Design & build quality

Aonic 50 is a bit heavy (334 grams) in comparison. The middle portion of the headphone is sturdy with some leather-like material wrapped around the metal frame. This headphone has a good grip over your head. The design is neat and there are no wires visible. The headphone has an adequate amount of tension which helps keep the headphone in place comfortably. Even people wearing glasses can wear these headphones for long without experiencing much discomfort.

Comfort & controls

The cushions on the earcups are soft and comfortable on the ears. On the right ear cup, you have the USB-C port, power switch, a LED indicator, volume up and down buttons with buttons for music/call control between them, and ANC/Environment mode buttons. On the left ear cup, you have a 3.5 mm port (for wired listening). Even after keeping these headphones on your ears for extended periods of time, it feels comfortable, even if you wear spectacles/glasses. The wire you get with the headphones is good quality and is around 1.2 meters in length.

You can enable ANC by sliding the switch all the way down. The middle position switches off ANC and if you slide to the top, it activates the environmental mode, where you listen to what’s happening around you. There are different levels to be set for environmental mode and 2 levels for ANC which can be set in Shure’s “ShurePlus Play” app which you can download from either the Google Play Store or the Apple app store.

You can also tinker with the equalizer in this app to change the sound, but it only applies to audio played via the app, which means local files only and this won’t apply to any of the streaming services. There is also multi-point connectivity which allows you to connect to 2 devices simultaneously. This feature works as expected and allows you to listen to music from one device and take calls from the other.

Sound quality

Shure is known for studio-quality sound, and it shows here. Aonic 50 is one of the best sounding headphones out there. The 50 mm drivers make their presence felt. The sound reproduction is very accurate, so if you prefer bass more than anything else, you may look elsewhere. The audio quality seems a little bit better when listening through the wire instead of Bluetooth. Audio quality is a bit better with ANC enabled, especially bass. ANC is above average and clearly not the highlight for these headphones (Sony and Bose offer better noise cancellation).

Aonic 50 has support for most of the Bluetooth codecs, including SBS, AAC, AptX, AptX HD, AptX LL (Low Latency) and even LDAC, along with Bluetooth version 5.0. This means that if your device has LDAC support, you have the best possible audio quality using wireless/Bluetooth. It is also worth mentioning that, due to such wide support of codecs, there is no audio lag when watching videos from Android devices. Another good feature of these headphones is that you can play audio via a USB-C cable connected to either phone or a computer. It can also charge while doing that, and this setting can be changed in Shure’s app.

Battery

Aonic 50 has an 800 mAh capacity battery, which easily lasts a couple of days, which is good. The officially rated run time for the headphones is 20 hours with ANC on and 35 hours with ANC off. Either way, a full charge will ensure that the headphone can carry through for at least a couple of days. With an average daily usage time of 4-5 hours, we were able to get through the week with a single charge. There is also quick charging wherein you can charge for 15 minutes from 0 and get a runtime of 4 hours.

Price & Verdict

Aonic 50 retails at ₹36,500, but you can find this for around ₹26,000 on some of the online shopping websites. These headphones are a steal if you can get them for less than ₹25,000. At this price point, it offers a lot, including great sound, and phenomenal Bluetooth codec support and there is not a lot you can find to complain about, maybe except that it is not very portable since it does not fold, and the carry case is also bit large and hard to cram into your backpack.

Pros

• Good battery life
• Great audio reproduction
• Multiple Bluetooth codec support, USB-C audio
• Option for wired audio, 3.5 mm port
• Multi-point Bluetooth connectivity
• Good ANC for the price
• Removable/replaceable earpads

Cons

• Less portable
• Large carry case

Design & build quality

Jays a-one is lightweight. This earphone has one of the best build quality in its segment and price range. The cables are flat, tangle-free and seem very durable. There is a small panel with 3 buttons and a mic, with a light yellow/gold colour on the sides which adds to the overall design of the earphones.

Comfort & controls

Jays a-one buds are compact and can easily slot inside ears of any size. There are 3 earbud sizes to choose from. The bud with the best fit gives you better sound. The buttons act as a good control system for audio and calls. The top and bottom buttons are for increasing and decreasing volume. The middle button is multi-functional and can play/pause music, activate assistants, skip tracks etc.

Sound quality

Jays a-one being a consumer-focused product, it shows. There is a bit more emphasis on the lows, but not as much as some of the other earphones that you would get in this price range. The sound tilts more towards having a warm sound signature as opposed to unnecessary bass. So, this would not appeal to you if you were looking for “extra bass”. The sound quality on these earphones is quite good, but the soundstage is not wide and sometimes you might feel that bass is a bit lacking.

Price & Verdict

Jays a-one is available at around ₹ 2,000. At this price point, it offers quite a few things. Sturdy build, flat and tangle-free cable, remote control. And the sound is good too when you consider the price you get it for. Overall, a good value for money product.

Pros

• Sound quality
• Good build quality
• Flat, tangle-free cable
• Remote control, mic

Cons

• Narrow soundstage
• Bass can be lacking at times

Design & build quality

Beat Byrd is very lightweight (5 grams) in comparison. This earphone does not have the best build quality out there. The orange color might appeal to some who would want something different. The buds are compact and can easily slot inside ears of any size.

Comfort & controls

The ear tip design may not suit everyone, and you might have to swap them out to get the best audio. Since the build is compact, it sits deep inside the ear securely. For instance, these earphones would be ideal to insert and fall asleep. There is no mic here, so there are no in-built controls in these earphones.

Sound quality

Beyerdynamic products are usually known for accurate sound reproduction. But this being a consumer-focused product, it shows. There is a little more emphasis on the lows, but not as much as some of the other earphones that you would get in this price range. Clearly, the sound tilts more towards having a warm sound signature as opposed to more bass. So, this would not appeal to you if you were looking for “extra bass”. All things considered, the sound quality on these earphones is good.

