Mobile Phone Reviews
Xiaomi Mi A2 (Mi 6X) Review
Less than a year ago, Xiaomi launched their first phone to support Google One platform, Xiaomi Mi A1. When they launched that phone last year, company's collaboration with stock Android software was an experiment, but having seen unprecedented success with that device, that phone is now part of Xiaomi's yearly cycle. Hence, for year 2018, Xiaomi has launched their new Android One phone, Xiaomi Mi A2 (Also known as Xiaomi Mi 6X in China). It's a phone that sports stock-like Android software, miles apart from Xiaomi's usual MIUI implementation, a software the company really banks on to engage its community. It is a budget device, which aims to deliver some flagship results at a low price point. With an all new camera setup, beefed up specs from last year and some design changes, Xiaomi's latest entrant seems to be ready to take the crown of budget phone of year 2018. Its predecessor was a success, but will Xiaomi Mi A2 implement its position in market as well as last year's model? Let's find out.
Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite (Redmi 6 Pro) Review
Xiaomi introduced its Redmi 5 series in December 2017, with sole aim to provide lower 'price-over-hardware' ratio smartphones to mass markets. These phones were widely welcomed by different markets, specially China and India, and since then Xiaomi has continued with their Redmi 5 series lineup. Now, in 2018, Xiaomi has introduced Redmi 6 series by launching Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro, more commonly known as Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite. It's the first Android phone with a notched display, priced below $250. Of course, at this price point, it is an entry level smartphone with budget specs, but with notched display, it sure imitates pricier midrange smartphones in market right now. Also, it'll be interesting to see how this phone bids against its pricier and beefy version, Xiaomi Mi A2, which doesn't have a modern notched display but surely comes with better hardware specs. Question remains now, which one of the two new Xiaomi phones is worth buying, so let's dive straight into it and find out.
Nokia 6.1 Plus (Nokia X6) Review
HMD Global has launched its new flagship, Nokia X6, in China. This device, previously seen with name Nokia X, was unveiled in Beijing earlier this month. It seemed at first that HMD Global would be avoiding the trend and going against common practices in Android market. It did, after all, put nearly pure Android in its Nokia phones but with Nokia X6, it proved it could also play a part in notch game. It aims to offer mid-range specs in a premium-feeling body and is first Nokia smartphone to come equipped with Snapdragon 636 processor. With a premium looking body, notched display and good overall midrange specs, does Nokia X6 has what it takes to win midrange segment in Android market in 2018? Especially when there are some majorly popular phones in this segment, such as Xiaomi Note 5 Pro? Let's find out.
Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Review
There was a time when cellphone manufacturers were in a race to develop the smallest phone. Well, those days are gone now as phones are getting bigger and bigger, with everyone trying to fit more screen real estate and Xiaomi is one of those smartphone manufacturers who excel at making really large devices. Their largest series, Mi Max, is getting a new variant this year, dubbed as Xiaomi Mi Max 3. With a tablet-sized 6.9-inch screen, Xiaomi Mi Max 3 is a phone for anyone who really want a phone bigger than an ordinary smartphone. This year, Xiaomi has updated their largest device to an all new display, new dual camera setup and a battery larger than ever. Everything about it on paper looks massive as this is a phone of a colossal size but question remains, is it also as massive with its caliber as it is with size? Will Xiaomi's new mammoth of a phone be able to impress users? Let's find out.
Nokia 5.1 Plus (Nokia X5) Review
In crowded budget segment, smartphone manufacturers are trying to differentiate their offering in terms of design, features and hardware that they pack. HMD Global, company that revived Nokia, has been focusing on design and software offering on its smartphones, and now they've introduced Nokia 5.1 Plus from its budget portfolio in India this August. Phone shares near identical design with glass surface as with Nokia 6.1 plus and run Android One-powered Android 8.1 Oreo. While previous Nokia smartphones came with thick bezel display, HMD Global made cosmetic changes on their new budget phone, Nokia 5.1 Plus. Phone flaunts a modern glass design, notch display, dual cameras and is first device from company's shelf to embrace a notch. Question remains, is this a recipe for success? Nokia hasn't been able to sell a lot of their flagship and midrange devices so is the budget segment an area where Nokia can dominate and beat competition? Let's find out!
Huawei nova 3i Review
Chinese mobile manufacturer Huawei has been consistently raising bar for smartphone cameras, especially with its previous flagship release of Huawei P20 series. Huawei may have trouble getting its phones into USA, but that hasn't stopped it from trying to dominate rest of the world. Huawei P20 Pro in particular, received huge praise for its smart photography capabilities, but it sits in premium category of smartphones with a hefty price tag. Its latest addition to Nova series, Huawei Nova 3i, recently made its debut on July 18 and is a new entrant to mid-range smartphone market. With a very wallet-friendly pricing at less than $400, I am very excited to see if this particular device lives up to Huawei's phone photography expectations. With a stellar design and impressive photography capabilities, will Huawei's new midrange entrant capture market or is it going to leave a weak impact? Let's find out.
Oppo Find X Review
A decade ago, phone companies like Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung came out with most unique smartphone designs, pushing boundaries of innovation to perfect mobile experience. Fast forward to today and every smartphone company is pushing to the bottleneck race of having a full screen design. Oppo, being a very surprising candidate to that race, seems to be winning right now with their brand-new flagship, Oppo Find X. Phone pushes limits like never before and comes with a unique solution for all screen display. It's not the first phone to be doing this, as Vivo NEX S does somewhat similar to what Oppo has done so let's find out what makes Oppo Find X so special and whether it has potential to be the best smartphone of 2018, beating tech giants like Apple and Samsung.
Vivo NEX S Review
Vivo showed a concept phone called Apex at Mobile World Congress 2018 which was a first true bezel-less smartphone. It looked like a far-fetched concept at that time but here we are, after just four months with a brand-new flagship device from Vivo which is an actual finished version of Apex. Vivo is calling this phone Vivo NEX S and its display is closest to bezel-less as it gets. Phone features some remarkable futuristic features, leaving tech giants like Apple and Samsung way behind but is it a glimpse at future of smartphones? Or is it just a concept which will die out? Let's find out.