<ul><li><keyword id="6485927" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="realme" source="Orion">Realme</keyword> launched two new smartphones today, aimed at the budget and mid-range segments.</li><li><keyword id="13360654" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Realme-9-Speed-Edition" source="Orion">Realme 9 Speed Edition</keyword> features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset and a 144Hz display, which is a first in the sub-₹20,000 price segment.</li><li>Here is our review for the Realme 9 Speed Edition, find out if it is an option worth considering for your next smartphone upgrade.</li></ul>Realme today launched two brand new smartphones in the market – the Realme 9 and a slightly more powerful Realme 9 Speed Edition. Aimed at the value for money buyers, Realme’s latest mid-range offering promises to pack a punch and then some – after all, the sub-₹20,000 price segment is getting more crowded than ever before, especially with the launch of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/redmi-note-11-pro-redmi-note-11-pro-and-redmi-watch-2-lite-launched-in-india/articleshow/90096594.cms">Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G</a>.<br /><br />Realme is no stranger to the value for money audience – it is now the second-largest smartphone brand in India with a <a href="https://www.counterpointresearch.com/india-smartphone-share/">17% market share.</a> Unlike other companies, Realme is yet to touch the ultra-expensive price bracket and is doing fairly well in the sub-₹20,000 category – the new Realme 9 series is a continuation of the same philosophy.<br /><br />I have spent almost a week with the Realme 9 Speed Edition and here’s what I found out. <br /><br /><strong>Price and availability<br /></strong><br />Realme 9 Speed Edition starts at a price of ₹19,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. There is another high-end variant that is priced at ₹22,999 and packs in 8GB of RAM and similar storage. It is available on Flipkart and Realme’s own D2C website. <br /><br /> <strong>Design and build quality<br /></strong><br />At 199 grams, there is a certain heft to the Realme 9 Speed Edition that I felt after taking the phone out of the box for the first time. That being said the in-hand feel was quite satisfactory and holding it was not a difficult task at least for someone with relatively bigger hands. But if you are someone with small hands, then you might take some time to adjust for comfortable one-handed usage.<br />              <div type="image" title="DSC_0023_1200x900" msid="90150305" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme 9 Speed Edition sports a polycarbonate back. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The variant with me is in a starry glow colourway which is a combination of blue and pink depending on the angle you are looking from. The matte finish gives it a premium look.<br /><br />The rest of the physical characteristics are what we see on classic Realme mid-rangers. There are volume rockers with satisfactory build quality, a power lock and unlock button incorporating the fingerprint sensor, which is very snappy, and a SIM card slot. The SIM card slot also has space for a microSD card (upto 1TB), alongside two SIM cards.<br />              <div type="image" title="DSC_0037_1200x900" msid="90150383" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme 9 Speed Edition has a bottom firing loud speaker, USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />There is a camera bump on the back that houses three cameras along with an LED flash.<br /><br />You also get a prominent feature on the Realme 9 Speed Edition which has become endangered lately, a 3.5mm audio jack. This is a welcome feature at a time when the audio jack has been disappearing from smartphones at an alarming rate.<br /><br />              <div type="image" title="DSC_0038_1200x900" msid="90150841" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme 9 Speed Edition runs on Android 11. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><strong>Software Experience– bloatware alert<br /></strong>Quickly touching upon the software, the Realme 9-Speed Edition runs on Android 11 with Realme UI skin out of the box. My initial experience with the smartphone was smooth and fairly responsive. Do note, that this was a brand new unit, which is expected to feel fast and responsive, but usually, these phones tend to get slower with extensive usage.<br /><br />As I used the phone longer, the amount of bloatware stuck out like a sore thumb. Mixed between Google and Realme’s proprietary apps, there are some bad apples, like MX TakaTak and Josh, an image editing app Soloop, and even ShareChat. <br /><br /><br />Thankfully all of the above can be uninstalled, but booting up the device and seeing them first hand was a turn-off for me. Also, I am still adjusting to ads. spamming my notifications. <br /><br />After getting rid of them, the actual user experience is intuitive, with plenty of options to customize including useful widgets to add intuitiveness to the experience, and the usual themes and fonts. <br /><br /><strong>Display – bright and smooth<br /></strong><br />This is my first time using a Realme device at a stretch and the screen quality has amazed me. The Realme 9 Speed Edition features a 6.6-inch LCD display with a punch-hole notch. The display is adequately bright and produces vivid colours, which makes it a good device to watch content on.<br /><br />Even though it uses an LCD panel, the black levels are fairly good, having watched Zack Snyder’s Justice League on it.<br /><br />The maximum refresh rate on the Realme 9 Speed Edition is 144Hz. Be it browsing on the internet or playing video games, the experience is buttery smooth, as expected.<br /><br />Complimenting the display is a bottom-firing loudspeaker, which produces high levels of volume but underwhelms in terms of details. Also, if you use the phone in landscape mode, your palm tends to cover the speaker blocking the sound which is annoying for a mono loudspeaker.<br /><br /><strong>Performance<br /></strong><br />Realme 9 Speed Edition is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset. In my four days of usage so far, the phone stands out with its smooth and fast performance. It boots up in a jiffy, with zero lags, and handles heavy games like Battlegrounds Mobile India smoothly, even at Ultra HD settings.<br />            <div type="image" title="IMG_1348_1200x900" msid="90151790" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme 9 Speed Edition runs BGMI on UHD settings. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br /><br />My review unit has 8GB RAM which is ample to hold applications in memory for longer periods of time. Rarely did the phone miss a beat and I would usually jump straight to the point where I left off in a particular app. Internal storage is 128GB which should be sufficient for most users. <br /><br />Battery life and management is where the Realme 9 Speed Edition should get your attention. Packing in a decent 5,000mAh cell, I had to charge the smartphone once in two days. It is worth noting that your mileage in this regard might vary based on your usage patterns.<br /><br />This is incredible, given that the screen refresh rate and audio profiles were maxed out. When I had to put it on charge, the 30W Dart Charge fast charging came in handy, with the Realme 9 Speed Edition going from 0 to 100% in about 50 minutes.<br /><br />Now, it is a 5G smartphone but I can’t test that performance just yet because of the absence of infrastructure. What I can tell you is that on 4G LTE the performance was quite satisfactory, I used it with my Vi sim and there were no call drops. Data connectivity was also stable and 4G internet speeds were decent. Yet again, it is worth noting that your mileage may vary based on network conditions in your area.<br />              <div type="image" title="DSC_0029_1200x900" msid="90150684" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme 9 Speed Edition has a triple rear camera set-up. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><strong>Camera performance<br /></strong>Realme 9 Speed Edition features a triple camera array, housed in the camera island on the back. The primary camera is a 48MP sensor which is snappy to click pictures but the end results are not very pleasing. The colour tones do not look natural, and the pictures have a milk tint to them. The AI retouching does help, but the execution is not perfect yet, and it’s a little obvious that the picture has been enhanced post-capture.<br />              <div type="image" title="IMG20220310111733_1200x900" msid="90150481" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme 9 Speed Edition features a 48MP primary camera. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Then there is a dedicated 2MP monochrome portrait lens, which at first sounds like marketing lingo, but the results are good and worthy of your Instagram feed.<br />              <div type="image" title="IMG20220310125331_1200x900" msid="90150501" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ultra-Wide angle shot from Realme 9 Speed Edition. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>The 2MP macro sensor produces rich images in perfect lighting conditions, but I won't suggest keeping your hopes high with this one either.<br />              <div type="image" title="IMG20220311113447_1200x900" msid="90150532" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme 9 Speed Edition portrait selfie. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The front camera is a 16MP shooter which performs decently by itself. But it's with AI retouching that things get interesting. The AI beauty selfie feature lets you fiddle around with everything on your face. You can change the size of your nose, eyes, and cheeks, and of course, the classic option to change your skin tone. It’s like giving yourself an AI plastic surgery. Maybe some users will find it amusing, I am not a big fan.<br /><br />After that experience, it’s the video mode that surprised me. With electronic image stabilization (EIS) enabled, you can document whatever is in front of the sensor without losing the meaning. Audio is also crisp and goes well with the visual outcome. There are classic features onboard as well like dual video mode which might come in handy.<br /><br /><strong>Verdict<br /></strong>The Realme 9 Speed Edition has the potential to stand out and carve its own name in the mid-range smartphone category. It seems like a safe bet for buyers looking for powerful performance without shelling premium. To be more specific, gamers and aggressive users don’t mind compromising on the camera.<br /><br />In its price bracket of under ₹20,000, we only have a handful of choices from Xiaomi and Samsung both of which are now repeating the same recipe with multiple devices. In that situation, Realme 9 Speed Edition can be considered a value choice liberating the buyers from the obvious. But if you need an overall package with a better camera, display and can do with decent performance, you can explore other options like the Samsung A52 5G, Redmi Note 11T or Nord CE 2 5G.<br /><br />SEE ALSO-<br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/nothing-android-smartphone-prototype-shown-off-at-mobile-world-congress-2022-says-a-new-report/articleshow/89961918.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Nothing Android smartphone prototype shown off at Mobile World Congress 2022, says a new report</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/oneplus-nord-ce-2-first-impression-review/articleshow/89644127.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G: First Impressions</a><br />

