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Huawei Mate SE Review

Andrew Myrick
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2018 has not been super kind to Huawei as the US government squashed plans to partner with AT&T and Verizon. However, that has not stopped the company from rolling out new options, including the budget-minded Huawei Mate SE.

The Mate SE was announced back in March, just a month after the Honor 7X was announced. For those who are unaware, Honor is actually a sub-brand of Huawei, who tends to focus on folks with a budget.

READ MORE: Five best budget Android smartphones you can buy

With the arrival of the Mate SE, we saw a few improvements when compared to the 7X. Mainly, there was a bump in the RAM and storage, while the design largely remained the same.

Huawei Mate SE Specifications

  • Display – 5.93-inches
  • Processor – HiSilicon Kirin 659
  • RAM – 4GB
  • Storage – 64GB
  • Front Camera – 8MP
  • Rear Cameras – 16MP + 2MP
  • Battery – 3,340mAh
  • Software – Android Oreo w/EMUI 8.0
  • Others – Dual nano-SIM cards, Fingerprint Scanner

Design

Moving into the design and to put it simply, the Mate SE is solid. We have a 5.93-inch display with a 2:1 aspect ratio thanks to thin bezels on the sides and smaller top and bottom bezels.

Instead of opting for an all-glass design, Huawei decided to use metal on the frame and rear. Meanwhile, there is a nice piece of glass housing the LCD display panel.

On the front, there is the earpiece, along with proximity sensor and front-facing 8MP selfie camera. Moving to the bottom, the Mate SE includes a microUSB charger, bottom-firing speaker, and 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Power and Volume buttons are housed on the right, with dual-SIM card slot found on the left. At the top, there is nothing but the additional microphone used to make phone calls easier.

Since the front is all glass, Huawei opted to move the fingerprint scanner to the rear. This is found in the middle of the device, with some Huawei branding placed closer to the bottom.

Finally, we come to the rear-mounted camera setup. Huawei decided to use horizontally-mounted cameras, along with an LED flash placed to the left.

Software

When the Mate SE shipped to users, the handset was equipped with Android Nougat along with Huawei’s EMUI 5.1 overlay. However, in the months since the release, Huawei has pushed the Android Oreo update to devices.

The software as a whole is reliable, although you will likely get a bit tired of EMUI after awhile. While serviceable, there are just certain aspects that can be rather annoying, including the placement of different options.

However, not everything is bad in the software department, and a lot of that is thanks to the EMUI 8.0. New features have arrived, including facial recognition and various improvements.

You will still get Huawei’s take on Android with EMUI, but this can be rectified with the help of a custom launcher and icon pack. However, you will be stuck with the various Settings panels and such that seem a bit too vibrant.

Cameras

As has been the tradition for the last year or so, the Mate SE comes with a dual-camera system. There is a primary 16MP sensor which does just about all of the heavy-lifting, but there is a secondary 2MP lens.

This secondary lens makes it possible for you to take images in portrait mode. By having the second sensor, you can get a bokeh effect to make your subject pop a little bit more.

In our testing, the Huawei Mate SE provides a solid experience in the camera department. The cameras won’t blow away the competition and don’t match up with flagship handsets.

However, Huawei still puts enough effort to make these images reliable and useful. If you tinker with the different modes, you can get some good results.

Huawei Mate SE Camera Samples

As for the front-facing cameras, I was actually a bit surprised. I’m not much of a selfie taker, as I like to rely on my rear-mounted cameras (since they are better).

However, the selfies from the Mate SE were crisp and clean, and even better than some of my other devices. This is definitely great news for those who love talking selfies while you’re at events with friends or just for a new profile picture.

Usage and Performance

In our day-to-day usage, the Mate SE provided an experience that was expected. Battery life was adequate and usually lasted throughout the day, with moderate usage.

Occasionally, there were some software stutters when quickly switching between apps, but that is to be expected. The Kirin 659 is not really built for power users, but for those who just want a comfortable and reliable experience.

One thing to make note of is the LCD display that the Huawei Mate SE uses. To help save on costs, Huawei couldn’t justify slapping an AMOLED panel in its budget line.