Price & verdict

Beyerdynamic Beat Byrd is available at around ₹ 1,000. At this price point, does not offer a lot when compared to what the competition is offering. There is no mic for starters and no remote control either. But what you do get is good sound quality with the Beyerdynamic brand and compact build quality.

Pros

• Good sound quality
• Compact design fits for most ears

Cons

• No mic, remote control
• Pricey

What if you had no wires but still enjoyed the sound quality and microphone with your earphones? Yes, we are talking about wireless earbuds. 

When it comes to Bluetooth wireless earbuds, you are probably thinking about Apple’s AirPod. If you had ever thought of buying it, you might have dropped the idea after checking the price.

What if you had a better alternative under ₹5,000? Enter Jabra Elite 65t, a true wireless Bluetooth earbuds which we are going to review today. 

Basic Features of Jabra Elite 65t 

True wireless earbuds have no wires but have microphones, battery, controls all built into the earbuds itself. You can connect them to any device via Bluetooth. Jabra Elite 65t is a true wireless earbud. Let’s see some of its important features. Shall we?

Sound quality

Jabra Elite 65t has a great sound quality. The sound is neutral, has clarity and has got no unnecessary bass by default. You need to install Jabra Sound+ on your mobile phone, which allows you to change the sound profile using the equalizer. You can change the bass, treble, and others to your liking. 

The earbud has auto-pause and auto-resume options. When someone talks to you and you remove your earbuds, the music or video automatically pauses and resumes the moment you put them back. You won’t miss your favourite moments from the song while talking to others. You won’t miss your favourite moments from the song while talking to others.

Design and build

Jabra Elite 65t has a small and sleek design but some might feel it a little bulky on the ears. The design is not similar to that of AirPods. If you have smaller ears, you can choose any of the three different earGels that come with the box. Try all three to know which one fits you the best. Also, a micro USB charging cable is provided. 

It comes in four different colours – Titanium black, copper black, gold beige and copper blue. While we are reviewing the standard model, you can buy Jabra Active 65t, which is a sports model with better water resistance, an accelerometer and a better grip on the buds. 

15-hour battery life

You can enjoy up to 5 hours of battery without needing to charge in between. When not in use, place the earbuds in the charging case that acts as a power bank. It can store up to two recharges. Thus effectively, you can enjoy 15 hours of playtime once the case is fully charged with the earbuds inside it. The best part – it takes only a couple of hours to fully charge it.

The opening of the case is a little annoying. You need to press hard on the lid and simultaneously lift it. It might take you some time to get used to this. Also, the earbuds and case lids are not magnetic. So, you need to place and orient the buds properly. But the earbuds turn off themselves the moment you place them inside the case and effectively saves your battery.

4 Microphones and hear-through

You can have a really good experience with making phone calls using Elite 65t as it has 4 microphones. Also, it has a hear-through option with which you can listen to your surroundings. Thus you don’t always have to remove your earbuds to have conversations. But unfortunately, it doesn’t have noise cancellation.

Controls and Voice assistant integration

Jabra Elite 65t has physical controls on both earbuds. While the left earbud has up and down controls, the right one has a single but multi-function button. 

With the multi-function button, you can turn the buds on/off, play, pause or resume media, answer or reject calls, turn on the voice assistant, turn on or off hear-through mode and so on. With the left bud buttons, you can change volume and tracks while listening to music or check the battery status.

With the Jabra Sound+ app, you can integrate Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. Once integrated, all you have to do is press the multi-function button on the right earbud for a second to access the voice assistant. 

Waterproof and sweatproof

Jabra Elite 65t is both waterproof and sweatproof. If you want to listen to music while in the shower or during your workout sessions at the gym – you don’t have to worry about the moisture damaging your earbuds.

But if you sweat a lot or go for a run in bad weather, you should probably go with Jabra Active 65t. It has better water resistance and sweat resistance. But it would cost you more for the upgraded quality.

Pros and Cons of Jabra Elite 65t 

Let’s see the pros and cons of Jabra Elite 65t:

Pros of Jabra Elite 65t

• Great sound quality and can customise the sound profile
• 15-hours battery 
• Waterproof and sweatproof
• Bluetooth 5
• Voice Assistant integration
• Auto-pause and auto-resume
• Value for money
• Accompanying app available on both iOS and Android
• 2-year warranty

Cons of Jabra Elite 65t

• No noise cancellation
• A little bulky on the ears for some.
• The audio lags for half a second sometimes while watching videos on Android devices
• Earbuds and case lids are not magnetic – need to place the buds properly.
• The case lid is a little annoying to open and close.

Jabra Sound+ app 

If you want to enjoy all the features of Jabra Elite 65t to their full extent, you have to install the accompanying app Jabra Sound+. It is available for both iOS and Android.

You can customise your sound profile to your liking – change the bass, treble, volume, and a lot more using the music equalizer. The app has some built-in ambient sounds that you can listen to while you work, read or meditate. You can even change the presets for commuting, focusing, relaxing and so on.

If you want to turn on the hear-through, you need to do it here. And this is where you set up the integration with voice assistants like Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. The app has other features like registration for warranty, user manual, guides, support and so on.

To buy or not to buy 

Now that you have an idea about the features, pros and cons, the question arises to buy or not to buy. It all depends on your usage. Because it costs almost ₹5,000 and not everyone wishes to spend 5K on earphones.

Buy if you want to listen to music while you go for a walk, run, workout in the gym etc. Because it sits securely on your ears and doesn’t easily fall off. Jabra Elite 65t is great for using outdoors as you have the hear-through option that lets to be aware of your surroundings.

Also, you are someone whole likes to listen to music, podcasts or audiobooks while performing your daily chores, this is a good option for you. Because you don’t have to deal with the dangling wires while you work.

If you are not ready to spend 5K on an earphone and can manage with a Bluetooth neckband, you can pass on Jabra Elite 65t. You can find inexpensive ones on the market but not all are water-resistant or sweat-resistant. 

Where can I buy Jabra Elite 65t?