Realme 9 Speed Edition review – Great performance for price but underwhelming camera

<br /><ul><li><keyword id="6485927" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="realme" source="Orion">Realme</keyword> 9i 5G Starts at ₹14,999</li><li>The smartphone is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G SOC</li><li>Realme 9i 5G packs in a 5000 mAh battery with 18W flash charging</li></ul>Realme launched the 9i 5G - the 5G ready variant for the existing budget smartphone <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-9i-smartphone-review/articleshow/89659079.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Realme 9i</a> . The brand's success with its numeric line-up is strong in its portfolio. After all, it’s the under ₹20,000 price bracket where you see the most action. The 9i 5G is an attempt to reintroduce a successful product with better SoC and other cosmetic changes. But is it enough to garner your attention? I tell you that in my in-depth review.<br /><br /><strong>Price &amp; Availability</strong><br />The Realme 9i 5G is available in 2 variants. A base variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage is available for a price ₹14,999. Then there is another variant with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage available for ₹16,999. You can buy the Realme 9i 5G from Flipkart &amp; Realme’s D2C website.<br /><br /><strong>Design<br />        <div type="image" title="Realme 9i 5G has a premium in-hand feel" msid="93641396" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme 9i 5G has a premium in-hand feel&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div></strong><br />Realme 9i 5G doesn’t take a leap from the original 9i’s design, but there are some cosmetic changes that differentiate it from its predecessor and make it stand out. Like the flat-edged sandwich design. The curves are gone that we saw on the original 9i, and the 5G variant looks more premium. I personally like flat-edged designs, not only does it provide a better grip, but looks better as well. The 9i 5G is also fairly lightweight at 187 grams, and despite its big size, the phone is easy to carry. It’s also very slim at 8.1mm, given it packs in a 5000 mAh battery.<br />        <div type="image" title="The 9i 5G sports a flat edged design which makes it easy to hold" msid="93641350" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The 9i 5G sports a flat edged design which makes it easy to hold&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Realme is playing on the colour treatment on the 9i 5G. This new CD design is inspired by the theme of this year's MET Gala. Fashion is not my strong suit; maybe that’s why I am not a big fan of this Metallica Gold colour. It’s a bit over the top for my taste. But as they say, looks are subjective, so I took an opinion from my peers. It was a 50-50, with half of them liking it, and the rest were not very impressed. The back is plastic and registers a serious amount of smudges combined with the gold colour scheme that sometimes spoils the look of the smartphone. 9i 5G is also available in a soulful blue and rocking black colour, which I found to be much more subtle and appealing. That will be my suggestion if you are planning to get this device.<br />        <div type="image" title="Metallica Gold color retains noticeable smudges" msid="93641449" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Metallica Gold color retains noticeable smudges&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Where the brand has truly succeeded is in the treatment of the camera modules. There is no protruding camera bump here, instead, it’s a clean and minimalistic layout with the three sensors.<br /><br />Other design characteristics check all the boxes you expect from a device in this price range. On the right side of the device, you will find the power button doubling up as a fingerprint sensor. It’s worth mentioning that it is very snappy for a budget phone, as it registers and unlocks the phone in a jiffy. So far, I haven’t found a need to press the power button to unlock the device, a simple tap does the job. On the left side, you will find the volume rockers.<br /><br />        <div type="image" title="There is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the device" msid="93641475" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;There is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the device&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />On the bottom, you will find a USB Type-C charging port, a speaker grill, and a microphone. Right next to them is a headphone jack. Yes, the beauty of this price segment is the having these endangered features. On the top left, you will also find the SIM card slot. This is a 3-in-1 unit that supports 2 Nano SIMS and a Micro SD card.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the device has no official IP rating, which is not surprising given the price point. So yes, you need to be careful with the device around water. <br /><br /><strong>Display<br />          <div type="image" title="There is a 6.6-inch FHD+ display on the 9i 5G" msid="93641493" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;There is a 6.6-inch FHD+ display on the 9i 5G&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div></strong><br />Realme 9i 5G features a 6.6-inch display with FHD+ resolution (2400x1080p). While the display is big, I am not a big fan of the teardrop notch. More so because we get a punch-hole treatment on the regular Realme 9i. This is a bit of a downgrade, in my opinion<br /><br />Apart from this, the display performs like a standard LCD panel, as one might expect.<br /><br />It is adequately bright with 400 nits of peak brightness, but viewing the display outdoors can be a struggle, especially with text.<br /><br />Otherwise, it’s a good screen if you like to watch videos on your smartphone as it produces vivid colours and ample details - a favourable setting for watching movies on it.<br /><br />It’s worth noting that it doesn’t support HDR content on streaming applications. Yet, I would say that this is a good display at its price and will not disappoint you. Unfortunately, there is no always-on display option here. <br /><br />Where Realme truly surprised me was the refresh rate on the panel. It peaks at 90Hz, but that’s not it; it features an auto-select feature. This feature allows the smartphone to switch refresh rates between 60 and 90Hz as per what’s happening on the screen. I switched between gaming, web browsing, and social media apps and did not feel any sudden shift in visuals like animations. <br /><strong><br />Realme UI software<br />        <div type="image" title="9i 5G runs on Android 12 with Realme UI skin" msid="93641639" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;9i 5G runs on Android 12 with Realme UI skin&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div></strong><br />The Realme 9i 5G edition runs on Android 12 with Realme UI skin out of the box. My previous experience with Realme UI had prepared me for what to expect. Yes, the bloatware. The usual suspects like MX TakaTak, Josh, and ShareChat are here. These apps can be uninstalled, but removing them is just one extra step you need to do when you boot up a brand-new device. <br /><br />After getting rid of them, the actual user experience is intuitive. Realme UI is one of the better skins in the market today. The colours and app icon designs pop out and should pander to a minimal and flashy audience.<br />        <div type="image" title="bloatware on the UI stands out like a sore thumb" msid="93641655" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;bloatware on the UI stands out like a sore thumb&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />There are basic options, like switching to dark-colour themes. You can also go full custom by choosing from the set of themes available on board. There is a buffet of options from cookie dough to a party. For me, however, the default skin did the job. <br /><br />Then there are other usual features like multi-window that comes in handy on the 6.5-inch panel. Additionally, there are also flexi-windows on the phone, which are basically floating windows. You can pin an application on the display while working on another application. I often pounded the calculator and calendar on the floating window, which added to my productivity. <br /><br />There is also a smart sidebar, giving you a shortcut for apps. This is also customisable. <br /><br />Realme has also promised two years of Android updates and three years of security updates on the 9i 5G. This actually does add to the longevity of the phone. <br /><br /><strong>Performance</strong><br />Realme 9i is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G chipset. This is what differentiates this device from its 4G avatar. The 5G variant definitely outperforms the 4G sibling powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset. <br /><br />If we strictly go by the Geekbench (benchmarking software) numbers, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SOC’s single-core score is 372, while the multi-core score is 1552. The performance in the 5G variant is increased, with a single-core score of 601 and a multi-core score of 1781. This is not a substantial increase with respect to performance but it does put things in perspective.<br />          <div type="image" title="Geekbench score for Realme 9i 5G" msid="93641701" hostid="261" sizebytes="8142" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Geek bench score for Realme 9i 5G&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Coming to my user experience now. In my four days of usage, the 9i has been satisfactory. The device has cut through almost all the tasks I have thrown at it. Starting with everyday duties like emails, calls, and social media - this device can handle most of it. Since my unit is still fresh and not loaded with tons of files, there are no lags, but these devices tend to lose the freshness after a few months of usage, especially if you are an aggressive user. The variant with me packs in 6GB of RAM, which is more than enough to handle all the tasks if you are a light user. <br /><br />Coming to performance-hungry tasks, the phone takes a soft blow. Case in point gaming - you can’t expect a device of this nature to give you blown-out performance in gaming. And it does not. During my sessions of call of duty, the game was set on a respectable - HD setting for the best performance. There were no serious frame drops, and the device does its job well for a fun half-hour gaming session. But if you are a serious gamer who spends at least an hour, you will notice heating and, eventually, frame drops.<br /><br />To churn out better performance, you can tap on the RAM expansion. 9i 5G lets you expand the internal RAM by 5GB. There is a notable performance boost for gaming memory, but the graphic capabilities remain the same. <br /><br />The internal storage on my review variant is 128GB which is enough for most consumers. I strongly recommend this variant if you plan to go for the 9i 5G. It offers you more internal storage and better RAM. <br /><br />Battery performance on the 9i 5G is satisfactory. The 5000 mAh battery should last a day and a half if you are a light user. On working days, when I wasn’t on Youtube or watching short videos, the phone would not die. As expected, the battery life drops with constant content consumption. In this situation, you would have to plug the device in by the end of the day.<br />        <div type="image" title="9i 5G supports 18W flash charging" msid="93641741" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;9i 5G supports 18W flash charging&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />With the 18W fast charge support 9i 5G takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to go from 0 to 100%. This is with active internet connection. This might feel like a long time, but then devices in this price bracket usually don’t go beyond 18W fast charging.<br /><br /><strong>Camera<br /></strong><br />There is no on-paper change in the camera setup for the Realme 9i 5G from the original 9i. A 50MP primary camera with phase detection autofocus is paired with a 2MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor.<br />        <div type="image" title="primary camera performs decently under natural lighting conditions" msid="93641828" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;primary camera performs decently under natural lighting conditions&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The camera output has not substantially changed, but the processing speed has a significant bump thanks to the new SOC.<br />      <div type="image" title="HDR in images is well maintained for brighter frames" msid="93641942" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;HDR in images is well maintained for brighter frames&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The daylight shots from the camera retain great amounts of detail, and it does tone down on the post-processing I noticed on other Realme offerings. Like the Realme 9 Speed edition.<br />        <div type="image" title="Lack of an ultra-wide sensor pains when trying to cover a bigger room" msid="93641999" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Lack of an ultra-wide sensor pains when trying to cover a bigger room&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br />I noticed some over-saturation in images, especially when clicked in low or artificial lighting conditions. But nothing that would spoil your picture.<br /><br />The night mode on the camera puts out better results than regular clicks. It retains a tad bit better details and makes the images less grainy.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there is no ultra-wide sensor on the 9i 5G. Which I feel would have added some serious value to the device. What we get in its place is a 2MP depth sensor. Portrait shots on the smartphone are decent, with satisfactory edge detection. They don’t feel super crisp, though, something we see on Samsung Galaxy F23 available in the same price range.<br />      <div type="image" title="The dedicated depth sensor provides neat edge detection" msid="93642445" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The dedicated depth sensor provides neat edge detection&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />      <div type="image" title="Night mode increases the brightness of the frame but loses out on details" msid="93642159" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Night mode increases the brightness of the frame but loses out on details&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The 2MP macro sensor is the weakest link. Macro shots from the sensor are bad, failing to retain detail. So it feels more like a gimmick of having this. If you are patient with it, this might get some usable photos in daylight.<br />      <div type="image" title="Macro shots lose detail and there is a change in color tone" msid="93642414" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Macro shots lose detail and there is a change in color tone&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />In terms of video performance, the 9i 5G can record 1080P &amp; 720P videos. It holds up well for casual videos, but if you are a content creator, then the quality might not suit your requirement. Here I would like to mention that the audio recorded on the video feed is crisp. <br /><br />In the front, we get an 8MP AI selfie camera. This is not the 16MP sensor we get on the regular 9i. The performance was in-line, though. Images were under-saturated, and skin tone was a miss. As expected here as well, you get multiple filters. The AI beauty selfie retains its classic features. It lets you retouch your facial features. From nose size to cheeks. So if you like such features, you are in for a treat.<br />      <div type="image" title="Portrait selfies have decent edge detection but the shadows are off" msid="93642193" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Portrait selfies have decent edge detection but the shadows are off&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><strong>Verdict</strong><br />Realme 9i 5G does not come with substantial changes compared to the regular 9i. However, if I look at it strictly as a 5G device, it is a solid choice in this price bracket. It’s priced lower than its siblings, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-9-speed-edition-smartphone-review/articleshow/90145143.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Realme 9 Speed Edition</a>  and regular Realme 9, yet offers a similar experience. If you are on a tight budget and want a future-proof device with 5G compatibility, then you can consider the 9i 5G. You will get a device with a premium build, a catchy eye design, stable everyday performance and enough power for some light gaming or prolonged instagram sessions.<br /><br /><br /><br />