But that doesn’t mean that you are going to have a subpar experience. I would actually venture to state that this panel will be perfect for just about everyone and you shouldn’t run into any issues.

Conclusion

At just $250, the Huawei Mate SE is definitely a front-runner for those looking for a solid budget device. If you can get lucky and wait for a deal on Amazon, you can get the Mate SE for as low as $230.

Nonetheless, Huawei really is killing the game when it comes to mid-range/budget smartphones. Between the Mate SE and Honor 7X, you really can’t go wrong.

It’s just important to not expect flagship-like performance, but the gap is getting closer and closer. If you want to pick up a Huawei Mate SE for yourself, hit that beautiful button below.

In the meantime, let us know what you think about Huawei’s latest budget device and if you are interested in picking one up!

Buy the Huawei Mate SE!

LG V40 renders leak revealing a notch and five cameras

Jason England
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Say cheese, we now have some press renders of the new LG V40 showing off its five-camera setup. This leak happens right after the Pixel 3 XL leak we had yesterday, reminding us it isn’t the only flagship on the way. Unfortunately, we also have to take a second to mourn as we’ve lost another fine phone to the notch.

While you might not notice it at first glance, upon further inspection, you do indeed see there is a notch. There are just black bars in software hiding this eyesore.

As an added bonus we also get a chin bezel on the bottom of the phone, because Android manufacturers can’t even make a proper knockoff of the iPhone X. While LG was jumping on trends I guess we should just be thankful the V40 is keeping the headphone jack.

As for the five cameras, we finally get a look at the layout showing three lenses on the back and two on the front. The third lens on the back is speculated to be a zoom lens. That would make sense giving the LG V40 a better performing portrait mode. While at the same time keeping the traditional standard and super wide angle camera they are known for.

It will be interesting to see how they decide to utilize the two front-facing cameras. Will it be another standard and telephoto for portrait style photos? Perhaps they could bring back the standard and super wide lenses the V-series used in previous models.

A couple more design elements stolen from the LG G7 besides the notch are shown off in the renders. For instance, we see a button on the left side presumably for Google Assistant. Then on the right side is the power button which has been moved out of the fingerprint sensor on the back.

As for now, most of the other specs are up in the air. The LG V40 is expected to use the latest Snapdragon 845 like all the other flagships out this year. Beyond that, we are left guessing at what else could be inside.

Either way, it looks like we might find out November 16th if the date on the lock screen is anything to go by.

Lenovo releases new family of tablets with prices starting at $70

Jason England
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Whether you’ve been looking to replace your old tablet with something new or looking to get your first one, Lenovo has a tablet for you. Their new family of tablets comes in several different sizes, colors, and prices. To get things started, Lenovo has a line up of affordable E series tablets focused on low prices, different size options, sharing, and entertainment.

Lenovo Tab E7

The E series of tablets comes in three different sizes beginning with the Lenovo Tab E7, a 7-inch tablet that runs Android Oreo Go Edition. This is the cheapest and smallest of the three tablets priced at $69.99. It is ultra portable featuring a slim small size and has a battery that is good for up to 5 hours of video playback. The Tab E7 will be available exclusively through Walmart starting in October, just in time for Christmas.

Specs

  • 7-inch 1200 x 600 TN LCD display
  • MediaTek MT8167 processor 1.3GHz
  • 1GB of RAM
  • 16GB of storage; microSD card up to 128GB
  • Rear 2MP fixed focus camera; 0.3MP front-facing camera
  • 2750mAh battery
  • Android Oreo 8.0 Go Edition
  • 0.6lbs

Lenovo Tab E8

The Lenovo Tab E8 steps it up a little more with some upgrades over the Tab E7. It has a larger screen, better camera, and much larger battery. Thanks to the dedicated profiles feature it is perfect for families looking to share a tablet. It even has a dedicated mode for children to put your mind at ease when the little ones are using the tablet.

