Rugged Samsung Galaxy Xcover Pro 2 leaks in renders
Samsung’s Xcover line of rugged smartphones is apparently due for a refresh this year, with the Galaxy Xcover Pro 2 already spotted in a benchmark database listing earlier this month.
And today the same device has been portrayed in detailed CAD-based renders. The source of the renders also claims the phone will have a 6. 56″ screen (approximate size), an Infinity-V design at the front (that’s what Samsung calls a waterdrop notch), a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a 3. 5 mm headphone jack.
The Galaxy Xcover Pro 2’s dimensions are alleged to be 169. 5 x 81. 1 x 10. 1 mm. This will be the first Xcover with 5G support, as the aforementioned benchmark run revealed that at the helm sits a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC – although the source of today’s renders claims the Exynos 1280 will be used instead. The phone should inherit its predecessor’s removable battery either way.
Rumor has it the handset will hit the shelves this summer at the latest, and it should run Android 12 from day one.
Samsung explains the design ideas that shaped One UI 4
Samsung offers a rare glimpse behind the scenes into how One UI 4.0 was designed. The interface had to be simple, intuitive and secure while still allowing users to express their feelings.
Version 4 starts out with a color system that was focused on cleaning up the look. The most essential elements are colored, and everything else remains monochrome. There are three types of colors in the system: app, core and functional colors.
Before One UI 4.0, the interfaced used slightly different colors to mean the same thing. Version 4 unified them in a consistent manner to create the functional colors, e.g. red means “stop”, “reject”, “delete”, “remove” and so on.
The team considered redesigning One apps in order to meet the different needs of users. This was the guiding idea behind the redesign of the Weather and Calendar apps, for example. Users want the latest weather information, while others are interested in the forecast for the entire day. Previously, that information was mixed together, but was split into separate views for the latest Samsung UX.
A primary goal for One UI 4.0 was to give users assurances that their privacy is respected. Status bars display privacy indicators that alert you when apps are using your microphone, camera or other functions. The Permission Dashboard shows stats about which apps used what permissions and how often, it also offers the option to revoke them.
One UI 4.0 lives up to its name by applying the same visual language to various Galaxy-branded products – from phones to tablets, smartwatches to laptops. Getting Dark mode right was tricky as it had to balance visual comfort with preserving the look and feel of apps.
Self expression was also an important factor. The interface leverages Android 12’s Material You color system to extract five colors from your wallpapers and style application UI with them.
Samsung also created Emoji Pair, which combines a couple of emojis for when a single one doesn’t quite capture your emotion. AR Emojis have gained new animations after polling users what they want to express with them. People in their 20s were more inclined to caricatures while those in their 30s wanted something more realistic. All age groups wanted to focus on positive emotions rather than negative ones, however.
If you want to read more about the ideas that shaped Samsung’s One UI, check out the Q&A post on Samsung Newsroom.
Asus expects GPU prices to fall by up to 25%, UK retailer also predicts prices will go down
Until recently, it was almost impossible to find a GPU at MSRP. However, there have been signs that this GPU drought may be ending. According to 3DCenter, GPUs are the cheapest they have been since it started tracking their prices in January 2021 (note: 3DCenter focused on prices in Germany and Austria).
Nvidia RTX 3000 and AMD RX 6000 cards are “just” 25% over MSRP. It doesn’t sound great, but this is the lowest level in the last 15 months. And there are encouraging comments from OEMs and retailers.
3DCenter’s price chart for GPUs over the last 15 months (in Germany and Austria)
Asus told PCGamer that it has already started dropping its MSRPs across all SKUs. It may have done this to gain an advantage over other OEMs, and to secure more orders once the card’s average price drops.
That’s not all, TechRadar spoke with a representative of one of the UK’s biggest retailers, Box, who said “By the end of April, beginning of May, we should start to see things return to a more attractive price.”
Things are looking up in the US as well. Imports from China were subject to taxes during the US-China Trade War. However, GPUs received an exemption. That expired at the beginning of 2021 and brought on a 25% tax. The US has reinstituted the exemption up to the end of the year. This should bring down prices.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Founders Edition and OEM versions
As a result of all this, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Founders Edition launched at $2,000. This number would have been higher if the 3090 Ti launched earlier this year as originally planned. Of course, the 3090 Ti will be the last hurray for the 3000 series and the RTX 4000 generation is on the horizon. Cards that are currently on hand will become less appealing to potential buyers as they get older.
Crypto mining has also affected
GPU pricing. To combat this, Nvidia released GPUs whose mining abilities have been intentionally cut down. The Low Has Rate (LHR), cards initially saw low demand, but this soon increased. This is due to both gamers and crypto miners who believe they can bypass the restrictions on hash rates, according to the Box representative.
Even so, GPU prices are expected to keep falling. This spring could be the most favorable time to purchase a new GPU in over two years.