You can buy Jbara Elite in many of the online stores like Amazon, Flipkart, Reliance Digital, Croma and others. If your local electronics gadget store has it, you can buy it from there as well. 

Most of the sites offer at ₹4,999 and some might offer at a lesser price. But if you are not in a hurry, you can always add it to your wishlist and wait for sales and festivals to buy at heavily discounted prices – as we did!

Conclusion

If you are someone who wants true wireless earbuds without spending much, you can buy Jabra Elite 6t. It provides a lot of features, great sound quality and value for money for just ₹4,999. 

So, this was our experience on using Jabra Elite 65t. Are you planning to get a wireless earbud? If you already have one, which one and how is your experience with it?

Tell us in the comments below. We would love to hear your thoughts!

Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives and are not a luxury anymore. With the leading brands churning new model after model almost every day, you are left wondering which one to buy.

A smartphone price may range from anywhere between Rs. 7000 to more than 2 lakhs! But many prefer in the range of 15,000 rupees because they are not only affordable but provide value for money too. We have rounded up the 7 best mobile phones under 15000 for you to choose from.

Looking for a mobile phone under 15000? Here are the top 7

Disclaimer: The price for each phone is the price at the time of writing this article. It is subjected to market competition and may change by the time you read this and head over to an ecommerce store. Any resemblance to the real price is purely coincidental.

Let’s get started, with the 7 best mobile phones under 15000, shall we?

1. Samsung Galaxy M32

Samsung Galaxy M32 is a recent addition to the Galaxy M series. Released in June 2021, it supports 2 Nano SIMs. With a high-quality 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, it is perfect if you love to watch videos and movies on your phone. 

You can buy either the 4GB RAM + 64GB internal storage or the 6GB RAM + 128GB internal storage. If you need more space, you can extend up to 1 TB via a microSD card. Also, both the variants are priced below 15K.

Here are the rest of the specifications:

• Display: 6.4 inches, 1080×2400 px
• Camera: Front – 20MP and Rear – 64MP + 8MP + 2MP
• Battery: 6000 mAh
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G80
• CPU: Octa core 2 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,999 (6GB) and ₹12,999 (4GB)

2. Samsung Galaxy M12

Launched in February 2021, Samsung Galaxy M12 is another member of the M series that provides value for money. It is a dual SIM and has a dedicated slot for MicroSD that supports up to 1 TB. Like the previous one, you can buy either 4GB or 6GB variants with 64 and 128 GB of internal storage respectively.

Even though it has 6.5 inches of AMOLED HD+ display, it is not that sharp and vibrant. But it makes up with its great battery life that can last for two days when used moderately. If you prefer battery backup over a great display, you can go with this.

Check out the rest of the specifications:

• Display: 6.5 inches, 720×1600 px
• Camera: Front – 8MP and Rear – 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP
• Battery: 6000 mAh
• Processor: Exynos 850
• CPU: Octa core 2 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹11,499 (6GB) and ₹9,499 (4GB)

3. Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 edition

We know what you are thinking. Yes, it was first released in March 2020. But we are talking about Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 edition that was released in July 2021. It has great battery life that can last for 49 hours of talk time, 121 hours of music and 29 hours of video. 

A hit among the millennials, Galaxy M21 has a great display of 6.4 inches and a Super AMOLED screen protected with Gorilla Glass 3. Like most smartphones nowadays, it supports dual Nano SIMs and microSD up to 512 GB. You can either buy the 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage or the 6GB RAM with 128 GB. 

Check out the rest of the specifications to make your decision:

• Display: 6.4 inches, 1080×2340 px
• Camera: Front – 20MP and Rear – 48MP + 8MP + 5MP 
• Battery: 6000 mAh
• Processor: Exynos 9611
• CPU: Octa core 2.3 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,499 (6GB) and ₹12,499 (4GB)

4. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S

Don’t want to buy a Samsung phone? No problem. You have got other options too. How about Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S? A part of Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 10 series, 10S has 6 GB RAM with two options for internal storage – 64GB and 128GB.

Note 10S has a great display of 6.43 inches with Super AMOLED protected by Gorilla Glass 3. You can take great pictures and shoot videos thanks to the quad camera. The price may seem a little over 15,000 but you can get it for a reduced price online during discounts and offers, especially with all the festivities around.

We will let the rest of the specifications speak for themselves:

• Display: 6.43 inches, 2400×1080 px
• Camera: Front – 13MP and Rear – 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP 
• Battery: 5000 mAh
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G95
• CPU: Octa core 2.05 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,999 (64GB) and ₹15,999 (128GB)

5. POCO M3 Pro 5G

Another one from Xiaomi is the POCO M3 Pro 5G. Yes, a 5G smartphone with affordable prices. You can either buy the 4GB RAM or 6GB RAM with internal storage of 64GB and 128GB respectively. It has a hybrid slot that supports up to 1TB of extra storage.

POCO M3 Pro has a sharp, full HD display of 6.5 inches covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 3 but the brightness is comparatively low. Supported by fast charging, it is suited for game lovers with good battery life. But the downside is too much bloatware.

Here are the other specifications to make your choice:

• Display: 6.5 inches, 2400×1080 px
• Camera: Front – 8MP and Rear – 48MP + 2MP + 2MP  
• Battery: 5000 mAh
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 700
• CPU: Octa core 2.2 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,499 (4GB) and ₹16,499 (6GB)

6. Realme 8i

Released in September 2021, Realme 8i is a new addition to Realme’s 8 series. Like most phones, you can either buy 4GB or 6GB RAM with 64GB and 128GB internal storage respectively. Want more space? The dedicated card supports extra storage up to 256 GB. Also, it’s a dual SIM.

Realme 8i has an amazing IPS LCD display of 6.6 inches with great resolution. If you are an avid gamer or love to take photos, you can consider buying this. But it has a ton of bloatware that you need some patience to uninstall.