Realme 9i 5G Review - 5G Upgrade With Cosmetic Changes

<ul><li><keyword id="12115193" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="samsung-galaxy-a73" source="Orion">Samsung Galaxy A73</keyword> 5G runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset</li><li>The smartphone promises 4 years of Android updates</li><li>Samsung does not provide a charger in the box with Galaxy A73 5G</li></ul>The Samsung Galaxy A73 5G was launched in India in late March. It’s the top-of-the-line device in Samsung’s A-series portfolio. It packs respectable specs for a mid-range smartphone and a design familiar to the brand’s flagship, making one curious. It lands in a very competitive market where Chinese counterparts offer more powerful internals and some additional features. <br /><br />While the phone in itself is a good overall package in terms of performance, display and battery, it lacks in some critical areas. One of them is slow charging and no charging brick in the box. While in the same segment, the competitors are now offering 150W charing with charger in the box. So what makes it worthy for your attention? Let’s find out the details in the review. <br /><strong><br />Price</strong><br />Samsung Galaxy A73 5G starts at a price of ₹41,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. With an additional ₹3000, you can upgrade the storage to 256GB at ₹44,999.<br /><strong><br />Galaxy A73 5G Design &amp; Build Quality -</strong><br />Same old. Similar to other models under the A-series, Samsung brings the Galaxy A73 with a similar design and material. The only contrasting difference from its predecessor is the color of the unit. Pleasing to the eye, the mint on this one looks exquisite. The Galaxy A73 comes in 3 colors - mint, grey and white.<br />  <div type="image" title="Galaxy A73 5G&amp;#39;s Mint color looks good" msid="91548149" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy A73 5G&amp;#39;s Mint color looks good&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The build quality and material used are premium even though the phone comes with a more durable plastic body and aluminum framing. But some buyers who are into aesthetics might be disappointed with this. Considering the competition like the Mi 11X has a better-looking glass sandwich design in the same price range. Although beyond that, Galaxy A73 comes with IP67 water and dust resistant rating which adds more value.<br /><br />The Galaxy A73 5G carries a 5000 mAh battery, still Samsung has done a commendable job at keep the weight at 181 grams. The weight distribution is also commendable on this one, and it’s easy to use even with just one hand.<br />  <div type="image" title="Galaxy A73 5G is great for single hand usage as well" msid="91548157" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy A73 5G is great for single hand usage as well&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Other design aspects are what you expect from a Samsung Galaxy. On the right side, we get to see volume rockers and a power lock &amp; unlock button. The USB Type-C charging port and speaker grill are at the bottom.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="Galaxy A73 5G has a USB Type-C charging port" msid="91548164" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy A73 5G has a USB Type-C charging port&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The SIM card slot is a hybrid one that can support either 2 nano sims or a nano sim and a microSD card.<br /><strong><br />Galaxy A73 5G Display</strong><br />The Galaxy A73 5G features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080x2400 pixels resolution. With very thin bezels and a punch hole set-up, this is a repetition of sorts by the brand. I understand the “if not broken why fix it” mindset, but sometimes it’s important for differentiation. For example, the Galaxy A53 and A73 look identical in terms of design and even the display. A casual buyer going for a Samsung device might get confused in this situation. Even though the A73 has better specs than the A53.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="6.7-inch Super AMOLED Display is beautiful" msid="91548192" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;6.7-inch Super AMOLED Display is beautiful &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Speaking in terms of the quality, the colors look realistic and don't seem to disappoint. There is no oversaturation and the skin tones are mostly accurate. This is across platforms, be it content on OTT apps or Youtube. The display is also well lit with a peak brightness of 800 Nits and it is easily visible under direct sunlight. The screen is also protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which means it won’t get scratched as easily.<br /><br />It also offers a screen refresh rate of 120Hz. Enriching the experience with smooth visuals while you're playing any media file or scrolling through a web page.<br /><br />It has a stereo speaker setup that supports Dolby Atmos and it does justice to watching content without a pair of external audio devices. The audio output is sufficiently loud and you can count on it for binge-watching a show or a movie. <br /><strong><br />Galaxy A73 5G UI</strong><br />Galaxy A73 5G runs on One UI from Samsung which is both efficient and stable. It only gets distressing with the clutter of bloatware packed in. Falling short of expectation, Samsung does include third party apps which disapprove of the price this device comes at. Apps like Byjus, Josh, Mx Takatak, Moj, and even share chat are pre-installed. As is the case with other devices they can be uninstalled.<br />    <div type="image" title="Galaxy A73 5G runs on Samsung&amp;#39;s One UI Skin" msid="91548207" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy A73 5G runs on Samsung&amp;#39;s One UI Skin&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Here the One UI skin is paired with Android 11. With familiar animation and app icon designs, you won’t really feel a difference if you are coming from a Samsung phone. Familiarity also means the convenience of generic Samsung features like a lift to wake, navigation gesture switch, and one-handed mode. Another important factor to consider is how Samsung has promised 4 years worth of Android updates on the Galaxy A73 5G. <br /><br />One UI puts me in a tough spot, if you are a Samsung user who wants stability and no major changes then it will be fine for you. If you are a Samsung user who wants to experiment then it limits your endeavor. If you are using some other device and want to switch to Samsung, then you will be impressed.<br /><strong><br />The privacy aspect-</strong><br />The Galaxy A73 is protected with Samsung's Knox security which protects your phone against unfortunate intrusions by enabling you to shift your essential files and apps to a secure folder. <br /><br />Samsung provides you with an in-screen fingerprint sensor and face unlock feature on the Galaxy A73 5G. The fingerprint sensor is snappy and unlocks the phone in a snap, but the case is not favorable for the face unlock. Since the phone relies just on the front camera to apply this safety net, it fails in dark environments and gives up completely if you are wearing a mask.<br /><strong><br />Galaxy A73 5G Performance</strong><br />Samsung Galaxy A73 5G is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset, which breezes through any task thrown at it.<br /><br />Performance-wise, the Galaxy A73 5G provides a consistent result across activities. From binge-watching content or basic everyday tasks like web surfing, using multiple apps are carried out smoothly. <br /><br />Moving to the gaming performance, this chipset is a beast. Booting up speeds were fiery, this is despite opening multiple games one after the other without clearing the memory. I ran the tests with BGMI and Genshin Impact. Running BGMI with extreme FPS, I faced no lags whatsoever. The game ran smoothly and the overall performance was enjoyable. Yes, the phone does warm up after about half an hour of usage, but nothing that will bother you enough to keep it aside. <br /><br />The memory management is passable, as I witnessed it booting games after a few hours from where I left them. Multiple apps running in the background do not affect the speed or hinder the performance. The variant with me comes with 8GB RAM which I found sufficient. As for storage, the 128GB internal capacity will be enough for most of the users, but in case you still want more, you can upgrade to 256GB variant or pop in a microSD card. <br /><br />In the battery department, the 5000 mAh cell lasts well over a day for a light user. This involves mostly calling messaging and casual social media. <br /><br />For a heavy user like me, mileage does take a dip. After a long day of testing, the phone would stand at a solid 10%.<br /><br />Since we don’t get a charger in the box, finding the right brick is important. The Galaxy A73 supports 25W fast charging, so the usual Samsung wall adapter worked for me. I used the 20W Samsung brick and the phone charged from 10-100% in about 1 hour 20 minutes. <br /><strong><br />Galaxy A73 5G Camera.</strong><br />The Galaxy A73 5G has a quad camera set-up at the back featuring a 108MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP macro sensor and a 5MP depth sensor.<br />    <div type="image" title="Quad camera set-up on Galaxy A73 5G" msid="91548226" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Quad camera set-up on Galaxy A73 5G&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The primary sensor performs fairly well in bright outdoor environments with crisp images and commendable color reproduction. The image quality is clean and does not look burnt out even in extreme situations. <br /><br />    <div type="image" title="Ultra wide shot from Galaxy A73 5G retains details." msid="91548238" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ultra wide shot from Galaxy A73 5G retains details.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />With a dedicated depth sensor onboard, the portrait shots look clean and easily worthy for your social media feed. The edge detection is impressive and the results should make you happy.<br />    <div type="image" title="10X Zoom performs well in well-lit conditions" msid="91548246" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;10X Zoom performs well in well-lit conditions&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The Optical image stabilization feature on the camera helps to create a stable frame and catch the action without losing details. <br /><br />The ultra-wide sensor performs its job well and creates more room for you to capture great landscapes. With 10X digital zoom, you can also close up on your subject however you will be compromising on details. The pictures do get grainy but that’s what you can expect when dealing with a digital zoom set-up.<br />    <div type="image" title="Primary sensor retains great detail" msid="91548274" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Primary sensor retains great detail&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The macro sensor is surprisingly good as well. The pictures taken in landscape mode worked better for me, since the edge detection was better.<br />        <div type="image" title="Macro sensor delivers respectable results" msid="91548290" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Macro sensor delivers respectable results&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Camera performance in low light conditions falters a bit. Without turning on the night mode, the camera performance dips significantly. The images while being well exposed, lacked sharpness. Night mode does improve the results by managing the shadows well, but the overall performance is still underwhelming.<br />      <div type="image" title="Low light photography is underwhelming on Galaxy A73" msid="91548299" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Low light photography is underwhelming on Galaxy A73&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The front camera is an 8MP shooter and gives you an option to go wide as well. The image results are decent.<br />    <div type="image" title="Selfie camera on Galaxy A73 5G will not disapoint" msid="91548354" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Selfie camera on Galaxy A73 5G will not disapoint&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><br />Video performance is just about okay for casual shooting, but if you are a content creator then this is not the device for you. Especially if you are a vlogger. You can’t rely on the microphone to record clear audio especially outdoors with background noise.<br /><br />Samsung is playing big on the fun mode with Galaxy A73 5G. The fun mode integrates Snapchat’s filters into the camera itself. This does add a fun element to the user experience but you need internet access for it to work. While I am not a big fan of this feature, I am sure it will appeal to a large set of users. <br /><strong><br />Verdict</strong><br />Samsung Galaxy A73 5G finds itself on a tough wicket. Even with every possible feature that you look for in a device in 2022, it’s the price that holds me back from recommending it. Yes, there are options like Xiaomi 11X, and Realme GT Neo 3 which you can consider. But in this case, Samsung itself is undercutting the device with its portfolio. If you want the standard Samsung experience, you can consider Galaxy A53 5G which delivers practically the same performance at a lower price point. <br /><br />If you want to go high-end you can also consider the S20 FE 5G currently offered at a starting price of ₹34,999. A semi-flagship smartphone from 2020 with better specs and A CHARGER.<br />See also - <br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/android-13-beta-announced-by-google-in-i/o-2022/articleshow/91534404.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Google announced Android 13 Beta at I/O 2022: Here’s what’s new</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2t-5g-with-dimensity-1300-chipset-could-launch-on-may-19-heres-what-to-expect/articleshow/91532545.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">OnePlus Nord 2T 5G with Dimensity 1300 chipset could launch on May 19 — here’s what to expect</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/how-to-buy-sony-restock-ps5-in-india/articleshow/91521215.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Sony PS5 will be up for pre-booking in India on May 13: Where, how to buy</a><br /><br /><br /><br />