The Tab E8 will be great for watching movies with its 8-inch HD screen, front facing speaker with Dolby Atmos, and up to 10 hours of local video playback time. Unfortunately, the Tab E8 only comes with Android Nougat, unlike the Tab E7 which is a version ahead. The Lenovo Tab E8 starts at $99.99 and is available starting today from Walmart.

Specs

  • 8-inch 1280 x 800 HD IPS LCD display
  • MediaTek MT8163B 1.3GHz
  • 1GB of RAM
  • 16GB of storage; microSD card up to 128GB
  • Rear 5MP auto-focus camera; 2MP fixed focus front-facing camera
  • 4850mAh battery
  • Android Nougat
  • 0.71lbs

Lenovo Tab E10

If you or your family loves watching videos and you are less concerned with portability then the 10 inch Tab E10 is what you’re looking for. The Tab E10 not only has a larger screen for movies, but also includes two front-facing speakers with Dolby Atmos for better sound as well.

Along with the larger screen, the Tab E10 also comes with a Qualcomm processor, more RAM, and boasts up to 7 hours of video playback. The E10 will be available starting in October for $129.99 from Walmart and other retailers.

Specs

  • 10-inch 1280 x 800 HD IPS LCD display
  • Snapdragon 210 1.1GHz processor
  • 2GB of RAM
  • 16GB of storage; microSD card up to 128GB
  • Rear 5MP auto-focus camera; 2MP fixed focus front-facing camera
  • 4850mAh battery
  • Android Oreo Go Edition
  • 1.17lbs

Lenovo Tab M10

The M in the Lenovo Tab M10 must stand for midrange, as this 10-inch tablet from Lenovo improves upon the previous E series. The Tab M10 comes with a faster processor, more RAM, more storage, and a higher resolution screen. Plus, it still includes the dual front facing speakers with Dolby Atmos for killer sound.

There is also an option for a Kid’s Pack which includes a protective bumper for the tablet as well as a kid’s mode with content curated especially for children. This way not only can you enjoy videos on the Full HD screen but so can your kids. The Lenovo Tab M10 will be available this winter from Amazon.

Specs

  • 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD display
  • Snapdragon 450 Octa-Core 1.8GHz processor
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 32GB of storage; microSD card up to 256GB
  • Rear 5MP auto-focus camera; 2MP fixed focus front-facing camera
  • 4850mAh battery
  • Android Oreo
  • 1.06lbs

Lenovo Tab P10

If I had to guess, I would say the P in the Lenovo Tab P10 stands for Pro because this is the highest end of the tablets announced today. It starts with premium materials such as an all metal frame and a glass back similar to most flagship phones. The 10.1-inch FHD screen is surrounded by slimmer bezels and it includes not two but four speakers total, along with Dolby Atmos processing.

You’ll also find a fingerprint scanner on the Tab P10 which takes advantage of the multi-user mode. By using the fingerprint scanner each family member can log into their own user account with the tablet customized just how they like.

Beyond the obvious cosmetic upgrades, the tab P10 also includes more RAM, more storage, better cameras, and a larger battery over the Lenovo Tab M10. What’s even more impressive is the large 7000mAh battery providing up to 15 hours of video playback while also weighing in less than the tab M10. If you’re wanting to get your hands on this high-end tablet you’ll have to wait until winter when it becomes available from Amazon.

Specs

  • 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD display
  • Snapdragon 450 Octa-Core 1.8GHz processor
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 64GB of storage; microSD card up to 256GB
  • Rear 8MP auto-focus camera; 5MP fixed focus front-facing camera
  • 7000mAh battery
  • Android Oreo
  • 0.97lbs

Lenovo unleashed quite a lot of tablets on us today. Ranging from affordable options you can trust your kids with all the way up to more premium offerings. It is pretty obvious from the specs and price point that the E series is meant to compete against Amazon’s Fire tablets. While the Tab M10 and Tab P10 are targeted towards a more mature consumer who is looking for a higher-end tablet.

Use these 7 tips to get started with the LG G7 ThinQ

Andrew Myrick
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It’s been a little while since the LG G7 has launched, but folks are still picking up the device. If you fall into that category, then you’ll want to get acclimated with your new smartphone and its various quirks.

