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 comes with a powerful Intel 13th-generation Raptor Lake Core i7-1360P processor, which operates at a 28-watt power consumption. This processor boasts 12 cores, including four Performance cores and eight Efficient cores, and 16 threads to handle multiple tasks with ease.
With a maximum Turbo Frequency of 5.0 GHz, the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 offers lightning-fast performance, making it ideal for demanding applications such as video editing, gaming, and 3D modelling. Its high-performance processor ensures smooth multitasking, faster data processing, and quick app launching. The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is a great choice for power users who need a powerful and versatile laptop.
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Do keep in mind that you’re only getting Intel’s Iris Xe graphics on the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360. Because of this, it isn’t really suited to carry out graphics-intensive tasks, nor is it suited for heavy gaming. Yes, you can play a few indie games, and games such as Rocket League, but that’s about it.
On paper, the Intel Core i7-1360P may look a little underwhelming to some, but this 28W beast is more than capable of pulling its punches. The Core i7-1360P does pretty well in most synthetic benchmarks. We did all of our testing in its Optimised or balanced setting.
According to the results of Geekbench 5.4 and 5.5 the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 achieved a commendable score of 1,882 on the single-core test and 8,450 on the multi-core test. The single-core test evaluates the performance of a processor while performing a single task, while the multi-core test measures the processor’s ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 delivers a solid performance and is a great option for users who require a fast and reliable laptop for their work or entertainment needs.
Despite its impressive performance, the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 does have one minor issue that is common among thin and light laptops. The device tends to heat up a little, particularly under heavy loads that require sustained usage. This was observed during benchmarking and an extended period of colour correction.
While the laptop does get a bit warm under these circumstances, it’s not to the point where it should be a cause for concern. Additionally, even during these thermal peaks, there was no sign of thermal throttling, which is a mechanism that reduces the processor’s speed to prevent overheating. Therefore, although the laptop may get a little toasty, it does not appear to affect its performance or longevity.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: Software features As we stated earlier in our review, Samsung is trying to build out its own ecosystem, which means that there are quite a few niche features that really drive up the value proposition of the device if you already are using a premium Galaxy device.
For example, there’s the Samsung Multi Control feature, which allows you to control your Galaxy smartphone using the laptop’s keyboard and touchpad. Additionally, Multi Control enables you to copy, paste, or drag and drop files between your laptop and smartphone, making it easier to transfer data and files seamlessly.
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Another useful feature of the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is the Second Screen feature, which turns Galaxy tablets into an additional monitor. This feature allows you to expand your laptop’s screen real estate by using your Galaxy tablet as a second display, increasing productivity and multitasking capabilities.
Another feature of the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is its compatibility with the S Pen. The device comes with an S Pen included in the box, which is comfortable to hold and works exceptionally well. The S Pen provides a natural and intuitive way to interact with the device, particularly when it comes to drawing or taking notes.
Additionally, the S Pen’s menu system is the same as the one found on the Galaxy Note, which has been ported over to Windows. This provides a seamless experience for users who are familiar with the Galaxy Note’s features and functionality.
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The ability to launch a hotspot on your phone from the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is another useful feature on the go. It’s a little tricky to set up the first time because it’s not enabled by default, but the feature works well once it’s done.
Photos from Samsung’s Expert RAW app can be automatically transferred to Adobe Lightroom on your laptop. You can also use Samsung’s Quick Share tool to transfer files directly from your phone to your PC and vice versa.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: Battery Life The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is powered by a 76Wh battery and comes with a 65W charging adapter. One of the shortcomings of the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is its battery life. In our typical usage, which involves a ton of writing, some photo editing, and watching a few videos on YouTube and Netflix, with 80% screen brightness, the battery would last us about 7 hours before the 20 per cent battery warning would pop up.
If we let it drain out completely, it manages to just touch 8 hours of battery life.
Although this might not look shabby you have to consider that similar laptops at this price point provide slightly better battery life. Having said that the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360’s battery life is still workable and not something that actively holds you back.
During our harder battery testing, where we replayed a 4K video on loop, the laptop lasted just over 6.5 hours.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 review: Verdict The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is a pretty impressive 2-in-1 convertible laptop that is well-suited for everyday use. It provides reliable performance and is lightweight, making it easy to carry around. Furthermore, the device’s responsive touchscreen allows it to double as a decent Windows tablet, providing an additional level of versatility.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Mehul Reuben Das
However, the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360’s battery life is its only real shortcoming. While it’s not terrible by any means, it falls short when compared to other devices on the market.