Here are the other specifications:

• Display: 6.6 inches, 1080×2412 px
• Camera: Front – 16MP and Rear – 50MP + 2MP + 2MP  
• Battery: 5000 mAh
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G96
• CPU: Octa core 2.05 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,499 (4GB) and ₹16,499 (6GB)

7. Nokia 5.4

Last but not the least, how can we forget our old friend Nokia? Released in February 2021, Nokia 5.4 has an attractive design and build quality. Not surprising as Nokia is known for its sturdiness. It’s available in two variants – 4 GB and 6 GB RAM with 64 GB of internal storage. You can extend up to 512 GB via MicroSD and it supports dual SIM.

It has a good, bright display that supports HD+ but the resolution is not that great. But the great part is that it has stock Android and no bloatware – something we wish we had in the other phones. 

Below are the rest of the specifications:

• Display: 6.39 inches, 1560×720 px
• Camera: Front – 16MP and Rear – 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP 
• Battery: 4000 mAh
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
• CPU: Octa core 2 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹15,999 (6GB) and ₹13,999 (4GB)

Which one to buy?

Even though the budget plays an important role in deciding on a mobile phone, that’s not it. There are other parameters to consider like the hardware specifications, dual SIM or not, storage, camera, display, audio quality and so on. 

Are you finding it difficult to understand the specifications and the technical terms? Don’t worry. Check out our guide on buying smartphones. You will not only understand the specs but will be able to make a decision based on the other parameters as well.

So, that was our list of 7 best budget-friendly mobile phones under 15000. Do you think any other phone should have made it to the list?  Which one are you planning to buy?

Design & build quality

Rockerz 600 is lightweight (160 grams) in comparison. The middle portion of the headphone is sturdy with some leather-like material on the inside, which gives the headphone a good grip over your head. You have a little bit of the wires near the earcups. The headphone has the right amount of tension which results in proper clamping, which in turn helps keep the headphone in place.

Comfort & controls

The cushions on the earcups of Rockerz 600 are soft and is comfortable on the ears. On the side of the right ear cup, you have the power/play/call button on the top, volume/next-previous button on either end. On the bottom, you have a mic, a 3.5 mm port (for wired listening), a micro-USB port for charging, and a LED indicator.

Sound quality

Boat products are normally known for more emphasis on bass, and usually, other aspects of sound are left far behind. The music reproduction through the 40 mm drivers of Rockerz 600 is above average and vocals are also above average. Bass is a bit overwhelming and seems to be made for people who love bass more than anything else in their sounds. As you increase the volume to the maximum extent, the audio gets a bit distorted, especially the vocals. But looking at the price and segment, what you are getting in terms of audio quality is good.

Battery

Rockerz 600 has a 450 mAh capacity battery, which lasts easily for a couple of days with average usage, which is great. The officially rated run time for the headphones is 20 hours. A full charge will ensure that the headphone can carry through the day from morning till evening.

Price & verdict

Boat Rockerz 600 is available at around ₹ 2,000 – ₹ 2,500. At this price point, it offers great value. If you can look past some of the minor issues here and there, it is a terrific value for money product.

Pros

• Fantastic battery life
• Above average audio reproduction
• Option for wired listening, 3.5 mm port

Cons

• More emphasis on bass
• Bluetooth 4.1
• Slight lag when using with Android devices (especially video)
• Micro-USB charging, No quick charge

Design & build quality

Live 650BTNC is not too heavy (250 grams) or bulky in comparison. The middle portion of the headphone is sturdy with some leather-like material wrapped around the metal frame. This headphone has a good grip over your head. The design is neat and there are no wires visible. The headphone has an adequate amount of tension which helps keep the headphone in place comfortably.

Comfort & controls

The cushions on the earcups are soft and are comfortable on the ears. On the right ear cup, you have the power switch, next and back buttons with a button for music/call control between them, a 2.5 mm port (for wired listening, with JBL’s own cable), mic, Bluetooth, and ANC buttons. And a LED indicator. On the left ear cup, you have a micro-USB port for charging with a LED indicator for charging state.

Even after keeping these headphones on your ears for extended periods of time, it feels comfortable, even if you wear spectacles/glasses. The wire that you get with the headphones also has a mic with a button on it. So, you can use the mic for calls if you run out of battery to use Bluetooth.

If you tap on the left ear cup on the surface, it activates the voice assistants on the phone. It currently supports Google Now and Alexa on Android. According to JBL, it should also work with Siri on iPhones, which we were not able to test due to the lack of iPhones with us. The voice assistant configuration should be done using JBL’s app which can be downloaded from the play store here.

You can also tinker with the equalizer in this app to change the sound. You can choose between Google Now and Alexa, one at a time. You cannot set it for both at the same time. There is also multi-point connectivity which allows you to connect to 2 devices simultaneously. This feature works as expected and allows you to listen to music from one device and take calls from the other.

Sound quality

Being a consumer product like this, Live 650BTNC does have a warm sound signature. What this means is that the lows are a bit emphasized, but only by a little bit. It still retains the other aspects of the sound. These are designed to sound pleasing to the ears. So, it won’t 100% accurately reproduce the sounds, but most people will be pleased with how these headphones sound.

The music reproduction through the 40 mm drivers is quite good and the vocals are good too. The audio quality seems much better when listening through the wire instead of Bluetooth. Audio quality is a bit better with ANC enabled, especially bass. ANC is just about average, but easily one of the best at this price point.

Battery

Live 650BTNC ANC has a 700 mAh capacity battery, which easily lasts a couple of days, which is good. Officially rated run time for the headphones is 30 hours with ANC off and 20 hours with ANC on. Either way, a full charge will ensure that the headphone can carry through for at least a couple of days. With an average daily usage time of 4-5 hours, we were able to get through the week with a single charge. There is also quick charging wherein you can charge for 15 minutes from 0 and get a runtime of 2 hours.