Read More: LG G7 ThinQ Review

We have compiled a list of the seven tips to get started with your new LG G7 ThinQ!

Hide or customize the notch

We knew it was coming since LG likes to follow trends, but the notch is here with the LG G7. But you aren’t just “stuck” with the notch, as LG has included a new Settings option to customize the “New Second Screen”.

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap Display
  3. Select New Second Screen

Once you have entered the settings panel, you are greeted with Color and App Corners sections. The Color section allows you to stick with the “Standard” setup of using all of the display you can.

Or, you can opt to get your status bar back to normal and customize the colors. By selecting the Black color option, this will essentially hide the notch, and you can set it and forget it.

Moving onto the App Corners, this is only enabled when you select the “Custom” Color option. App Corners will allow you to adjust the severity of the curve for the corner of the second screen between two different options.

Keep the LG G7 Protected

It’s important to keep your devices protected throughout the duration of your ownership. This comes in either the form of a case or screen protector or both.

Best Cases for the LG G7 ThinQ

From the link above, we have already covered some of the best options for the G7. However, we have listed a few more options below, available for quick and easy access.

Get even more storage

Out of the box, the LG G7 comes equipped with 64GB of storage, which is just okay. What is awesome about the G7 is the fact that there is a microSD card slot for expanding.

There are a few options to choose from, and you can even get a 256GB microSD card from Samsung for less than $100. That’s more than enough storage to have all of your apps, games, movies, and whatever else you need on the go.

Adjust the resolution

LG has been doing just about everything it can under the hood to help improve battery life. However, that is still a tall order due to the paltry 3,000mAh battery.

There are a few things you can do to help improve battery life, starting with the display. The resolution of the G7 comes in at 3120 x 1440, but this can be adjusted.

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap Display
  3. Tap Screen Resolution
  4. Adjust the slider to “Medium (2340 x 1080)” or “Low (1560 x 720)“

Obviously this is less than ideal for those who want to have the full-power of the G7 at their fingerprints. But adjusting the resolution will help squeeze a few extra minutes from your battery before the end of the day.

Bring back the App Drawer

For some reason, various OEM’s are trying to get rid of the app drawer, moving to an iOS-like world. LG does this out of the box, but also makes it possible to bring back the app drawer.

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap Home Screen
  3. Select Home & App Drawer

If you want to swipe up from the bottom to bring up the app drawer, you can do so. However, for those who want the app drawer icon, there’s a toggle in these settings here too.

Of course, you can just bypass all of this and download a launcher such as Lawnchair, Pixel Launcher, or Nova Launcher.

Stay secure with Face Recognition

Fingerprint scanners have been around forever, but a new push is bringing face recognition to the masses. The G7 ThinQ is no different, as you can now unlock your device just by looking at it.

Here are the steps to get this set up:

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap Lock Screen & Security
  3. Select Face Recognition

From here, you will need to put your face in the center of the circle. Then, the G7 will scan your face and after it has been completed, you will be able to look at your phone to unlock it.

This is not as secure as Samsung’s Galaxy S9 or the iPhone X due to the lack of biometrics. However, it is still an option to quickly unlock your phone without needing to use the fingerprint scanner.

Take Google Assistant to the next level

For the first time on Android, a device has launched with a dedicated button for Google Assistant. Samsung has a Bixby button for its Galaxy lineup, but you have to try to remap it with another app.

Instead, the LG G7 features a dedicated hardware button which is located on the left-side below the volume buttons. Tapping it for the first time will walk you through the set up process.

Once completed, you can summon Assistant with the press of a button and get Google working for you. This also will provide quick access to Google Lens, as LG has this built into the G7.

Conclusion

There are a lot of smaller features packed into the LG G7, but we will save those for later. Instead, these are the tips and tricks you’ll need to get acclimated with your G7 for the first time.

Is there anything that we missed? Let us know in the comments below and keep an eye out for our more expansive list of tips & tricks.