Samsung Galaxy A73 5G and Galaxy A33 5G will launch in India in the coming days
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G launched in India last week, as did the A23 and A13. Soon the A73 and A33 models will join them. In a matter of days Samsung will accept pre-booking. The phones will soon be made available in select offline and online stores.
Pricing for the Galaxy A73 5G is yet to be announced (but it should be between the A53 5G at Rs35,000 and the Galaxy S20 FE 5G at Rs40,000). It can be found on the Samsung website . You can also set up reminders for when it becomes available. Two versions are offered, 128 GB and 256 GB, in three colorways.
The Samsung Galaxy A73 5G and Galaxy A33 5G will be available in India soon
The Galaxy A33 5G price is also TBA (similarly, it should fall between the Rs35,000 A53 and Rs19,500 A23). The online store shows two configurations, 6/128 GB and 8/128 GB, with four colorways to choose from.
If the A33 proves too pricey, the Galaxy A23 starts at Rs19,500, while the Galaxy A13 (4G) starts at Rs15,000. A more detailed breakdown of prices is available below:
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Rs35,000 – 6/128 GB
Rs36,000 – 8/128 GB
Samsung Galaxy A23
Rs19,500 – 6/128 GB
Rs21,000 – 8/128 GB
Samsung Galaxy A13
Rs15,000 – 4/64 GB
Rs16,000 – 4/128 GB
Rs17,500 – 6/64 GB
By the way, the Galaxy A13 is already at the office, so expect a review soon!
The vivo V23 5G has arrived in Europe. In Spain the phone will be available from April 1 with an MSRP of EUR500 (for a 256 GB unit), in Germany it launches tomorrow at EUR550. The Czech press release puts the price at CZK 12,000, with a free pair of vivo TWS 2e (worth CZK 1,500) if you order by April 18.
The phone is also coming soon to Austria, Belarus, France, Italy, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. For more information, please visit your nearest vivo.com office. Also, don’t miss our review of the phone.
As for the phone itself, it’s a master of selfies with a 50 MP main camera (with autofocus) and an 8 MP ultra wide-angle (105deg) camera on the front, plus a pair of dual-tone LEDs for late night illumination with adjustable color temperature.
vivo V23 5G with dual front facing cameras (with LED flash) * 64+8+2 MP rear cameras
The rear camera packs a 64 MP sensor for the main module and an 8 MP for the ultra wide, there is also a 2 MP macro camera. The phone’s 6. 44″ AMOLED display (with 90 Hz refresh rate) is HDR10+ certified, the phone also has a Hi-Res Audio certification (but no 3. 5 mm jack).
The vivo V23 5G is powered by a Dimensity 920 with 12 GB of RAM and runs Funtouch OS 12 (based on Android 12), which offers 4 GB of virtual RAM. The phone’s slender 7. 55 mm body is made out of an aluminum alloy, the display is protected by Schott Xensation Up glass.
The back is also made of glass (Fluoritte AG glass), which changes color after you leave it in the sun for a few minutes. Finally, the phone packs a 4,200 mAh battery with support for 44W fast charging. The phone scored a high endurance score and was able to charge up in less than an hour.
vivo V23 5G’s rear glass changes color after a few minutes in the sun
Comparing the V23 5G with the older V21 5G (which is around EUR350 on Amazon DE), you will find a faster chipset (Dimensity 920 vs. 800U), faster battery charging (up from 33W) and an ultra wide camera on the front (the V21 has a single 44 MP camera on the front, which has OIS interestingly enough).
Samsung drops the Z from the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 in Baltic countries
Samsung has quietly removed the Z letter from the name of the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G in the three Baltic countries – Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Although the reason for this move is not known, it seems to be logical. It was done in order to remove any association with Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The product pages for both phones on all three local Samsung sites lack the Z letter in the images, but it’s still present in the URL, showing that the move is quite recent.
Interestingly, the Ukrainian Samsung website still has the Galaxy Z naming, but that will likely change soon enough.
The letter Z was a symbol that Russia used to invade the country. There has been speculation about what this means but it isn’t yet clear. But as the countries closest to Russia in both geography and in history and culture, the Baltic states will likely associate the letter Z more strongly with Russia than most others.
An Oppo Reno7 limited to 4G connectivity has quietly appeared on the company’s online store in Indonesia. This will be the first in the series as all previous Reno7 models support 5G, though this one isn’t too dissimilar to the Reno7 Z 5G.
The Z 5G model has a Snapdragon 695, while the 4G model uses a Snapdragon 680. It is paired with 8GB of RAM (plus 5GB virtual RAM) and 256GB storage. The phone runs ColorOS 12. 1 (based on Android 12) out of the box.
Oppo Reno7 (4G) with a Snapdragon 680 chipset (8/256 GB memory)
The Reno7 has a 6. 43″ AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate (180Hz touch sampling rate for up to 2 fingers), plus Gorilla Glass 5 protection. This HDR-compatible display can stream HDR HDR content via Amazon Prime Video or other services.