Price & verdict

Live 650BTNC is available at around ₹9,500 on some of the online shopping websites. At the time of writing this, it is also available at ₹10,999. These headphones are good if you can get them for less than ₹10,000. At this price point, it offers a lot, and there is not a lot you can find to complain about, maybe except for the lack of Bluetooth 5 and HD audio codecs. At this point, we are just nit-picking. It is a great value for money product, and you cannot go wrong with this.

Pros

• Good battery life
• Good audio reproduction
• Option for wired audio, wired mic
• Multi-point Bluetooth connectivity
• Good ANC for the price

Cons

• Bluetooth 4.2 / No Bluetooth 5
• Slight latency when watching video on android phones
• Outdated micro-USB Connector for charging
• Proprietary wired cable with mic

Design & build quality

Boat Nirvana 717 ANC is not too heavy (250 grams) or bulky in comparison. The middle portion of the headphone is sturdy with some leather-like material on the inside, which gives the headphone a good grip over your head. You have a little bit of the wires near the earcups. The headphone has a good amount of tension which results in a bit of good clamping force which in turn helps keep the headphone in place. It would be pretty hard to knock these headphones off your head just by swinging your head.

Comfort & controls

The cushions on the earcups are soft and are fairly comfortable on the ears. On the right ear cup, you have the power button, a mic, a 3.5 mm port (for wired listening) followed by next and back buttons with LED indicators between them. On the left ear cup, you have a micro-USB port for charging and a switch for turning ANC on or off. It gets harder to keep these headphones on your ears for extended periods of time due to the clamping force. Definitely not if you wear spectacles/glasses.

Pairing via Bluetooth is fairly easy. Hold the power button for few seconds and it goes into pairing mode and then you can connect your device to the headphones. There is no multi-point connectivity though. So, you can connect to only one device at a time. To switch you would have to disconnect one device and connect the other device manually.

Sound quality

Boat products are normally known for more emphasis on bass, and usually, other aspects of sound are left far behind. Thankfully, that does not seem to be the case with Nirvana 717 ANC though. The music reproduction through the 40 mm drivers is quite good and vocals are above average. The audio quality seems much better when listening through the wire instead of Bluetooth.

Bass is a bit overwhelming in Bluetooth mode. As you increase the volume to the maximum extent, the audio gets a bit distorted, especially the vocals. Audio quality is a bit better with ANC enabled. ANC is not great and just about average. Doesn’t add much value to the entire package as such apart from bragging rights.

Battery

Boat Nirvana 717 ANC has a 300 mAh capacity battery, which lasts easily around a day on continuous usage, which is good. Officially rated run time for the headphones is 15 hours with ANC off and 10 hours with ANC on. Either way, a full charge will ensure that the headphone can carry through the day from morning till evening.

Price & verdict

Boat Nirvana 717 ANC is available at around ₹ 5,000. At this price point, it offers a lot. If you can look past some of the minor issues here and there, it is a great value for money product.

Pros

• IPX4 Sweat and water resistance.
• Good battery life
• Above average audio reproduction
• Option for wired listening, 3.5 mm port
• Bluetooth 5

Cons

• Irritating sound prompts
• Mediocre ANC
• More emphasis on bass
• Not comfortable for long time wearing

Hardware Specifications

• Exynos 2100, Octa-core CPU
• 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED Display with 3200 X 1440 (QHD+) Resolution up to 120Hz refresh rate
• 12/16 GB RAM, 256/512 GB Storage
• 108 MP + 10 MP (periscope telephoto) + 10 MP (telephoto) + 12 MP (ultrawide) rear camera with LED Flash
• 40 MP Front camera
• 3 Mics for Audio Recording
• 2G/3G/4G-VoLTE/5G dual nano-SIM
• 5000 mAh battery, Wireless charging, Reverse charging
• In-display fingerprint sensor
• IP68 rating for water and dust resistance

Form factor

The measurements stand at 165.1 X 75.6 X 8.9 (in mm). The phone is quite big and the entire screen would not be reachable in one hand for people who don’t have large hands. The aspect ratio is 20:9, which makes the phone quite long. Since it has a Dynamic AMOLED display, the visibility is excellent even in direct sunlight, with ample brightness. The 120Hz screen makes everything much smoother.

The device is slim and the camera module on the backside of the device sits on top of the back panel and does protrude quite a bit since there are 4 cameras and flash. The backside has a Samsung logo in the center towards the bottom part. The back panel carries a premium finish, although it may slip from your hands. On the front side, there is a punch hole on the top at the center, for the front camera.

On the bottom side of the phone, we have a mic and the sim tray to the left, the USB C-type connector in the center, and a speaker grill to the right. Power and the volume buttons are on the right side towards the top from midway. Above the volume buttons. The top side has 2 mics which would be used while recording audio for the videos.

Interface

It comes with Android 11, with Samsung One UI on top. One UI is one of the better Android skins out there. It isn’t too flashy or cheesy and at the same time, not much bloatware to worry about either. It gives an overall good experience for the user. There is a specific gaming mode, where the device detects games and automatically disables the alerts, frees up memory, etc., to have an interruption-free gaming session, while if you want to play casino games you can also go to sites like hell spin casino from your samsung as well. Additionally, for those interested, you can play toto slot maxwin for a thrilling gaming experience. For those who enjoy casino games, explore sites like Zodiac Casino rewards for more free spins and much more. For more information, you can also access articles on gaming strategies and tips. If you’re interested in playing casino games, you can check out the amazing games available at Play Grand Mondial Casino. Check out the Best Online Slots Canada for an exciting gaming experience. If you’re looking for some online entertainment options, consider exploring the exciting world of online bingo by visiting the website at https://www.jetss.com/viral/2023/07/unleashing-the-fun-why-online-bingo-is-the-ultimate-entertainment-option/ to discover more about the ultimate entertainment experience.

Media

Watching videos on this phone is a great experience, owing to the wide aspect ratio of the phone. The display is crisp and makes it a great watch. It is capable of playing 4K videos without any hassles due to the processor used. Audio quality is stellar and you would enjoy listening to your music. There are some audio settings that you can tweak around too, like an equalizer, Dolby Atmos. Another nice feature is the ability to play sounds from particular apps on to particular devices. Would help if you have connected different devices.