White Night review – minimalist and bare, yet highly unsettling

Alexandra Arici
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I don’t know about you but I am a big fan of film noir. These movies rely on the subtle interplay between light and shadows to create an eerie, oppressive atmosphere that for me remains unmatched by today’s mystery thrillers and horrors.

Well, the developers of this game I’ve been playing for the past week have tried to port this unique ambiance to Android. Called simply White Night, this is a classic survival horror with a pretty intriguing story attached to it.

It’s available for download from the Google Play Store for $4.99.

Impressions

As you enter the black-and-white universe of White Night, you can’t help being drawn in by this unique monochromatic aesthetic which lays the ground for an eerie adventure.

The opening sequence which displays the credits for minutes on end reminds me of Twin Peaks. I couldn’t help but feel like Dale Cooper on his way to a God-forsaken town where something horrible had happened. The beautiful yet sinister music makes the scene even more striking.

A bit about the story

White Night is set in the 1930s during the Great Depression and the narrative is part murder mystery and part supernatural ghost story.

You step into the shoes of a nameless man who while driving on a deserted road, tries to avoid a young woman standing in the middle of the road. He crashes his car and unable to find the body of the victim, limps towards a spooky mansion to look for help. The house appears to be deserted at first, but as the main character will quickly find out that’s not exactly the case.

You’ll soon start exploring the darkness that is engulfing you, and stumble upon locked doors with mysterious seals engraved on them, pieces of a journal and lots of memories. The story is indeed a treat for those who love to solve enigmas. Who lived here? Why is this house abandoned? Did something bad happen here? All these are questions you need to answer.

Gameplay

Osome Studios, the developer behind the game did a spectacular job at creating a unique atmosphere just by using simple yet contrasting black and white graphics. Yet they didn’t pay the same attention to gameplay.

First and foremost, the controls and camera angles are really frustrating. Playing a point and click adventure on a mobile device was never a rewarding experience for me and the same goes for White Night.

Movement in the game was a real pain. I often found my taps on the screen did not correlate with the hero’s moves. This was in part, due to the fact that it’s quite difficult to make out the obstacles blocking your path since most have to explore in the near-absence of light. But the controls themselves brought plenty of painful moments to the experience.

See anything?

Once you’re inside the mansion, you can start collecting matchsticks, which are your only sources of light for most of the game. Yikes! But they burn out pretty quickly, so you’ll always have to keep an eye out for more. Because you don’t want to be caught in the dark for too long.

Darkness is the villain of this game

White Night isn’t the kind of game which has monsters jumping at you from behind. Instead, it uses darkness itself as the main villain. Fail to light a match quickly enough and you’ll be dead in an instant. Then you’ll start back from the last saving point.

The game’s fixed camera angles are another issue. While they do offer a cinematic Hitchcock-like experience, they don’t allow you to get a great sense of your surroundings and make some stuff hard to view or access. Basically, most of the time you can’t really see what you’re doing. Which is quite annoying in a game where you’re supposed to find and click on things to solve puzzles.

On the bright side, the ghostly apparitions in the game are very well executed. They are fuzzy, flickering creatures that seem to be in a state of agony that will bring chills up your spine.

Our character can catch a glimpse of them through the darkness, and man do they look frightening. Even on a mobile phone!

The puzzles in the game aren’t super complicated. And when you find yourself stuck, you can always turn for hints in the in-game newspaper, which is actually more of a journal. This has spared me a few times from roaming aimlessly throughout the house.

Conclusion

White Night excels at being an atmospheric mystery/horror game. It’s built on a good story, which at a time could have been a bit more original, but that’s just an idea. I’m deep in the horror genre, so perhaps I am a bit too familiar with its motifs and themes.

Sure, it’s not perfect and there’s a lot of room for improvement starting with the controls. The use of fixed camera angles could also be adapted to provide a more fluid exploration experience. But in my eyes, the black and white graphics, as well as the excellent soundtrack and voice acting redeem this game. I have to say: if you love horror games you shouldn’t miss White Night.