And that OLED display, is really something that would make you want to ignore any shortcoming that you may see – it is that good. Then, there are a ton of exclusive software features that work in Samsung’s own ecosystem.
Samsung has made a pretty solid laptop, even for people who are not yet integrated into Samsung’s ecosystem. For those who are, those who already have a flagship-level Samsung device, this is almost a no-brainer, especially if you’re usage involves using a touch screen and a stylus.
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Pros – Excellent Battery life – Premium-looking design – Solid build quality – Impressive camera setup – Vibrant Super AMOLED, 120Hz display – Samsung’s software update policy
Cons – 25W charging, with no charging brick in the box – Should have been priced a little lower. – Bloatware and banner ads that too at this price point.
Price: Rs 40,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant Rating: 4.25/5
Despite the n number of smartphone brands that operate in the mid-range segment in India, Samsung, for the most has consistently been one of the best-performing brands in the market, thanks to their Galaxy A series.
The latest offering, the Galaxy A54, hopes to take the legacy of their A series forward. But does it manage to do that? In short, yes, it does.
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The Galaxy A54 offers a very well-rounded user experience. It has a camera system that works really well even in some challenging conditions, a battery that will easily last you a day even if you are a very demanding user, and it performs well in regular, everyday, day-to-day tasks.
Moreover, with a slightly refreshed design, it looks pretty premium, almost as premium as some of Samsung’s flagships.
But does that make the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G a solid choice, especially when there are so many options to choose from at this price point? We take a look.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review: The design Unless someone is a hardcore tech enthusiast, anyone who just takes a casual look at the Galaxy A54 5G is likely going to mistake it for a Galaxy S23 Plus. Only when you take a closer look, do you get to see the differences between this mid-level Galaxy A54 5G and the flagship-level Galaxy S23 Plus.
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Needless to say, in terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy 54 5G is as premium-looking as a Samsung smartphone of this generation can get. Just like the Galaxy A34 5G, it is the materials used in the device’s manufacturing that tell you it is actually a mid-level smartphone.
Our test device was a lovely looking violet-coloured one. As opposed to the Galaxy A34 5G and the S23 series, the rear panel of the Galaxy A54 5G has a glass panel with a glossy finish, which gives it a premium and stylish look in its own way.
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However, as premium as the glass rear panel looks, it is very susceptible to fingerprints and grease marks. And because it is a glass panel, you will have to use the device with a case.
Other than the violet colour, which Samsung is calling Awesome Violet you to get to choose from two more colours – Awesome Lime and Awesome Graphite. We reckon our Awesome Violet unit is the best-looking colourway for this smartphone.
On the front of the display, we get to see a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED panel, which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. As opposed to the Galaxy A34 5G, this display has a centred punch-hole cutout that houses the front-facing camera. The hole-punch cutout gives the device a premium-looking feel even from the front, which is something that the Galaxy A34 5G sorely lacks.
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The device has some bezels, but they are very thin. Also, they look equally proportioned across all the sides of the device, and the chin does not stand out in any way.
The layout of the buttons, SIM tray, mic holes is similar to that of the A34 5G. The power button and volume rockers are located on the right side of the smartphone. There are no buttons on the left. A microphone and a SIM card slot are located on the top. Just like the Galaxy A34 5G, you can either use a microSDXC card in this slot or add a second SIM card.
At the bottom, we see a speaker grille that houses one of the speakers, as well as the USB Type-C port and another mic.
The three rear cameras are arranged linearly towards the back, together with the LED flash. The fact that there isn’t a casing around the camera per se gives the device a luxury, minimalistic look that is only emphasised by the metal deco rings surrounding each camera. This enhances the device’s premium appearance.
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Both the front and back panels are flat, but the railing, which is made of plastic, is slightly curved, making the smartphone very easy and comfortable to grip. Also, this gives the Galaxy A54 a sturdy and well-built feel. Like the Galaxy A34, the Galaxy A54 also comes with an IP rating of 67.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review: The display The Galaxy A54 5G has one of the best displays in this price segment. The display actually ticks most of the boxes that a user might expect from a more premium, almost flagship-level device.
