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The A-listers

2017 was a great year for handheld devices. It was also the year where the smartphone market saw maximum saturation with never-ending list of new smartphones. The A-listers

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Published at : January 2, 2018

Updated at : January 2, 2018 08:23

Kathmandu

2017 was a great year for handheld devices. It was also the year where the smartphone market saw maximum saturation with never-ending list of new smartphones.

From Apple’s decision to opt for a newer design, to Samsung’s comeback after the Note 7 went down in flames, Nepali consumers got to see it all. But, looking back, there were six smartphones that particularly stood out after making their debut in the Nepali Market.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

2016 was a rough year for Samsung. Many had doubts that the company would rise back again. But the Korean giant was able to shut its critics with the introduction of Galaxy S8. The phone came with a design overhaul which made S8 one of the best-designed phones last year. As if Samsung hadn’t already made a point, the company went on to introduce what arguably is the best smartphone of 2017—the Galaxy Note 8.

Galaxy Note comes with a new display form and a dual camera setup. Powered by Exynos 8895 SoC, the phablet (phone-tablet) which is coupled with 6 GB of RAM gives users a smooth performance that never stutters. The Note 8 is Samsung’s first device to don dual lenses. It does well to take super saturated images preserving all details. The only turn off might be the placement of the fingerprint scanner and not-so-promising battery life.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Specs

6.3-inch Quad HD + Super AMOLED Display
Octa-Core Exynos 8895 Processor
6 GB RAM
64 GB ROM (Expandable up to 256 GB)
Android v7.1.1 Nougat
Dual 12 MP rear camera
8 MP front camera
Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, Iris Scanner
3,300 mAh Li-Ion Battery
Price: Rs. 102,99

iPhone X

The iPhone X is a special 10-year anniversary edition of the iPhone. The 5.8-inch device has a refreshed design all over. The phone has ditched bezels but there is, however, a notch on top of the device to make room for a 7-megapixel selfie camera and other sensors. The notch houses an infrared camera, a flood illuminator, and a dot projector for FaceID—Apple’s new security option for iPhones. It has discarded TouchID which came as a huge surprise. The X is made of a glass back which means the device can now support wireless charging. And then there is the Animoji, with which users can make their own emoticon that can read facial movements and mirror them into a certain character.

iPhone X Specs

5.8-inch Super AMOLED (2436 x 1125 pixels) Display
Apple A11 Bionic chipset
3 GB RAM
64/256 GB ROM
iOS 11
Dual 12 MP rear camera
7 MP front camera
FaceID
2,716 mAh Li-Ion Battery
Starting price: Rs 138,000

OnePlus 5

There was a time when we had to pay a huge sum of money just to get a device of a flagship-standard. Then came the OnePlus One that changed it all. It provided a great and a trustworthy user experience that established the company as a “dark horse.” Fast forward a few years and OnePlus is really shining at what it does. The company launched two devices last year—the 5 and the 5T. The OnePlus 5 has made a name for itself for packing top-quality specifications for a mere price of Rs 48,879. Although its price hiked up to Rs 59,500 in Nepal, it is still worth every penny you pay. It has a near-stock Android with few customisations up its sleeve. OnePlus has also promised an Oreo update this month. The OnePlus 5 comes equipped with dual camera lenses that are much better than the one on its predecessor. Even though it has an Optic AMOLED display, the 5 still sports a full HD panel which is a bummer.

OnePlus 5 Specs

5.5-inch Full HD Optic AMOLED Display
Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Processor
6/8 GB RAM
64/128 GB ROM
Android v7.1.1 Nougat
16 MP + 20 MP rear camera
16 MP front camera
Front-mounted fingerprint sensor
3,300 mAh Li-Ion Battery
Starting price: Rs 59,900

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro

Most of the mid-range devices always have the issue of equipping a camera that doesn’t really shine in low light conditions. However, that was not the case with the new Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro as its rear camera performs quite well in the dark. The wide f/1.7 aperture can take in ample lighting en route to capturing sharp and well-detailed images. And that’s not all, the J7 Pro also features a flagship-grade Super AMOLED display that has an exemplary quality considering its cost price which paired with a 3,600 mAh battery, provides around six hours of screen-on-time. However, Samsung has cut cost on the inside, as the smartphone has the same processor 2016’s J7 Prime did. But, if performance is what you are after, you should certainly look elsewhere.

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro Specs

5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED Display
Octa-Core Exynos 7870 Processor
3 GB RAM
64 GB ROM (expandable up to 128 GB)
Android v7.0 Nougat
13 MP rear camera
13 MP front camera
Front-mounted fingerprint sensor
3,600 mAh Li-Ion Battery
Price: Rs. 32,900

Huawei Nova 2i

The first smartphone in Nepal to house four cameras in total, the Huawei Nova 2i, certainly gained consumers’ attention last year. The device also follows 2017’s trend of sporting minimal bezels. Although the brightness of this display is questionable, it has ample saturation and the colours pop quite nicely. The display is veiled by a premium feeling metallic body. This body holds the Nova 2i’s dual primary camera setup that measures 16 MP + 2 MP. These two lenses can take images with a shallow depth of field, ie images with blurred background. The strength of blur can be adjusted according to the user’s preference. This same feature is implemented by the two front-facing lenses as well. So, all-in-all, the Nova 2i is a camera smartphone that can provide you with swift performance in a near bezel-less frame. The Huawei Nova 2i is currently available for Rs 33,900.

Huawei Nova 2i Specs

5.9-inch full HD IPS Display
Octa-Core HiSilicon Kirin 659 Processor
4 GB RAM
64 GB ROM (expandable up to 256 GB)
Android v7.0 Nougat
16 MP + 2 MP rear camera
13 MP + 2 MP front camera
Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
3,340 mAh Li-Ion Battery
Price: Rs 33,900

Xiaomi Redmi 4A

One of the best smartphones in its price range, the Xiaomi Redmi 4A is the low-budget king of 2017. The device is the perfect example of how cheap smartphones are getting better. It has a compact 5-inch screen that produces quite accurate colours considering it’s a device worth Rs 14, 599. What I like about this device is its software. Although it runs on the older Android Marshmallow, it has MIUI on top which is feature packed. The UI lets you customise the whole software according to your liking. Low-budget smartphones that have a skin on top of Android always have an issue with stuttering due to its clogged software, but that’s not the case with the Redmi 4A. Even though the device has an entry-level processor, Xiaomi has succeeded in making the UI lag free.

Xiaomi Redmi 4A Specs