Samsung Galaxy A73 5G Review — A good phone dwarfed by its own sibling

<ul><li><strong><keyword id="6485927" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="realme" source="Orion">Realme</keyword> launched Realme GT 2 Pro today in India, starting at ₹47,999<br /></strong></li><li><strong>Realme GT 2 Pro features the Qualcomm <keyword id="1246180" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="snapdragon" source="Orion">Snapdragon</keyword> 8 Gen 1 5G chipset and a 120Hz 2K display.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>Realme GT 2 Pro competes against the likes of Oneplus 9RT, Samsung Galaxy S21 FE</strong></li></ul>Realme today launched their latest flagship smartphone the GT2 Pro. Packing every possible feature that a high-end smartphone is expected to have in 2022. With the brand covering solid ground in the mid-range category, GT2 Pro shows Realme’s ambition to get aggressive in the premium segment as well. <br /><br />Is the Realme GT2 Pro the right candidate for both the brand and the consumer to enter the flagship segment? I have spent 5 days with it, and here’s what I think about Realme’s budget flagship. <br /><strong><br />Price &amp; Availability</strong><br /><br />The Realme GT 2 Pro starts at a price of ₹49,999 for the 8GB RAM variant that packs in 128GB of storage. There is another variant offered at a price of ₹57,999 that packs in 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The phone is available on Flipkart and Realme India’s own official website. <br /><br /><strong><br />Realme GT 2 Pro Design: All elite<br />    <div type="image" title="Realme GT2 Pro features a polymer back" msid="90705838" hostid="261"></div></strong><br />Realme has done a commendable job with the GT 2 Pro when it comes to the design. The phone feels premium from the moment you unbox it. It’s lightweight and ergonomically built which makes it a treat to hold and use. Unlike the industry trend of making a glass sandwich design, Realme GT 2 Pro combines a polymer back with a solid glass front put together in a stainless steel frame.<br /><br />The variant with me is in the paperwhite color with a textured back allowing a better grip on the phone. That being said, if your palms are dirty or sweaty they leave a smudge mark that can be cleaned only with a wet cloth, otherwise, the phone looks dirty. <br /><br />There is a major branding on the top right of the back which reads “Realme and designed by Naoto Fukasava’’, was it necessary to put such a bold branding there? No. I realized Realme is proud of this collaboration when I saw that even the bundled case reads the same branding. This to me was a bit much. <br />There is also a fairly large triple camera set-up with an easily noticeable bump around it.<br />      <div type="image" title="Realme GT2  Pro  features a big branding" msid="90705064" hostid="261"></div> <br /><br />On the right side, you will find the power lock and unlock button, volume rockers are on the left. All of these physical buttons are of good quality and give a tactile feel. On the bottom, you will find a USB Type-C port alongside a speaker grille and microphone.<br />    <div type="image" title="Realme GT2 Pro features a USB Type-C charging port" msid="90705187" hostid="261"></div><br /><br />Surprisingly there is no official water resistance rating claimed by the company. However, after enquiring with the Realme team, I was told that the device is cascaded internally. Simply put it's well protected around the charging port, but it’s not completely water-resistant. <br /><br />Realme is proudly promoting this device as the world’s first bio-based smartphone design. What does that mean? Basically, the phone shell is made up of a bio-based polymer, which is said to reduce carbon emissions. Now, the irony is that the box comes in plastic wrapping, and so does the phone inside and its charger. These contradictions made me feel, that the above claims are more suited for a marketing pitch while there’s no way to quantify the impact. Realme has gone heavy with the branding, once again, and it spoils the perfectly good design for me. Some of you may not mind it, but I’m not a fan of this particular element.<br /><strong><br />Realme GT 2 Pro Display: Best on any Realme smartphone<br /></strong><br />The GT 2 Pro comes with a 6.7-inch 2K WQHD+ display, yes that’s a mouthful, but it does its job really well. One of the best display’s I have seen on a Realme device. It makes everything on the screen a visual treat, be it playing games or watching movies.<br />    <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro comes with a 6.7-inch 2K LTPO WQHD+ display" msid="90705229" hostid="261"></div> <br /><br />It also gets some presets like an image sharpener, video color enhancer, and video motion enhancement in case you want to tweak the display settings. All of these functions improve upon an individual characteristic of your content, but they also consume more battery.<br />    <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro has a punch-hole display" msid="90705305" hostid="261"></div><br /><br />The phone also lets you choose the default screen resolution between FHD+ (2412 x 1080) or QHD+ (3216 X 1440) or Autoselect. During my testing, I kept the phone on the QHD+ setting for the maxed-out performance and I wasn’t disappointed.<br /><br />With accurate color reproduction and surreal detail retention, I thoroughly enjoyed watching my content. <br /><br />But it’s not limited just to watching movies, with an adaptive screen refresh rate the phone smoothly switches between 1Hz to 120Hz. So, casual reading on the internet, scrolling on social media, and of course, high-intensity gaming all are taken care of respectably. <br /><br />Realme GT 2 Pro comes with 1000Hz touch sampling which translates into visibly faster response time. The phone so far has not missed out on a tap, touch, or swipe.<br /><br />    <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro features an always-on display" msid="90705315" hostid="261"></div><br />There is a Nature Tone display option on the phone that adjusts the color temperature as per the ambiance, however, I won’t suggest you keep it on since it spoils the experience. The company claims 1400 nits of max brightness on this one, while I didn’t test it with a luminance meter, I didn’t face any issues using it under direct sunlight generally.<br /><br />The always-on display option is also available that comes in handy. <br /><br />The screen also incorporates an in-display fingerprint sensor, which is snappy. Protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, you don’t have to worry about the display getting scratched easily.<br /><br />Complimenting the display is a stereo speaker set-up which is fairly loud and goes well with the caliber of the screen. <br /><strong><br />Realme GT 2 Pro UI experience<br /></strong><br />Up until now, I was convinced Realme has done it, they have outperformed themselves and have made an outright flagship. Until I realized the software woes. Mixed between an almost perfect amalgamation of Realme UI 3.0 and Android 12 was a package of applications. The usual suspects are all here - Josh, Moj, Mx Takatak, PhonePe, Sloop cut, and Bookings.com. Yes, all these can be uninstalled if you wish to, but I wished they were not there in the first place.<br />    <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro runs on Realme UI 3.0" msid="90705343" hostid="261"></div> <br />Ignoring them, Realme UI works smoothly on the GT 2 Pro. With the fresh animation style for actions like uninstallation, or switching between tabs you enjoy using the smartphone. We do have to note here that this is a brand new unit, and the performance tends to go down with time. <br /><br />Before switching to the GT2 Pro, I was using the Realme 9 5G Speed Edition and even though the UI is similar on both devices, I found the execution on GT2 Pro leaps ahead. <br /><br />Realme also offers a ton of customization options utilizing the potential of Android 12 features and the brand's own custom skin. From generic options like selecting Dark mode, you can also go full custom. Choose a design of your liking and play around with the theme colors as you please. <br /><br /><strong>Realme GT 2 Pro Performance - Master of all <br /></strong><br />The GT2 Pro is a device that not only looks solid on paper but also translates into real-life performance. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Processor which is top of the line and works in sync with the UI on board. The smartphone is blazing fast with non-existent boot-up times and a performance that does not lag behind in any sense.<br />    <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Processor" msid="90705965" hostid="261"></div><br /><br /><br />The variant with me packs in 12GB of RAM which is more than capable of handling heavy tasks and retaining applications for upto 2 days. Yes, there have been instances where I didn’t close an app, opened it 2 days later and the phone took me to the exact same page where I had left it. <br /><br />This performance also shows up when you are gaming, after 2 hour long intense sessions of Genshin Impact and BGMI, I can say this is also a gaming device. With no lags or ugly frame drops the Realme GT 2 pro makes you enjoy your games. I played both the games on maxed-out settings, and I have no complaints so far. <br /><br />The phone did heat up, but not to the point where I couldn’t hold it. Realme’s stainless steel vapour cooling max system does work like advertised, so far. <br /><br />You can take the performance a notch higher with a dedicated GT Mode, which maxes out phone settings, I did my test with it turned on. <br /><br />The variant with me packs in 256GB of internal storage which is sufficient for high-performance users.<br /><br />The streak continues in battery performance as well, with the GT 2 Pro giving me a screen-on time of upto 5 hours. This includes watching content playing games and some social media scrolling. Do note, that the battery life also depends on your usage pattern.<br /><br />The Qualcomm chipset is working in sync with the battery and it's good news. However, I do wish that the charging speed was better. The 65W SuperDart charger takes about 1 hour to charge the 5000 mAh cell from 0 to 100%. <br /><br /><strong>Realme GT2 Pro Camera - There’s potential <br /></strong><br />Realme GT2 Pro comes with a 50MP primary sensor which is a Sony IMX766 unit. This sensor is seen on high-end devices and performs really well in natural lighting conditions to deliver images that retain great details. The frames look beautiful and it manages to capture natural colors as well.<br />      <div type="image" title="Realme GT2 Pro 20X Zoom shot" msid="90705394" hostid="261"></div> <br /><br />With Optical image stabilization, the video performance is also satisfying and the outcome is generally favorable. You can also shoot 8K videos with a 60 fps setting with the GT 2 Pro, do you need this much firepower? Not really. But in case you ever want to use it, make sure the lighting conditions are favorable.<br />      <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro&amp;#39;s wide-angle shot" msid="90705553" hostid="261"></div><br />  <br />Then there is a 50MP ultra-wide lens which is as per Realme is the world’s first 150 Degree ultra-wide sensor. This also enables a fish-eye mode. Keeping that promotional lingo aside, it works really well and creates bigger frames. You will have a good time clicking pictures with it.<br />        <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro&amp;#39;s features 50MP primary sensor" msid="90705442" hostid="261"></div><br />    <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro&amp;#39;s indoor photo sample" msid="90705455" hostid="261"></div><br />Then there is a 3MP microlens that comes with a 40x magnification feature, do you really need that? No. But does it work? Somewhat. Essentially a macro lens, it works wonders in certain situations mostly outdoor subjects. But if you try to click pictures indoors then the results are disappointing.<br />    <div type="image" title="Realme GT2 Pro&amp;#39;s micro-lens shot" msid="90705464" hostid="261"></div><br /><br />The front camera is a 32 MP shooter and can click decent selfies, and comes with classic Realme AI features. I am still adjusting my head around them, but if you are a fan of changing everything about your selfies, from skin tone to Nose size, then you will have a ball.<br />      <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro&amp;#39;s 32MP selfie camera" msid="90705490" hostid="261"></div><br />There are other camera features on board as well, like the usual portrait mode which works well and edge detection is usually accurate. A feature that stood out for me was 3D pictures, which allow you to give different moments in a picture. Like Pan in or out, while the results do look good, there is room for improvement. You also get dual video mode on the phone.<br /> <br />The dedicated street photography mode enables a 24mm resolution, and does add a bounce to the pictures.<br />      <div type="image" title="GT2 Pro features a street photography mode" msid="90705516" hostid="261"></div> <br />As of now, I can say, There is the right set of hardware on the Realme GT 2 Pro, hopefully, with future software updates, we will be able to see the complete optical potential of this device. <br /><br /><strong>Realme GT 2 Pro - Verdict<br /></strong>Realme has a winner in their hands with the GT2 Pro. Top-of-the-line specs, commendable camera hardware, and an intuitive UI are the hallmark of a good device, this device has it all. <br /><br />This smartphone is for performance-hungry users who might be bored off the obvious or want the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 experience under a budget. At a starting price of ₹47,999 this phone is a solid alternative to the likes of Samsung’s S21 FE and Oneplus 9RT.<br />

Realme GT 2 Pro review: Testing the cheapest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 smartphone