The display is 6.4 inches in size, Full HD+ Super AMOLED panel, with a refresh rate of 120 hertz and a maximum brightness of 1000 nits. As for the resolution, we get a panel with a 1080 x 2340 pixel resolution set in a 19.5:9 aspect ratio.
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The display is just like any classic premium Samsung display, that is in some of the company’s top-tier premium smartphones; it is colourful, sharp, and a joy to look at. The colour reproduction is fantastic and vibrant, which is quite aesthetically pleasing. The blacks do get pretty dark, even though they may not be as intense as some of the other premium display panels used in higher-end Samsung devices. Both, games and the content are razor-sharp.
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The punch-hole is tiny and far less obtrusive than the teardrop notch on the Galaxy A34. Overall, the A54’s display is as reliable as it gets for a smartphone at this price point, and perhaps better than some of the other devices that cost considerably more.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review: The camera The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G has three cameras on the back and one on the front. The main camera has a 50MP sensor and an f1.8 lens, as well as a much better, wider, and enhanced OIS and VDIS.
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Following that is an ultrawide 12MP camera with an f2.2 lens, followed by a 5MP macro camera with an f2.4 lens. At the front, there is a 32MP selfie camera that performs admirably.
Daylight shots from the 50MP sensor are pretty amazing, and the camera captures a good amount of detail, creates well-exposed photos with good dynamic range and detailing, and dynamic range can be improved further by enabling HDR mode from the settings, which automatically turns on HDR when needed. The 12MP camera’s ultra-wide shots are also good, especially in daylight.
The images taken at night were also quite good. Yes, there were some indications of Samsung’s software at work, but it wasn’t overly aggressive or off-putting.
The attention to detail in the selfies is also quite impressive. The images are occasionally oversharpened, but this does not appear to be a problem. The skin tones are accurate. The front-facing camera has a habit of slightly overexposing the face as is the case with all Samsung smartphones. The portrait mode also works pretty well and does a pretty good job with edge detection.
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The Galaxy A54 can record videos in 4K at 30 fps on its front, rear and ultra-wide cameras. The rear camera can also shoot 1080p 60fps videos. Normal stabilisation works with both the ultra-wide and main cameras, but only the main camera has improved OIS. VDIS (video digital image stabilisation) has also been improved. There is a separate Super Steady mode that captures video in 1080p 30fps using the ultra-wide camera, which makes things very smooth.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review: The performance, software experience and UI The Galaxy A54 5G is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 1380 SoC which is based on the 5nm node. Along with that you get a Mali-G68 GPU. Now, although the device is pretty smooth in day-to-day life, it does tend to get a little warm to the touch under sustained heavy tasks such as gaming. With that being said, it doesn’t break a sweat in regular day-to-day tasks. Juggling between apps and multitasking feels buttery smooth.
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Our device had 256 GB of internal UFS 2.2 storage and 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, which can be virtually expanded by another 8GB thanks to Samsung’s RAM Plus. You also have a dedicated microSDXC slot that can accommodate cards up to 1TB.
The A54 performs well in benchmark tests, and it performed pretty well in our daily usage. While the device handles multitasking pretty well, it does have some issues when it comes to gaming.
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The device handled games like Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty Mobile very easily. We were able to play these games at the medium settings and were consistently getting 60fps. However, after about half an hour, the device became considerably warm, but not to an alarming level.
The Samsung Galaxy A54 comes with OneUI 5 operating system, which is based on Android 13. This is great because you get Android 13 right out of the box. Despite being a mid-range smartphone, the Galaxy A54 includes some of the best features available in Samsung’s One UI. Among these are AI-based Photo Remaster, which allows you to remove shadows and reflections from photos, improvements to the dynamic weather widget, Smart suggestions widget, and much more.
There is some bloatware, including some from Samsung’s app ecosystem. What is truly heinous, however, is Samsung’s Galaxy Widget, which displays advertisements for a variety of things. Yes, it can be disabled, but given the cost of the device, we believe this was excessive, especially when it already has Glance. For any device that costs over 35,000, this is going to be annoying.