Latest Pixel 3 XL leak confirms wireless charging and includes camera samples

Jason England
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Yet another leak has surfaced ahead of the Pixel 3 XL launch. In the last big leak, we learned it would come with a pair of USB-C headphones, confirmed the specs, and the huge notch. This time around, we’re getting sample photos from the camera and confirmation of wireless charging.

A Russian blog got awful lucky and happened to snag one of the official Pixel 3 XL units early. On one of his posts at the Rozetked blog, he shows off the Pixel 3 XL in a gallery of photos from every angle. Unfortunately, the huge notch and chin are still present and that wasn’t some hoax played on us.

He goes on to list the specs, confirming what we already knew. It is powered by a Snapdragon 845, 4GB of RAM, features a 2960 x 1440 display with a notch, includes a pair of USB-C headphones, and is running Android 9.0 Pie.

The big shocker comes later from a Twitter post, where he drops the Pixel 3 XL on a Qi charger and confirms it will have wireless charging this year.

In yet another post on the Rozetked blog, he throws a bunch of photos taken from the Pixel 3 XL showing off what the new Google phone is capable of. Anyone who has used a Pixel previously knows how impressive the photos can be. The Pixel 3 XL once again does not disappoint in this area. The sample photos show vivid blue skies, plenty of a detail, and a beautifully balanced exposure.

The EXIF of the photos displays the camera as QCAM-AA which seems a little suspect. However, it is not that unusual for preproduction hardware. It is a little unusual for what should be a retail unit, but most likely it hasn’t gotten the final software update. For now, we’ll just have to take his word for it and the fact that he posted so many photos of the device makes it pretty reliable.

If you’d like to view even more of the photos for yourself, he included a Google Drive link with the full resolution samples. Now, all we have to do is wait for October 4th when the Pixel 3 XL should be launched officially.

Pre-orders for the LTE Samsung Galaxy Watch have begun starting at $380

Jason England
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Back at Samsung’s big Unpacked event, they revealed their brand new Tizen Watch, the aptly named Galaxy Watch. At the time, you could only order the Bluetooth version, with the LTE versions slated to come at a later date. That date has finally arrived, at least for the T-Mobile versions.

Currently, only the T-Mobile variant is listed on the Samsung website. However, all major carriers are slated to get the new Galaxy Watch, so don’t worry if you’re not on T-Mobile. While customers who aren’t on T-Mobile cannot pre-order at the moment, at least we’ve learned the pricing.

Pricing and Colors

The 42mm comes in Rose Gold and Midnight Black and starts at $380, while the 46mm only comes in silver and will set you back $400. Both of the LTE models only cost you $50 more than the Bluetooth versions which isn’t too bad.

Specs

Both Galaxy Watches are powered by a dual-core 1.15GHz CPU, with 1.5GB RAM, 4GB of internal memory, and run Tizen 4.0. The smaller 42mm model comes with a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED screen and includes a 270mAh battery. While the larger 46mm model houses a 1.3-inch Super AMOLED screen and a 472mAh battery.

Availability

For those of you lucky enough to be on T-Mobile you can start ordering your watches now from Samsung. Don’t get too excited though because since these are pre-orders you’re still going to have to wait until September 2 for them to ship. If you just can’t wait then get your wallets ready and follow the links below to Samsung’s site.

42mm Rose Gold Galaxy Watch 42mm Black Galaxy Watch 46mm Silver Galaxy Watch

Pocophone F1 officially launches in India with SD 845, 6GB of RAM, and $300 price tag

Jason England
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Xiaomi’s new sub-brand Pocophone just launched their first phone the F1 with a bang. This is hands down the cheapest phone you can buy with top of the line flagship specs. With only a measly $300 the specs on the Pocophone F1 puts other phones to shame.

Specs

  • 5.99-inch 2246 x 1080 LCD display
  • Snapdragon 845
  • Adreno 630
  • 6GB of RAM
  • 64GB/128GB/256GB of storage with microSD card slot
  • 12MP+5MP f/1.75 dual lens rear-camera
  • 20MP f/2.0 front-facing camera
  • 4000mAh battery
  • Android 8.1 Oreo MIUI 9.6
  • USB-C
  • 3.5MM Headphone Jack
  • Bluetooth 5

Xiaomi’s goal is to take on OnePlus in the Indian market by offering a similar phone at a cheaper price and I’d say they certainly succeeded. In comparison, the OnePlus 6 comes with very similar specs but costs a little over $200 more than the Pocophone F1.