<ul><li>To get cricket fans to spend more time on their platform this season, Disney+ Hostar has lined up new movies, series and original content and has rolled out a 360-degree campaign.</li><li>As the tournament begins today, we speak to Sidharth Shakdher, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Disney+ Hotstar about the platform's marketing strategy, how IPL has helped Disney+ Hotstar grow over the years, expanding reach and much more.</li></ul>The much-awaited advertising carnival of the year, <keyword id="6354831" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</keyword> (IPL) starts today and OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar has its biggest-ever marketing and content plan lined up for this year. <br /><br />Disney+ Hotstar is trying to position itself as a platform that offers all things entertainment (entertainment ka all rounder), including cricket. It is trying to remind the audience that it has <keyword id="10884239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="vivo-ipl-2021">Vivo IPL 2021</keyword> and Live sports, along with movies and original shows. So to get its users to stick around for a longer time, it has planned two new movies releases and two original series simultaneously with IPL. <br /><br />                  <div type="Youtube" id="6iQb60oXIpM" title="Disney+ Hotstar VIP - Ajay ya Sudarshan?" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6iQb60oXIpM/mqdefault.jpg"></div><br />Sharing the platform’s marketing strategy for this season, Sidharth Shakdher, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Disney+ Hotstar said, “Movies and series entertain you and so does cricket but you haven't ever had them at one place? Yes, you've had that in Disney+ Hotstar but now it is bigger than ever before -- we've got for you the best pure entertainment and also the best of cricket. So we brought together the best of both worlds and that was our idea of cricket-tainment this year. And out of cricket-tainment came this idea that we did with Ajay Devgn and Tamannaah Bhatia. Be it cricket or entertainment, we are so good at both of them that we are now an all-rounder. We have Bhuj, The Falcon and Winter Soldier, Loki, Arya 2, Out of love, Special Ops -- second season of all our big shows and OkComputer and November Story. So, it is gonna be a bigger roaster than ever before and this helps with both -- acquisition as well as retention.”<br /><br />As a part of its huge media splash, the platform is following a 360-degree approach, with more focus on TV and digital. <br /><br />Disney+ Hotstar also launched a digital campaign ‘I<a href="https://youtu.be/kx6dcS5RuTI">ndia Ki Vibe Alag Hai.’</a> It captured inter-city rivalry and friendly banter to symbolise the many emotions of cricket fans - pride, heartbreak, happiness and celebration! It is developed by musicians Nucleya and sung by eight rappers - Dee MC, RAK, J19 Squad, Satyum, Vithika Sheru, Maharya, Gubbi, and Rawal, each representing their beloved city.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What IPL means to Disney+ Hotstar" text="What IPL means to Disney+ Hotstar"><span data-til="noop">What IPL means to Disney+ Hotstar</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />IPL, Shakdher said, has helped the streaming platform build an emotional connect with its users. <br /><br />“It's the biggest time of the year for us and it's been our biggest property. It has meant more than just cricket for us because it's allowed our consumers to establish a deeper, higher-order relationship with Hotstar,” said he. <br /><br />When the platform acquired the media rights to air IPL, Disney+ Hotstar started focusing on its portability factor and today, it is trying to establish itself as an entertainment house. <br /><br />Walking us through Hotstar’s marketing evolution for IPL, Shakdher shared, “When we first started, it was about telling people that they don't need to miss their cricket because it's with them wherever they go. From there, it moved to the ‘convenience’ aspect -- that you can connect with your friends, watch the matches at your own convenience or go back and forward, replay points. So we moved from there to the ‘experience aspect’, then we brought in the fact that along with IPL there's so much more to watch."<br /><br />As far as its recent campaign goes, Shakdher said that they have seen a stupendous response from the audience and he is optimistic that the campaign will help Disney+ Hotstar stand out in the clutter. The campaign has been conceptualised by DDB Mudra Group. <br /><br />Sharing the reason, he said, “I think people have really appreciated our ads. One of the things with celebrity ads is people force-fit them. And they use the ad for the celebrity. And so the celebrity often overshadows the brand. It is just an endorsement. Our ads are not celebrating endorsements, there's actually a reason for Ajay Devgn to be there. He is intrinsically a part of the storyline, because he's coming in disguise. And he's trying to push his own movie which is coming out on Disney+ Hotstar and similarly for Tamannaah. They're not plugging 'Disney+ Hotstar'. They're tapping into a consumer insight -- you love one thing and you get stuck to it, but also look at what else is there. So people have really appreciated the fact that these actors are underplaying themselves.”<br /><br />Another part of the plan to attract more users onto the platform this year is regionalisation. IPL is available in 8 languages now and Marathi is exclusively available on Disney+ Hotstar. Adding more languages has helped the platform increase its engagement rate. <br /><br />“Five years ago, more than 80-90% of the IPL consumption was in English and rest was Hindi. Today, consumption in Hindi is bigger than English. Hindi is now more than 50% and English is slightly smaller. So that's how much localization has meant, it coincided with the rise in viewership. We started with Tamil about three years ago with 1% and at a large scale, Tamil audience itself is probably not more than 15% of the audience. But today, we are already seeing a large part of that audience using Tamil. So there's definitely more delight, joy and more engagement, increased retention and frequency of coming back. This increase in engagement is because of many factors, not just commentary, but it's as effective,” said Shakdher. <br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Opportunity for advertisers on IPL this year" text="Opportunity for advertisers on IPL this year"><span data-til="noop">Opportunity for advertisers on IPL this year</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />As per BARC and Nielsen’s 2020 report, IPL broke its viewership record in the opening week of season 13 itself. <br /><br />This year, the streaming platform has already closed the deal with 15 sponsors including Dream11 and Upstox as the co-presenting sponsor, Vimal Elaichi and MX Takatak ‘co-powered by’ sponsors. Some of the other sponsors are PhonePe, Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), Unacademy, Pharmeasy, Livspace, Swiggy, Parle Agro, Amazon Prime, Coinswitch, CRED and Xiaomi who have signed-on as associate sponsors.<br /><br />In 2020, over 300 brands had associated with Disney+ Hotstar. To get more advertisers excited about IPL this year, Disney+ Hotstar has launched more interactive options. It has introduced a social feature called Watch Parties, which gives viewers the experience of a stadium in the safety of their homes. Video duets and Hotshots are another set of social features, enabling viewers to interact with brand videos and stickers. <br /><br />“Traditionally, IPL is considered to be an expensive property with limited access to large advertisers. However, with Disney+ Hotstar’s innovative technology advancements and targeting options, advertisers across categories and sizes can leverage this property. They are now equipped to choose not only the audiences but also ad formats that suit their marketing objectives and budgets ensuring an impactful outreach strategy on the platform. Advertisers should aim at leveraging the strengths of the platform to generate two-way engagement on the platform helping both advertisers and viewers in their own ways,” said Disney+ Hostar spokesperson.<br /><br />“With the immense digital growth in 2020, one can see great traction and response across categories of advertisers. Some of the key features on Disney+ Hotstar like Super 4s, Super 6s, Fall Of Wickets (FOW), Milestones, and Super Savers sold out sooner than anticipated. The platform has received significant interest from brands across various categories to leverage the scale reach and high visibility proposition that IPL offers,” added the spokesperson.<br /><br />The platform is hopeful about crossing 300 advertisers this year.<br />

Disney+ Hotstar strengthens its content offering to attract new users as cricket lovers get ready for Vivo IPL 2021