Connectivity

S21 Ultra supports the usual EDGE, 3G or 4G (with VoLTE), and 5G also. Wi-Fi (dual band) support is also there, and so is Bluetooth 5.0 for data transfer, it can also act as your personal Wi-Fi hotspot with the internet sharing feature, allowing you to tether other devices. Wi-Fi is also useful for sharing via DLNA. It also comes with dual VoLTE support. Bluetooth protocols like LE, A2DP. For location services, the device supports GPS, GLONASS, etc. Also, for data transfers, the device has a USB C-type connector. NFC is also there.

Camera

S21 Ultra comes with a 108 MP main camera and a 12 MP secondary wide-angle lens, 10 MP telephoto with 3X optical zoom, and another 10 MP with 10X optical zoom using a periscope mechanism. The camera setup snaps great pictures, right up there with flagship camera quality. There are few modes like Portrait, Auto, Night, and HDR which is self-explanatory. It has a Pro mode wherein you can control all the settings manually, like shutter speed, ISO, white balance, exposure. It also gives you an option to manually control the focus of the main camera. The camera does have OIS and stabilizes a bit. It takes great photos in daylight and low/night light.

The portrait mode works well and you get good-looking photos here. The 40MP front camera also takes good photos. Overall, it takes great photos and offers very good camera performance. The Space zoom (basically digital zoom or cropping) as Samsung likes to call it, is good and works well up to 30X. While it allows up to 100X, but you would find the image getting a bit pixelated as you zoom further beyond 30X. this 100X zoom allows you to get some stunning shots of the moon on a phone (For a phone camera, that is).

Video recording allows for capturing in 8K (at 30 fps), 4K, and 1080p (60 and 30 fps) resolutions, and stabilization is good. The device has a total of 3 mics for recording, which shows in its video recording abilities and does a good job at capturing the surrounding sounds properly. It also allows slow-motion video capture. You can find some of the sample photos and videos shot with Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra below.

Battery

S21 Ultra has a 5000 mAh capacity battery, which lasts easily around 1.5 to 2 days on moderate usage, which is great. With heavy usage, it will still make it through a day and a half. It packs a punch in terms of battery performance. There is a power-saving mode that will limit the background app activities, disables email auto-sync, and reduces visual effects. Reverse charging is also provided in the device which allows you to charge another device.

Price & Verdict

S21 Ultra is available at ₹ 1,05,999 (12GB RAM, 256 GB Storage). It is also available in 16GB/512GB configuration. We had the 12GB/256GB variant as our review device. At this price, it definitely gives good value in terms of design, performance. However, if you’re wondering how much does it cost to replace one AirPod, it is important to note that it is not without its shortfalls, lack of dedicated storage expansion, a 3.5 mm audio port, not to mention the exclusion of a charger or a USB-C to 3.5 mm converter. Be ready to spend extra if you would want all these. When charging this much for a device, the least Samsung could have done is to give a fast charger and a USB-C to 3.5 mm converter, if not a proper high-quality earphone. Sad to see Samsung blindly follow Apple in this regard. But with great performance, big battery, and IP rating, you cannot go wrong with this device.

Pros of Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

• Design, build quality
• Great camera.
• 5000 mAh battery and battery performance.
• Smooth performance
• UI is bloatware free and looks closer to stock Android
• IP rating for dust and water-proofing

Cons of Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

• No dedicated micro-SD expansion
• No 3.5 mm audio port
• No charger included
• No USB-C to 3.5 mm converter
• No bundled earphone for the price

Korean electronic giant Samsung’s mobile division tops the global smartphone market with 19% market share as per Canalys report. In India it used to be within first 5 positions from many years. Samsung releases smartphones to market in various series viz., F, A, M and S. S  series is considered as their top end, M series is exclusively for India sold only online and A series is considered designer phones. Recently Samsung release two phones in the A series, namely A52 and A72. In this review we take a look at Samsung galaxy A52 smartphone.

Specifications

Design and build

Samsung A series phones are known for good design and looks. This is no exception. Even though the body is made of plastic, it does not feel of inferior quality. It comes in four colours – blue, black, white and purple. The model that we got review is of blue colour and Samsung calls it Awesome blue. The back panel is having matte finish. This is in a way good such that the phone won’t slip off from the hand easily. So, you can be good without an additional back cover. Right side has on/off switch and the volume rocker. SIM and memory card insertion tray is on the top. USB-C port and the 3.5 mm earphone ports are on the bottom. This phone has IP-67 water resistance ratings. The SIM and memory card tray has an additional washer to prevent water from entering the phone through this slot. This is a good design. Top-left of the back-side has the cameras and the flash. These are housed in a slightly elevated platform kind of structure. 3 cameras are in the first top-to-bottom column, one camera and flash are in the next column. To protect the cameras, it will be better to attach and additional cover. Samsung has not provided any additional cover in the box. Fingerprint scanner is on-screen scanner which is on the bottom portion of the screen. Face recognition is also present.

Performance

Samsung Galaxy A52 is driven by mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G processor. This time Samsung did not use their own Exynos processor. This phone has a Geekbench score of 1378. This means that this is neither top end nor low end performance-wise. Games needing less power can be easily played. Games needing high muscle power can also be played but the experience is not great. We can say that the performance is satisfactory.

Camera

This phone has 4 cameras.  64 MP primary, 5 MP for long distance, 12 MP for ultra-wide and 5 MP for macro. LED flash is there. Results of the camera are good. There is a special night mode for available light photography but we are not fully satisfied with the results in this mode. Presence of optical image stabilisation is the good news. Results of the 32 MP selfie camera is satisfactory. Pro mode has manual focus also. This will be liked by expert photographers who want full control over the camera. If you are extra creative, you will like the super slow motion video feature.