Punch holed in the top left corner is a 32MP selfie camera based on the Sony IMX709 sensor (which has an RGBW filter). We’ve seen this sensor on other Reno7 models and even the flagship Find X5 Pro. Unfortunately, video recording is less flashy and tops out at 1080p @ 30 fps.
As for the rear cameras, there is a 64MP main module, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The main module has an f/1. 7 lens (79deg) with autofocus. Similar to its siblings, this Reno7 has an LED ring around one of its cameras.
The Reno7 is powered by a 4,500mAh battery with support for 33W SuperVOOC. It can get up to 39% in 15 minutes, but if all you need is a quick top-up to finish binging your favorite TV show, a 5 minute charge is enough for 100 minutes of video.
4,500 mAh battery with 33W fast charging (0-39% in 15 minutes)
The phone itself measures a hair under 7. 5 mm thick, its fiber glass body offers basic IPX4 splash protection. The Cosmic Black colorway is pretty classic, while the Sunset Orange offers a leatherette finish for the back.
This is a dual SIM phone with no microSD card slot. At least there is a 3. 5 mm headphone jack on the bottom. The retail package includes a charger, USB cable and a few other basics.
Oppo Reno7 in Sunset Orange and Cosmic Black
The Oppo Reno7 (4G) is available for pre-order in Indonesia through the official Oppo store, sales will start on April 1. It costs IDR 5,200,000 ($365/EUR325/Rs27,400). It comes with an Oppo Watch and a Bluetooth speaker for free.
The Realme 9 (4G) will use a brand new 108MP sensor – Samsung’s ISOCELL HM6
The Realme 9 (4G) will be the company’s second phone with a 108 MP sensor, following the Realme 8 Pro. However, the 8 Pro used the older ISOCELL HM2, while the 9 is getting a brand new HM6 sensor.
The company will market the camera as “ProLight”. As it explains, the ISOCELL HM6 uses a new NonaPixel Plus layout (3×3 binning), which combined with other improvements will increase the sensor’s light gathering ability by 123% compared to the HM2.
The Realme 9 will use a brand new 108 MP ISOCELL HM6 sensor (image credit)
Based on its internal testing, Realme claims that the new camera takes brighter pictures and produces better color reproduction in low lighting.
The Realme 9 will also use the “ultra-zoom” feature that is built into the HM6 sensor for lossless zoom using the main camera. Samsung is yet to officially unveil the new sensor – the Realme 9 will be the first to use it and the phone itself is still pending announcement. Expect to hear more details about the HM6 and the new NonaPixel Plus arrangement soon.
Xiaomi announces Redmi Note 11 Festival Edition, ahead of April 6 fan festival
Xiaomi revealed its annual Fan Festival is taking place on April 6 this year just as the brand announced its Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G for the global market alongside the Redmi 10 5G and Note 11S 5G smartphones. The event will bring a lot of discounted prices for current Xiaomi smartphones and accessories.
In addition, Xiaomi announced a special Festival Edition of the Redmi Note 11 coming just in time. This device will come in a Star Blue colourway and have an exclusive marking at the back. We can also see a special box alongside stickers and the usual 33W charger and USB-C charger.
We’ll be on the lookout for more details regarding Xiaomi’s Fan Festival and will update you with all the deals once they are available.
Nvidia has finally released the GeForce RTX 3090 T, its flagship consumer graphic card. It was revealed in January along with the RTX 3050..
The RTX 3090 Ti has a fully enabled GA102 GPU with 10752 CUDA cores, which is only slightly higher than the 10496 on the RTX 3090. The RT cores have gone up from 82 to 84 and the Tensor cores from 328 to 336. It includes the same 24GB of GDDR6X memory but the speed has been increased from 19. 5 Gbps to 21 Gbps.
Nvidia claims the RTX 3090 Ti has 40 TFLOPS of single precision performance compared to 35 TFLOPS of the RTX 3090. In gaming, it is 9 percent faster on average compared to the RTX 3090.
Nvidia seems to be primarily positioning the RTX 3090 Ti as a content creator’s card, focusing on the 24GB of memory you get compared to the 10GB or 12GB of the RTX 3080 and 3080 Ti. However, even the standard RTX 3090 has 24GB of memory, so I’m not sure what’s new here.
Similarly, the company is once again making claims of 8K gaming, which are about as realistic today as they were two years ago when the RTX 3090 was announced.
The final announcement from milquetoast is the insane price. This model comes with a very cool . That’s a 33 percent increase over the RTX 3090 despite the company’s own single digit performance improvement claims. And since this is MSRP, expect to pay a lot more in the current market.
I’m certain this will be a popular choice for those looking to get the best graphics card available. The RTX 3090 used to be the fastest available card, while the RTX 3090 T is vastly faster. There are also customers who don’t care about money or can earn their hardware back. There are the scalpers, and crypto miners. So it’s not as if there isn’t a market for it. And GPU manufacturers know this, which is why they have stopped pretending that prices need to be sensible when you can get away with putting any number on the box.