<ul><li>The shift to digitization has opened up newer ways to content monetization.</li><li>Divyanshu Damani, Co-founder, <keyword id="10376921" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TagMango">TagMango</keyword> shares some anticipated <keyword id="10508948" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="trends-in-2021">trends in 2021</keyword> that can pose as a new age creator’s guide to embark on a successful journey in the world of <keyword id="1746818" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Content-Creation">content creation</keyword>.</li></ul>Content consumption has risen by manifolds in India in a very short span of time. Increased smartphone use, affordable and extensive internet data availability, and the coronavirus outbreak have acted as a catalyst for this growing demand across genres: entertainment, gaming, news, and infotainment. This growing appetite for creative content consumption hence poses as a great monetization opportunity for content creators. <br /><br />However, this creator-led and focused monetization ecosystem was not that evolved about 6-8 months ago. Earlier being a creator meant - invitations to exclusive events, traveling to new places, trying products and services before they hit the market. There were umpteen opportunities to earn money via brand collaborations. Cut to the pandemic, the restrictions limited these opportunities - digital events, strict restrictions on travel, brands shutting down products/categories, or delaying market launches. <br /><br />So, how did this challenge turn into an opportunity? The shift to digitization has opened up newer ways to content monetization. Content commerce, a current phenomenon in India, has today become brand agnostic giving aspiring content creators an opportunity to become entrepreneurs as opposed to a time when these opportunities were reserved for only category A creators. <br /><br />The year 2021 looks at a new format and development in the creator space where platforms like ClubHouse are rapidly becoming famous and a go-to platform for quality content creation. The scenario here in India is also picking up, to come closer to having platforms that offer exclusive, personalized and targeted content for specific users. Content creators have slowly started exploring content formats like podcast-style conversations, panel discussions, closed group networking, video and audio chats to offer content that is more personalized than it was earlier. Use of platforms that let creators have the advantage of making multiple chat rooms, so as to reach out to smaller audiences that are all looking for similar content. This streamlined way of reaching out with relevant content is going to shape up the year and gradually lead to strengthened content generation and increasing content monetization platforms and tools.<br /><br />Listed down below are some anticipated trends in 2021 that can pose as a new age creator’s guide to embark on a successful journey in the world of content creation: <br /><br /><ul><li><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Rise of Micro, Nano Influencers and creators" text="Rise of Micro, Nano Influencers and creators"><span data-til="noop">Rise of Micro, Nano Influencers and creators</span></cmsannotation></li></ul>The year 2021 is all set to witness a massive rise of macro and nano creators. The essential factors pertaining to this growth are the high rates of engagement, credibility, and low-cost increment. These factors are most relevant in the current scenario where most brands are looking at slicing budgets. According to a 2019 report by Fohr, micro-influencers, and creators have the highest engagement rates averaging at 7% on their feed posts.<br /><br /><ul><li><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Video Content will continue to rule the industry" text="Video Content will continue to rule the industry"><span data-til="noop">Video Content will continue to rule the industry</span></cmsannotation></li></ul>The rise of video content continues to be an on-going trend in the marketing space. However, with the introduction of Instagram reels and the growing popularity of apps like Mojo, MX Takatak, and Triller, it is expected to be more creative and collaborative than ever before. Video content keeps the viewer more engaged and a stronger authenticity makes people feel a stronger connection and builds engagement. Identify your niche and the right consumer-platform mix for your content offerings. Nothing works better than consumer engagement which can ultimately drive loyalty.<br /><br /><ul><li><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The rise in Vernacular content and creators" text="The rise in Vernacular content and creators"><span data-til="noop">The rise in Vernacular content and creators</span></cmsannotation></li></ul>The familiarity of language helps build a better connection and also seeds relatability, making fans connect with creators in shared areas of interest and sentiments. Regional creators can understand the audience better and adapt the content to what would appeal best, building effective campaigns. Moreover, with the deep penetration of smartphones and now available internet access in Bharat (Tier II &amp; Tier III cities), there exists a huge need-gap for vernacular content and creators. For these reasons, brands are roping in creators from specific regions or small-towns. As per a report by <a href="https://inc42.com/datalab/the-business-opportunity-in-the-vernacular-content-market-of-india/">DataLabs</a>, it is anticipated that the vernacular content market in India stands at a worth of $53 billion<br /><br /><ul><li><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Importance of Deeper-connection and value-driven content" text="Importance of Deeper-connection and value-driven content"><span data-til="noop">Importance of Deeper-connection and value-driven content</span></cmsannotation></li></ul>The year 2021 will be all about creating content with a relevant context. The pandemic taught people to be grateful for a ton of things we took for granted. Content creators that worked in their personality, journey, and experience in their content while being entertaining at the same time built a very strong fanbase. One can expect brands to also value quality engagement and communities more when predicting ROI than a high follower count. <br /><br /><ul><li><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Rise of New Social Platforms and creators tool" text="Rise of New Social Platforms and creators tool"><span data-til="noop">Rise of New Social Platforms and creators tool</span></cmsannotation></li></ul>Last year, new platforms and tools were witnessed in the creator ecosystem empowering them to create and share content with more independence. 2021 is expected to bring in more innovation in this space as the market is flooded with new platform launches catering to not just metros but small town Bharat as well. Newer creator focused models are coming into the picture that are looking at scaling up the revenue for creators by ways of having them leverage opportunities and directly monetize content curated for audiences. <br /><br /><ul><li><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Brands will merge content marketing with influencer/creator marketing" text="Brands will merge content marketing with influencer/creator marketing"><span data-til="noop">Brands will merge content marketing with influencer/creator marketing</span></cmsannotation></li></ul><keyword id="2540701" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Influencer-marketing">Influencer marketing</keyword> is going to be a game-changer in the coming times. 2020 gave a platform to several new content creators and brands also didn’t shy away from leveraging their skill and popularity to their advantage. One of the massive trends that we can expect to see in 2021 is how brands will merge content marketing with influencer marketing and social media. They will focus more on finding and collaborating with creators who share the same vision and build long-term associations.<br /><br /><ul><li><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Streaming will set the theme for 2021" text="Streaming will set the theme for 2021"><span data-til="noop">Streaming will set the theme for 2021- </span></cmsannotation></li></ul>Streaming was on the rise in 2020 with people opting to stream videos, content, and games for longer than ever before. The last few months have seen massive growth and further potential for quality content. Samay Raina is a shining example of this trend, who started with his independent YouTube channel that focused on making chess fun and entertaining for the masses. With this move, he unlocked a huge following in the country and reignited the audience’s love for playing and watching chess videos at a time when they were starved for at-home entertainment avenues. On a separate note, his timing also couldn’t have been better, coinciding with the release of international hit, Queen’s Gambit. Similarly, Tanmay Bhatt, leveraged this time to make funny and quirky videos where he reviews apps, challenges and that in turn has turned out to be a great entertainer for the masses. The year 2021 will see the further emergence of quality streamers. <br /><br />Podcasts will also become the go-to platform for content creators with a niche audience base interested in a specific domain. Micro- creators will emerge from smaller towns who might not enjoy a huge following but will be specialized in catering to a segment of the audience. 2021 will definitely be an interesting year in history for the content creators ecosystem and certainly unfold at a fast pace. One will need to keep up and keep a constant and keen eye to make it big.<br />