Some of the key areas they differ are, the Pocophone F1 is made with a polycarbonate back instead of glass like on the OnePlus 6. The Pocophone F1 includes a larger battery, the MIUI skin over Android, and a worse camera.

Along with the creation of the sub-brand, Xiaomi has also made some tweaks to their MIUI skin to better adapt to the Indian market. For example, the Poco Launcher provides an app drawer by default. It also includes the search bar at the bottom and ways to auto-sort your apps by type or color. The Poco Launcher will also be released on the Play Store for any phone beginning on August 29.

Over the years Xiaomi phones have gotten the reputation of being cheap in India. This made it difficult for Xiaomi to push their more expensive handsets in the country. The launch of the new Pocophone brand doesn’t hide the fact that it is produced by Xiaomi. Instead, it is looking to shake up their image and compete with the other affordable flagship king OnePlus.

Pricing and Colors

The Pocophone F1 comes in several variations with a choice of 64GB or 128GB of storage for the 6GB of RAM model, or a version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Poco F1 begins at 20,999 rupees ($300) for the 6GB/64GB model, 23,999 rupees ($343) for the 6GB/128GB model, and 28,999 rupees (~$415) for the 8GB/256GB model.

They will be available in several colors including Steel Blue, Graphite Black, and Rosso Red. There will even be a special Armoured Edition with a Kevlar back for the 8GB/256GB version through Flipkart that will set you back 29,999 rupees ($429).

Availability

The Pocophone F1 will officially be available in India beginning on August 29. If you’re not in India and hoping to get your hands on one then you might be in luck. Pocophone has confirmed they will be launching the F1 in 50+ countries with launch events in France, Indonesia, and Hong Kong on August 27.

Xiaomi has high hopes for their new sub-brand, the question is, can it compete in an already saturated phone market? Will the low low prices steal market share from other brands competing in this segment or fall flat?

 

In Brief: Big tablets, cheap phones, Verizon’s dirty tricks (Episode 20)

Donovan Jeska
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Join us as we sit down and discuss some of the hot tech topics out there today. We’re taking on Verizon for some seemingly shady behavior by Verizon, one of our favorite indie phones coming to an American carrier, the future of Essential, and Google Assistant’s attempt at putting a smile on your face.

What we talked about today

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Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 review

Jason England
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Samsung is most well known for their flagship phones such as the Note 9 and Galaxy S9. However, they also make many other phones including more affordable entry-level phones. The Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 loaned to us courtesy of AT&T are prime examples of that.

While known by two different names these two phones are one and the same. They share the exact same design and specs, only differing in two areas which I’ll touch on at the end of the review.

Design

There is nothing extraordinary about the design of the Samsung J3 2018 or Galaxy Express Prime 3. That’s not surprising for an entry-level phone in this price range. The front features a 5-inch 720p LCD display with vivid colors and is bright enough to be viewed outdoors. Overall the display looks good and is proof that a low-resolution display doesn’t mean it is low quality.

Similar to previous generations of Samsung phones they both include a home button flanked by two capacitive buttons for navigation. Unsurprisingly, there is no fingerprint scanner in the home button nor is there one anywhere else on these phones.

Samsung J3 2018

In contrast, the absence of an ambient light sensor is quite shocking. Without an ambient light sensor, the display will not change brightness on its own. Instead, you are forced to manually adjust it with the slider. In 2018 an ambient light sensor should be standard on all phones and not a premium feature.

Another frustration is the absence of lights for the capacitive buttons making it more difficult to use in dimly lit or dark rooms. Especially since Samsung reverses the order of the recent apps and back buttons from stock Android.

Both phones have a plastic build and feel solid in the hand with a removable back. Stored away behind this back panel is the nano-SIM slot, microSD card slot, and removable battery. With only 16GB of storage, it’s a good thing the microSD card slot supports cards up to 400GB. I was constantly getting warning messages about being out of space, 16GB doesn’t go that far these days.