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For connectivity, the Samsung Galaxy A54 has WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3, and a USB Type-C 2.0 port. Because of Dolby Atmos, the device’s pair of stereo speakers can get very loud while remaining balanced and clear, with no distortions.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review:The battery life The Galaxy A54 5G has a 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging support, and no, Samsung didn’t include a charger, so you’ll have to buy one or use one you already have at home. The good thing though, is that the A54 5G is very efficient in managing its battery, which can easily last you a day, even if you’re a hardcore and demanding user.
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At 70 per cent brightness, you can easily get more than 9-10 hours of screen time and more than 20 hours of usage time. Our regular usage comprised watching videos, accessing the internet, playing a few games, checking emails, holding office conference calls, etc.
We wish Samsung works on their fast charging for the more budget segment of their lineup. 25W charging just doesn’t cut it anymore. Usually, it took us over 2 hours to get the device charged from zero per cent to 100, using a 65W third-party charging brick. When using an official 25W Samsung charging brick, the charging time gets cut down significantly. However, we reckon not many people would have a 25W charging brick from Samsung lying around.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review:The verdict The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is a pretty solid smartphone that lives up to what it promises to be – a solid mid-level device that has an awesome set of cameras and performs well. And even though the Exynos SoC may seem out of place for a smartphone at this price point, it stands up to get the job done rather well.
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What becomes an issue, however, is that Samsung has a lot of competition at this price point, most of which are solid performers and offer slightly better specs at least on paper. We are of course talking about devices from Nothing, Google, and OnePlus.
Where Samsung beats all of them is the surety of a reliable after-sales service that is very difficult to beat and the fact that Samsung has guaranteed that they will be giving four major Android updates and 5 years of security updates.
Then, there is also the fact that Samsung’s OneUI 5 is a clear favourite among users mainly because it has a healthy set of features and the fact that Samsung takes the security of its user’s data very seriously.
At Rs 40,999, the Galaxy A54 seems a bit overpriced at first. However, there are areas where the premium that you’re paying for the device seems justified. Having said that, had the Galaxy A54 been priced a little more competitively, had it not walked straight into the territory of some of its current competitors, it would have been a lot easier to recommend the device, no questions asked. Still, the Galaxy A54 manages to be a pretty solid choice for anyone who is looking for a capable device that looks and feels premium.
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Pros: – Top-notch performance in its price segment – High refresh rate display – Generous selection of ports – Extremely portable considering the performance – Great cooling – Phenomenal battery life
Cons: – Cooling fans can get loud – HD Camera with no biometrics or Windows Hello
Price:Rs 78,490/- Rating: 4/5
Many people assume that gaming hardware is always very expensive and that to get a decent gaming laptop you need to spend lakhs of rupees. The Gigabyte G5 GE breaks away from this stereotype in a spectacular fashion. This laptop is a device that is as “gamery” as things can get, all with its gamer-like aesthetics, and pretty impressive performance.
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And because it is a proper gaming laptop and has some pretty serious firepower under its hood, it also doubles up as a very capable productivity machine as well.
Don’t get us wrong, the Gigabyte G5 GE has had to make some compromises in order to get to the price point it is being offered at. However, it doesn’t feel like compromises, unless you’re going to game on it at a professional level. During our extensive and thorough testing, not once did we feel restricted by the machine’s hardware in any way.
Needless to say, if you’re just getting into gaming, or are a casual, but seasoned gamer, and are looking to buy a gaming laptop without breaking the bank, Gigabyte G5 GE is a laptop that you should be considering.
We take a look at the Gigabyte G5 GE and see what makes this the gaming laptop to bet your hard-earned cash for, if you’re in the market for one.
Gigabyte G5 GE Gaming Laptop review: Specifications The Gigabyte G5 GE that we tested came with the 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12500H which comes with a total of 12 cores (4 Performance cores and 8 Efficiency cores). The CPU has a base core frequency of 2.5GHz. The Performance cores max out at 4.5Ghz, whereas the Efficiency cores max out at 3.3Ghz.
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Our unit was paired with a single DIMM of 8GB DDR4 RAM at 3200Mhz which can be expanded up to 64GB. For the GPU, we have an Nvidia RTX 3050 with 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM, which boosts up to 1500MHz and has a TDP of 75W.
For the display, we get a 15.6-inch FHD display, with a refresh rate of 144Hz. It is an IPS LCD panel.