A creator's guide to a successful journey in 2021

<ul><li>Samsung's latest F-series smartphone, the Galaxy F23 5G has been launched in India.</li><li>Featuring Android 11 and a 5,000mAh battery, the Galaxy F23 5G is aimed at the budget segment.</li><li>Usually, Samsung has aimed the Galaxy F series at those who want budget and mid-range phones with a specific focus on cameras.</li><li>Read on to find out if you should consider the Galaxy F23 5G for your next smartphone upgrade.</li></ul>Samsung recently launched the F23 5G. With no big announcements and visibly reduced influencer promotions, this phone did go under the radar for many. However, I got my hands on a review unit and have been spending some quality time with it. After my thorough testing and usage, I can say that this smartphone is an outcast in its own clan, but it’s not outdated. I explain this paradox to you in my full review.<br />            <div type="image" title="Samsung Galaxy F23 5G" msid="91106479" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Samsung Galaxy F23 5G&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><strong><br />Price &amp; Availability</strong> <br /><br /><keyword id="13273671" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="samsung-galaxy-f23" source="Orion">Samsung Galaxy F23</keyword> 5G starts for a price of ₹17,499 for the 4GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. With an additional ₹1000, you can upgrade to 6GB of RAM, providing you an option at ₹18,499. <br /><br />The smartphone is available for you to buy from Samsung’s own D2C website, Flipkart, and chroma retail stores. <br /><strong><br />Unboxing - We don’t get a charger!</strong><br /><br />I was surprised when I had the F23 5G’s box in my hand. It was compact and I knew what it meant. Surprisingly, the F23 does not get a charger inside the box just like its premium siblings in the S series. The unboxing experience is underwhelming since we only get some basic paperwork, a Type-C charging cable, and of course the phone.<br />              <div type="image" title="You get an earphone jack on the Galaxy F23 5G" msid="91106506" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You get an earphone jack on the F23 5G&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br /><br />While I do appreciate the motive behind these reductions, Samsung needs to understand that a consumer buying a product at this price point expects these accessories inside the box. <br /><br />Thanks to it’s massive R&amp;D unit, the brand should be the first one to understand that this might move consumer preference toward other brands as they might not want to spend more for a charger. <br /><br />            <div type="image" title="Galaxy F23 5G has a plastic back" msid="91106562" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy F23 5G has a plastic back&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><strong><br />Design &amp; Build Quality - Back to Basics</strong><br /><br />Samsung has opted the tried and tested formula when it comes to F23 5G’s design. A minimalistic upgrade from the F22 in terms of looks, the only striking difference is the new camera array on the back. Now we see a triple camera set-up on the phone compared to the quad-camera set-up on the F22. <br /><br />Aesthetically, the aqua blue colorway with me is appealing to the eyes, even though it looks more like a lighter shade of minty green. If you like your phones with a bolder color then you can go for the forest green color option. <br /><br />The build quality and material used are also familiar to F22, with the phone sporting a plastic body and back. Fortunately, the quality of the plastic is stellar and it doesn’t seem compromised by any means. The plastic body also helps in reducing weight since the smartphone is anyway carrying a massive 5000 mAh battery. All though it weighs 198 grams, a perfect blend of semi-flat edges and even weight distribution makes it easy to hold.<br />            <div type="image" title="Galaxy F23 5G is chunky but easy to hold" msid="91106570" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy F23 5G is chunky but easy to hold&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br /><br />Other design aspects are what you expect from a Samsung Galaxy. On the right side, we get to see volume rockers and a power lock &amp; unlock button. The power button also incorporates the fingerprint sensor, which is not as snappy as you’d expect it to be in 2022. It does unlock the phone, but only after placing your finger at a correct angle. A light tap on the sensor does not do the job, and I had to consciously press the power button for the phone to recognize my fingerprint. This was a turn-off for me since its counterparts like the Redmi note 11 Pro+ and the Realme 9 5G can unlock with just a tap. <br /><br />At the bottom, we get to see a 3.5mm headphone jack which is a bonus these days. It also works really well and delivers crisp audio. Right next to it is a USB Type-C charging port along with a speaker grill.<br />            <div type="image" title="Galaxy F23 5G has a side-mounted finger print sensor" msid="91106589" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy F23 5G has a side-mounted finger print sensor&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The SIM card slot situation is also favorable with 2 dedicated slots for nano SIM and a slot for a micro SD card. <br /><strong><br />Display - Best in the segment</strong><br /><br />Before we touch upon the quality of the display, it’s important to point out that upfront the F23 looks outdated. With a teardrop design combined with considerably thick bezels and a chin, I felt as if I am using a smartphone from 2018. <br /><br />Samsung’s recycled design choice takes away from what the brand has achieved in terms of the specs on this panel. The 6.6-inch display is an LCD screen, and it looks great. The screen produces rich colors that ensure you enjoy watching your content. It is also well lit and you can look at it under direct sunlight as well, given you set it to maximum brightness. The screen is also protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, ensuring an aid against scratches.<br />            <div type="image" title="Galaxy F23 5G comes with 90 Hz refresh rate" msid="91106653" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy F23 5G comes with 90 Hz refresh rate&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br /><br /><br />What made the F23’s display stand out for me was the smooth execution of the adaptive refresh rate feature. The phone can switch and adapt between 60 and 120 Hz depending on the app you are using. So far, the experience is smooth and I enjoyed the easy switch between a web page and a game. <br /><br />The display’s quality and higher refresh rate definitely make it stand out in the mid-range segment.<br /><br />Issues like not having a punch-hole display and an always-on feature might not affect the general consumer, but I feel Samsung undermined its own product with this decision. <br /><br />When I had just started enjoying the display Samsung’s cutbacks came back to haunt me, the convict this time was the speaker. Samsung Galaxy F23 features a single speaker set-up which by itself is a fairly loud unit, however, even after a week of usage I still miss a stereo set-up. <br /><br />If you are someone who watches content on their phone, without earplugs then this is a point to note.<br /><br /><strong>Samsung Galaxy F23 5G UI - Same old, same old<br /></strong>By now, I have accepted Samsung’s move of providing a more robust OS experience, which seems familiar across all its devices. While it does add a sense of reliability, it also makes the usage boring.<br /><br />Just like other Samsung devices, the F23 5G also runs on Samsung’s own One UI skin paired with Android 11. With familiar animation and app icon designs, you won’t really feel a difference if you are coming from a Samsung phone. Familiarity also means the convenience of generic Samsung features like lift to wake, navigation gesture switch, and one-handed mode. <br /><br />You can also use Samsung’s good old widgets to improve your workflow like calenders, reminders and even emails. Aesthetically, I could change themes, but I would suggest sticking with the classic Samsung One UI skin, it's subtle and less cartoonish than other options. <br /><br />Booting up the device there is some bloatware onboard which was surprising. Apps like Byjus, Josh, Mx Takatak, Moj and even Sharechat are pre-installed. This is a first for me in a Samsung device. Thankfully this package can be uninstalled.