Samsung J3 2018

One design element often overlooked is the placement of the speaker. I’m happy to say the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 placed it on the right side instead of the bottom. Now sound won’t be easily muffled by your hand in landscape mode.

Holding the phones was easier and more comfortable without having to worry about covering a bottom firing speaker. Another positive is the inclusion of the headphone jack, thankfully Samsung is one manufacturer who hasn’t nixed it. Although in general, most entry-level phones have not removed the headphone jack.

Speaking of legacy ports, the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 still use the outdated micro USB standard. In a mobile world that where most phones have moved to the USB-C standard, this is quite disappointing. For users who have not made the switch to USB-C and don’t want to invest in new cables, this will be a positive, however.

Software

The J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 are running Android 8.0.0 Oreo out of the box along with Samsung’s typical thick skin overlay. Samsung phones have always made changes to the UI and added features to provide their own Android experience. Despite the lower end hardware they still do a good job of providing many of the same features you’d find on Samsung flagships.

For example, you have access to the theme store, secure folder, dual messenger, shortcuts for the camera, and one-handed mode, options in game mode to block notifications, and more. However, I ran into an annoying issue that prevents you from syncing your Gboard personal dictionary because of secure folder. I was also dissatisfied to see that night mode is missing from the display options.

Performance

Believe me when I say the lag is real on this phone. That shouldn’t be surprising considering they are both powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 7570 quad-core 1.4GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. These are far from flagship phone specs and it definitely shows when trying to multitask or play games.

Loading of most smaller apps isn’t that bad, it really only becomes frustrating when opening games. What makes it even worse is due to the paltry sum of RAM, you’ll often have to wait for the games or apps to reload if you switch apps.

Camera

The rear camera on the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 is an 8MP shooter with a respectable f/1.9 aperture and a 5MP f/2.2 camera on the front. Even with a f/1.9 aperture, the rear camera is still not great for low light images.

Without optical image stabilization photos have a higher probability of coming out blurry. Also, regardless of how steady your hands might be, there will still be a significant amount of noise in low light images.

Samsung J3 2018

Photos in daylight are better but still not fantastic because of a lack of dynamic range. While the J3 2018 and Express Prime 3 provide an HDR mode it still doesn’t balance out the exposure that well.

The HDR photos often leave you with halos around objects. Not to mention the patience you’ll need while it takes a few seconds for the HDR photos to process. Overall, it’ll work for snapshots but don’t expect anything too breathtaking from these cameras.

On the bright side, the camera does offer some useful shooting modes besides HDR such as pro, panorama, night, and sports. The front-facing camera also includes a selfie mode with beauty filters and a wide selfie mode.

The results of the front-facing camera are more disappointing than the rear camera because of the lower megapixel count and larger aperture. Your face is never quite clear and the background can look even worse.

Battery

Battery life is one area where the Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 shine. I was easily able to get 5 hours screen on time with plenty of juice leftover in a day. While with more light to medium usage I was able to go two full days before needing to charge. Another added benefit comes from the replaceable battery making it easy to swap if you’ll be away from the charger.

Conclusion

Unlike Samsung’s flagship phones the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 aren’t built to impress. They are best suited for those who are only looking for a basic phone to text or make phone calls. That doesn’t mean they are only limited to those uses. The J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 are plenty capable of playing games and doing more.

However, the experience will be subpar and I wouldn’t recommend them for multitaskers, gamers, or those who expect more from their phone. While both of these phones are essentially the same the only area they differ in is availability and price.

The Samsung J3 2018 is for postpaid customers on AT&T and will set you back $210. At that price, it’s not exactly a bargain. If you’re willing to shop around or wait you could find far more capable phones for a similar price. Ones that include extras like an ambient light sensor, a fingerprint scanner, or more.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Express Prime 3 is available for prepaid customers starting at $130. This is a much more reasonable price for the phone you are getting. There still might be better deals out there, but for $130 I feel you’re getting what you paid for.

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