For storage, our unit had the top-of-the-line 512 TB PCIe 4.0-based NVMe M.2 SSD. You also get a 54Wh battery. For ports, you get one USB 3.2 Type-A port, 2 USB 3.2 Type-C ports,a miniDisplayPort,an HDMI 2.1 port, a Gigabit LAN port, one 2-in-1 audio port, one mic port and a microSD card slot,
Wireless connectivity is taken care of by WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. The G5 GE does not have Thunderbolt support.
Gigabyte G5 GE Gaming Laptop review: Design and Build The Gigabyte G5 GE is constructed well, despite being entirely made of plastic. The absence of sharp corners or edges makes it more convenient to use. Although the main chassis is as sturdy as a tank, it has some flex to it when you press it.
The hinge design is also pretty solid – there is virtually no screen wobble even when you’re typing away furiously on the keyboard. Although the lid has a little bit of flex.
Compared to other gaming laptops, the GIGABYTE G5 GE is relatively lightweight, weighing 1.9kg. Additionally, we also like the open grill design used by Gigabyte for the G5 series, which provides a more “gamer-like” appearance.
Gigabyte has used high-quality plastic for the G5 series, which does not attract fingerprints easily, and any smudges that accumulate over time can be wiped away easily.
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We appreciate that Gigabyte has kept the branding on the laptop to a minimum, with only two badges located on the lid and below the display. Additionally, the lid has several decals for a more gamer-oriented look.
The port placement is well-thought-out and user-friendly. On the rear, there are two large vents, an HDMI port, a Type-C port, a power port, and a miniDisplay Port. The LAN port, a second Type-C port, and a microSD card reader are located on the right. On the left, there are two USB-A ports, one of which is a USB3.2 Gen1, accompanied by a pair of 3.5mm audio jacks for input and output.
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The vents feature orange accents, adding to the laptop’s gaming aesthetics, but they do not have any RGB lighting. The keyboard is the only part of the laptop that has RGB lighting.
Gigabyte G5 GE Gaming Laptop review: The keyboard and trackpad The keyboard on the Gigabyte G5 GE provides an excellent typing experience despite being a membrane-based keyboard. Our testing showed that the keyboard was satisfying to use and didn’t lack in any way. Additionally, the keyboard is backlit, with each key individually lit and users have the ability to change the colour of the lights to a number of preset options.
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While the num pad is smaller than a full-sized keyboard, it still provides a separate key area. As for the keys themselves, they have a pretty good travel and have a deep actuation point.
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The trackpad on the Gigabyte G5 GE is pretty accurate and has a unique decal, but it is smaller than what some competitors offer. It is positioned towards the left to facilitate typing, but this also creates extra space on the right. However, the trackpad is easy to use and offers excellent tracking and sensitivity, making it suitable for daily tasks. Gamers would likely use an external mouse anyway, so any issues with the trackpad can be overlooked.
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Gigabyte G5 GE Gaming Laptop review: The webcam and speakers This is one aspect that Gigabyte disappoints in a massive way. The Gigabyte G5 GE comes with a 720P, 1MP, integrated webcam, which is pretty disappointing. Forget streaming, the webcam isn’t good enough for a video call as well in today’s day and age. The audio recorded from the dual mic array is just good enough.
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Now, we know that at this price point, Gigabyte had to make some sacrifices, but this is one area where they should not have skimped out on, especially considering how important video calls have become after 2020.
You also miss out on some security features, like Windows Hello. It also does not have any other biometric login for that matter. The webcam also does not come with a privacy shutter. Seriously, it is very hard to find any redeeming aspect about the webcam on the Gigabyte G5 GE.
You get two 2-watt speakers, powered by DTS:X Ultra Audio Technology. The speakers themselves get decently loud, but they lack a bassy punch that is quite common in laptops at this budget. The clarity and details, however, were on point. Still, we think the speakers could have been tuned better.
They sound a bit muffled at higher volume, but still better than what most other laptops have to offer at this budget. The speakers will get the job done, if you’re consuming some content, but don’t expect a very immersive experience.
Gigabyte G5 GE Gaming Laptop review: The display The G5 GE comes with a 15.6-inch FHD+ 1920X1080 IPS panel and has a 16:9 aspect ratio. While it is not as mesmerising as an OLED panel, the refresh rate of 144Hz is impressive, and the panel is quick and responsive. The colour reproduction is also commendable given the laptop’s price. This makes it suitable for both slow-paced RPG games and fast-paced FPS games.