<br /><br />Before closing this section I have to talk about the security of the device. Both in terms of hardware and data privacy. Samsung provides you with both fingerprint sensor and face unlock feature on the F23. Unfortunately, both of them are sloppy in their job. While I have explained about the fingerprint sensor earlier, the face unlock is even more unreliable. It takes two steps to set up one with your glasses and another without them. Yet, I have not been able to unlock the phone seamlessly even once. Maybe this will improve with future updates but as of now the situation is abysmal. <br /><br />From the data privacy perspective, a highlight of the device is the availability of Knox security which protects your data against unfortunate intrusions. While data safety as a concern is still picking up in our country, it is commendable on Samsung’s part to provide this feature at this price point.<br /><strong><br />Performance</strong> <br /><br />Samsung Galaxy F23 5G is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G chipset, which is decent for this price range given we see it on the Nord CE and Mi 10i. While I can’t test the 5G prowess of the smartphone yet, Samsung says it comes with 12 5G bands which do make the phone future proof. <br /><br />Performance-wise, the F23 5G performs decently well across multiple strata. Be it calling, or web surfing the phone does not lag and provides peak output without breaking a sweat.<br /><br />Memory management is a bit sloppy though, with the phone occasionally missing out on booting up basic apps like chrome from the point where I left them. The variant with me comes with 6GB of RAM and yet I faced this issue. If you are planning to buy the F23 then I strongly recommend ditching the 4GB RAM variant. As for storage, the 128 GB internal capacity will be enough for most of the users, but in case you still want more, you can always use an SD card. <br /><br />Things get complicated for performance-hungry tasks like gaming. I had an hour-long session of BGMI on F23. It runs the game smoothly on HD settings but after the games were done, I could feel considerable heating. So in case you are buying it for serious gaming, then here’s a heads up.<br /><br />With a 5000 mAh cell, the F23 should last well over a day for a generic user. This involves mostly calling messaging and casual social media browsing.<br /><br />For a heavy user like me, mileage does get affected but not so much. After a long day of testing, the phone would stand at a solid 10%.<br /><br />Since we don’t get a charger in the box, finding the right brick is important. The F23 supports 25W fast charging, so the usual Samsung wall adapter worked for me. I used the 20W Samsung brick and the phone charged from 10-100% in about 1 hour 20 minutes. <br /><br />Now even if you don’t charge to a complete 100, the F23 won’t give up on you, thanks to the chipset’s efficiency and the big battery.<br /><strong><br />F23 5G Camera</strong><br /><br />The Galaxy F23 5G has a triple camera set-up at the back featuring a 50MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and a 2MP macro sensor.<br />            <div type="image" title="Galaxy F23 5G&amp;#39;s wide-angle sensor" msid="91106681" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy F23 5G&amp;#39;s wide-angle sensor&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br />The primary sensor performs fairly well in bright outdoor environments with crisp images and commendable color reproduction. The image quality is clean and does not look burnt out.<br />            <div type="image" title="Galaxy F23 5G macro sensor performs well" msid="91106695" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy F23 5G macro sensor performs well in natural lighting conditions&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br />The portrait shots are just about okay, providing you with acceptable edge detection in favorable lighting conditions. <br /><br />The ultra-wide sensor performs its job well and creates more room for you to click pictures. With 10X digital zoom, you can also close up on your subject however you will be compromising on details.<br />            <div type="image" title="Main camera set-up works well in natural lighting" msid="91106705" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Main camera set-up works well in natural lighting&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The macro sensor when used can deliver surprising results, which are worthy of your social media feed. <br /><br />There are other photo options like night mode which do bring upon a change however the results are grainy, lacking details.<br />          <div type="image" title="Night mode on Galaxy F23 5G is not impressive" msid="91106768" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Night mode on Galaxy F23 5G is not impressive&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Video performance is decent for casual shooting, but if you are a content creator then this is not the device for you. While the camera can shoot 4K at 30 fps, the results are not desirable. The videos look saturated and the final product is not worthy of your social media feed.<br /><br />The front camera is an 8MP shooter and gives you an option to go wide as well. The image results are decent, and generally quite nice. The portrait selfies have satisfactory edge detection and the output is worth the clicks.<br />          <div type="image" title="Selfies from Galaxy F23 5G are satisfactory" msid="91106778" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Selfies from Galaxy F23 5G are satisfactory&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br /><br /><strong>Verdict<br /></strong><br />Samsung Galaxy F23 5G is an everyday phone for the folks who don’t like experimenting with their devices. It brings in every possible feature Samsung can deliver at this price point and chooses to ignore the one’s that a consumer of this price bracket won’t really care about. <br /><br />As my hypothesis said, the phone is an outcast when compared to its counterparts, but it’s not outdated. <br /><br />In a way, this is not a device for the young, but it is a perfect smartphone for people looking for an option for their elderly. <br /><br />With Samsung’s trusted brand image, a solid UI and future proof 5G chipset, and a massive battery life, this makes it to be a great gifting option. <br /><br />See also - <br /><br /><h1 style="line-height:1.44;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/nokia-launches-new-g21-smartphone-with-nearly-3-day-battery-life-and-50mp-camera-along-with-other-features/articleshow/91098016.cms">Nokia G21 smartphone with nearly 3-day battery life and 50MP camera launched today</a></h1><h1 style="line-height:1.44;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 8pt 0pt;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ola-pure-ev-and-okinawa-recall-nearly-6700-electric-scooters-after-nitin-gadkaris-warning-and-continued-fire-accidents/articleshow/91067732.cms">Ola, Pure EV and Okinawa recall nearly 6,700 electric scooters after Nitin Gadkari’s warning and continued fire accidents</a></h1><h1 style="line-height:1.44;border-bottom:solid #eeeeee 0.75pt;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt;background-clip:padding-box;padding:0pt 0pt 11.25pt 0pt;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/5g-in-india-who-what-when-why-and-how-much/articleshow/91004188.cms">5G in India – who, what, when, why and how much?</a></h1>

You Searched For "mx takatak" and got 7 results

Realme 9 Speed Edition review – Great performance for price but underwhelming camera

Dhruv Mohan

Realme 9i 5G Review - 5G Upgrade With Cosmetic Changes

Dhruv Mohan

Samsung Galaxy A73 5G Review — A good phone dwarfed by its own sibling

Dhruv Mohan

Realme GT 2 Pro review: Testing the cheapest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 smartphone

Dhruv Mohan

Disney+ Hotstar strengthens its content offering to attract new users as cricket lovers get ready for Vivo IPL 2021

Karuna Sharma

A creator's guide to a successful journey in 2021

Guest Author

Samsung Galaxy F23 5G review

Dhruv Mohan