Audio video

The audio engine is just good enough. There are stereo speakers but if you want real good audio experience then have to use good headphone. There is no earphone in the box. When you look at the price, Samsung could have done slightly better in this area. Super AMOLED screen is of really good quality. That means watching videos on this screen is a good experience. Both HD and 4k videos can be played with ease. The visual appeal feel is good while playing games. There is a FM radio but the reception power is bit low.

Battery

This phone is powered by a 4500 mAh battery. Fully charged lasted for 12 hours while playing a 4k video continuously in loop. Phone has fast charge facility. The time taken to fully charge from zero is about 100 minutes with the 15 W charger provided in the box. They could have done well by throwing in a 25 W charger. Since the fast-charging circuitry is present in the phone, it gets little heated up while charging. Some people having the habit of playing games or watching videos while charging. They should desist from doing so in this phone.        

Verdict

In just one sentence – this is a good value for money phone.

Hardware specifications

• Snapdragon 720G, Octa-core, Adreno 618 GPU
• 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Display with 2400 X 1080 (Full HD+) Resolution up to 90Hz refresh rate
• 8 GB RAM, 128/256 GB Storage
• 64 MP + 12 MP (ultra-wide) + 8 MP (telephoto) + 5 MP (macro) rear camera with LED Flash
• 32 MP Front camera
• 2 Mics for Audio Recording
• 2G/3G/4G-VoLTE/5G dual nano-SIM
• 5000 mAh battery
• In-display fingerprint sensor
• IP67 rating for water and dust resistance

Form factor

The measurements stand at 165 X 77 X 8.4 (in mm). The phone is quite big and the entire screen would not be reachable in one hand for people who don’t have large hands. The aspect ratio is 20:9, which makes the phone quiet long. Since it has Super AMOLED display, the visibility is excellent even in direct sunlight, with ample brightness.

The device is slim and the cameras on the backside of the device sits on top of the back panel and does protrude a bit similar to more or less most of the phones these days. The back side has a Samsung logo in the center towards the bottom part. The back panel carries a matt finish and it results in a better grip to hold the device. On the front side, there is punch hole on the top at the center, for the secondary camera.

On the bottom side of the phone, we have a mic and the 3.5mm headphone jack to the left, the USB C-type connector in the center, and a speaker grill to the right. On the top of the phone, you have the SIM tray, where you can insert 2 SIM cards OR 1 SIM and a microSD card (not dedicated, hybrid).  Power and the volume buttons are in the right side towards the top from midway. Above the volume buttons. The top side also has a mic which would be used while recording audio for the videos.

Interface

It comes with Android 11, with Samsung One UI on top. One UI is one of the better android skins out there. It isn’t too flashy or cheesy and at the same time, not much bloatware to worry about either. It gives an overall good experience for the user. There is a specific gaming mode, where the device detects games and automatically disables the alerts, frees up memory etc, to have an interruption free gaming session.

Media

Watching videos in this phone is a great experience, owing to the wide aspect ratio of the phone. The display is crisp and makes it for a great watch. It is capable of playing 4K videos without any hassles due to the processor used. Audio quality is stellar and you would enjoy listening to your music. There are some audio settings which you can tweak around in the settings once you have connected your earphones. These settings are not available for the phone speaker though.

Connectivity

A72 supports the usual EDGE, 3G or 4G (with VoLTE). Wi-Fi (dual band) support is also there, and so is Bluetooth 5.0 for data transfer, it can also act as your personal Wi-Fi hotspot with the internet sharing feature, allowing you to tether other devices. Wi-Fi is also useful for sharing via DLNA. It also comes with dual VoLTE support. Bluetooth protocols like LE, A2DP. For location services, the device supports GPS, GLONASS, etc. For data transfers, there is a USB C-type connector. NFC is also there.

Camera

A72 comes with a 64 MP main camera and a 12 MP secondary wide-angle lens, 8 MP telephoto with 3X optical zoom and a 5 MP macro lens. The camera setup will snap good pictures, although not up there with flagship camera quality. There are few modes like Portrait, Auto, Night and HDR which is self-explanatory. There is also a Pro mode where in you can control all the settings manually, like shutter speed, ISO, white balance, exposure and also gives an option to manually control the focus of the main camera. The camera does have OIS on the main and telephoto lenses and stabilizes a bit. The camera takes great photos in daylight and decent photos in low light. The portrait mode works well and you get good looking photos here. The 32MP front camera takes decent photos, although nothing great to mention about, you can live with it. Overall, it takes great photos and offers good camera performance. Here are some sample photos and videos shot with A72

Video recording allows for capturing in 4K (at 30 fps), 1080p (60 and 30 fps) resolutions, and stabilization is good (4K does not get EIS stabilization). The device has a total of 2 mics for recording, which shows in its video recording abilities and do a good job at capturing the surrounding sounds properly. It also allows slow motion video capture.

Battery

A72 has a 5000 mAh capacity battery, which lasts easily around 1.5 to 2 days on moderate usage, which is great. With heavy usage it will still make it through a day and half. It packs a punch in terms of battery performance. There is a power saving mode which will limit the background app activities, disables email auto-sync and reduces visual effects. Also, there is a fast charger provided with the phone which charges the phone faster.

Price & Verdict

A72 has been launched at ₹ 34,999 (8 GB RAM, 128 GB Storage). It is also available in 8GB/256GB for ₹ 37,999. We had the 8GB/128GB variant as our review device. At this price, it definitely gives good value in terms of design, performance. It is not without its shortfalls though, like lack of dedicated storage expansion and flagship processor. A72 offers a very good value proposition for its price. With good performance, big battery and IP rating, you cannot go wrong with this device.