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Like other laptops in this price range, the bottom bezel is relatively thick, which prominently has the Gigabyte logo on it. The display has thin bezels on the sides, whereas the top bezel is slightly thicker.
For an IPS panel, the display is surprisingly bright, and the colours are decent, especially when watching content. The Gigabyte G5 GE gives users an enjoyable experience for content consumption and gaming.
However, we do not recommend using the panel for color-critical tasks, such as grading videos or working on high-resolution photos, especially for professional use. While the panel reproduces colours well and is sharp, it has limited sRGB coverage. We would have preferred support for HDR or Dolby Vision. Nevertheless, the panel is better than many other options in this price range.
Gigabyte G5 GE Gaming Laptop review: Performance The G5 GE performs impressively with its Intel 12th Gen Core i5-12500H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU. The Core i5 processor provides plenty of performance at a reasonable cost, while the RTX 3050 GPU delivers decent performance for 1080p gaming.
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This performance comes at a cost though. Gigabyte is using their own WINDFORCE cooling technology, which uses two 59-blade fans, 4 large exhaust vents and 5 heat pipes. Under heavy load such as rendering photos or videos, benchmarks and intense gaming sessions, the fans can become loud.
Out of the box, the fan curve is aggressive, as Gigabyte tries its best to stop the CPU and the GPU to thermal throttle. There is an option to adjust the fan curve using the pre-installed Control Center software if the noise from the fan becomes too overbearing, but you will be giving up on performance in that case.
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The Gigabyte G5 GE does pretty well in benchmarks, and productivity related tasks.
Because of Intel’s hybrid architecture, the CPU strikes a good balance between out and out hardcore performance, and light-hearted applications. It particularly does well in single threaded performances, thanks to its peak boost clock of 4.5Ghz.
The package of the CPU and the GPU also delivers an enjoyable gaming experience. It won’t blow your mind, but it certainly stands out in its price bracket.. We ran our games at 1920X1080, at the high settings, and were consistently getting very good frame rates, without any stuttering or major drops in most games.
We conducted tests on several games includingShadow of The Tomb Raider,F1 2022,Grand Theft Auto 5, andCall of Duty: Modern Warfare, and found that their performance was consistent with our synthetic benchmarks.
Our average frame rate forShadow of The Tomb Raiderwas approximately 58fps, with a minimum of 35fps. During intense gameplay and texture-heavy scenes inGTA 5, we got an average of 85fps, with a minimum of 48fps. InF1 2022, the average was 87fps, with a minimum of 32fps, which is noteworthy. ForCall of Duty: Modern Warfarethe average was 51fps, with a minimum of 24fps.
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Given the hardware that the Gigabyte G5 GE packs, the performance numbers are quite impressive. By making some adjustments to settings, such as opting for medium or high instead of ultra graphics in certain games and disabling antialiasing, users can easily get much higher frame rates.
Gigabyte G5 GE Gaming Laptop review: Battery life The Gigabyte G5 GE is powered by a 54Wh battery and comes with a 150W charging adapter. Despite being a gaming laptop, it manages to offer decent battery life by balancing the usage of the graphics processing unit (GPU) and switching between the onboard Intel GPU and the RTX 3050. The battery life also gets boosted further because of Intel’s power efficiency.
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When using the laptop for an average workday, which consisted of a ton of writing, some light photo editing, lots of browsing, and some video consumption on platforms like YouTube and Netflix, we got a battery life of around 5-6 hours with 80% screen brightness, which is pretty solid.
During our harder battery testing, where we replayed a 4K video on loop, the laptop lasted just over 3.5 hours, which is still better than other laptops in this price range.
Gigabyte G5 GE Gaming Laptop review: Verdict The Gigabyte G5 GE is a well-balanced machine that offers a perfect blend of performance, portability, and productivity.
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There are a few areas that could be improved. We sorely missed the absence of an HDR option for the screen, and we wished it had a better camera, along with some slightly better-tuned speakers. The overall performance and user experience, makes up for these shortcomings.
For avid gamers who do not stream and just want to enjoy some of the most popular games at high frame rates without spending too much, the Gigabyte G5 GE, in the configuration we tested, is more than sufficient. Not once during our gaming sessions or testing sessions did we wish, if only this machine had more to offer in terms of performance.
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