Pros

• Design, build quality
• Good camera.
• 5000 mAh battery and battery performance.
• Smooth performance, dedicated gaming chops
• UI is bloatware free and looks closer to stock Android
• Headphone jack
• IP rating for dust and water-proofing

Cons

• No dedicated micro-SD expansion
• No flagship processor

Hardware Specifications

• Snapdragon 888, Octa-core, Adreno 660 GPU
• 6.78-inch AMOLED Display with 2448 X 1080 (Full HD+) Resolution up to 144 Hz refresh rate
• Gorilla Glass Victus for protection
• 8/12/16/18 GB RAM, 128/256/512 GB Storage
• 64 MP + 13 MP (ultra-wide) + 5 MP rear camera with LED Flash
• 24 MP Front camera
• 4 Mics for Audio Recording
• 2G/3G/4G-VoLTE/5G dual nano-SIM
• 6000 mAh battery
• In-display fingerprint sensor

Form factor

The device looks modern and feels great to hold. The measurements stand at 173 X 77 X 10.3 (in mm). The phone is quite big and the entire screen would not be reachable in one hand for people who don’t have large hands. The aspect ratio is 20.4:9, which makes the phone longer than previous iteration. Since it has AMOLED display, the visibility is excellent even in direct sunlight, with ample brightness.

The device is not very slim when compared to other flagships, and the camera on the backside of the device sits relatively on par with the back panel and does not protrude much. The back side has a ROG logo in the center which lights up and keeps changing the color when gaming mode is switched on. It seems like a small gimmick, but it does look cool. The front side design is not like the flagships of these days, full front side of the device is not used by the screen, instead it has more of a traditional design to it, with little space above and below the screen. This, we guess is to make room for the dual speakers present on both above and below the screen and for both we have small slit. The top portion also houses the front camera, proximity and ambient light sensors.

On the bottom side of the phone, we have a mic and the USB C-type connector to the left, and a headphone jack to the right. (Good on Asus to bring this back) On the left side of the phone, you have the SIM tray, where you can insert 2 SIM cards. Then you have a USB C-type port and another port used for connecting accessories in the middle. This is to enable people to charge the phones even when playing or, to connect further accessories to the device.  Power and the volume buttons are in the right side towards the top from midway. Above the volume buttons. The top side has a solitary mic which would be used while recording audio for the videos. The both ends of the right side have air-triggers which enhance the gameplaying experience. For online gaming on phones, you might want to try out online racing games like Drift Hunters.

Interface

It comes with Android 11, with ROG UI on top. Asus has developed this custom skin specifically for ROG phones. There is not much changes from stock, except for say dark theme style. There are no irritating bloatware’s either. You still get some bundled apps like sound recorder and FM Radio, which is not much as to irritate. Overall, this is a great, clean Android experience. The In-screen fingerprint sensor is fast and unlocks the phone quickly.

There is a specific gaming mode, where the device detects games and automatically disables the alerts, frees up memory etc., to have an interruption free gaming session. You can also cast it live or record the screen. This is a nice feature for gamers to have.

Media

Watching videos in this phone is a great experience, owing to the wide aspect ratio of the phone. The display is crisp and makes it for a great watch. It is capable of playing 4K videos without any hassles due to the processor used. Audio quality is stellar and you would enjoy listening to your music. There are some audio settings which you can tweak around in the settings once you have connected your earphones and even for the phone speakers. The two speakers sound amazing and easily trump many laptop speakers for that matter. You can easily watch a movie on the phone with these speakers. We were really surprised by the bass generated by the speakers. Now that the headphone jack is back, Asus has put some dedicated audio tuning in the device. And the sound quality is top-notch.

Connectivity

ROG 5 supports the usual EDGE, 3G or 4G (with VoLTE) and 5G too (Good luck testing 5G in India right now). Wi-Fi (dual band) support is also there, and so is Bluetooth 5, it can also act as your personal Wi-Fi hotspot with the internet sharing feature, allowing you to tether other devices. Wi-Fi is also useful for sharing via DLNA. It also comes with dual VoLTE support. Bluetooth protocols like LE, A2DP. For location services, the device supports GPS, GLONASS, etc. Also, for data transfers, the device has 2 USB C-type connectors. NFC is also there. You cannot charge the phone by connecting both ports. The side port will take the preference over the port found at the bottom.

Camera

Nothing much has really changed with regards to camera from ROG 3. It comes with the same setup, a 64 MP main camera and a 13 MP secondary wide-angle lens and a 5 MP macro lens. It was a good unit no drastic improvements here, but it will snap good pictures, although not up there with flagship camera quality. There are few modes like Portrait, Auto, Night and HDR which is self-explanatory. There is also a Pro mode where in you can control all the settings manually, like shutter speed, ISO, white balance, exposure and also gives an option to manually control the focus of the main camera. The camera does have EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization) and stabilizes a bit. The camera takes great photos in daylight and decent photos in low light. The portrait mode works well and you get good looking photos here. It also allows you to shoot and store the photos in RAW format which allows more control for post-processing later. The 24MP front camera takes some decent photos, although nothing great to mention about, you can live with it. Overall, it takes great photos and is up there in terms of “flagship” camera performance. We were surprised by the camera performance since this is a gamer focused device. Here are some sample photos taken with the device.

Video recording allows for capturing in 8K, 4K, 1080p & 720p resolutions, with EIS and stabilization is good. The device has a total of 4 mics for recording, which shows in its video recording abilities and do a stellar job at capturing the surrounding and far-off sounds properly. It also allows slow motion video capture, 4K at 120 FPS, 1080P at 240 FPS and 720P at 480 FPS. Here are some sample videos captured on the device.

Battery

ROG 5 has continued the same 6000 mAh capacity battery, well in this case, two 3000 mAh batteries in a split design, which lasts easily more than 2 days on moderate usage, which is really great for a smartphone in its class. With heavy usage it will still make it through a day and half. We once did a continuous gaming session for around 3 hours straight and by the end of it, the device had spent roughly 30% of the battery. It packs a punch in terms of battery performance. There is a power saving mode which will limit the background app activities, disables email auto-sync and reduces visual effects. Also, there is a 30W fast charger provided with the phone which charges the phone faster.

Price & Verdict

Asus ROG 5 has been launched at ₹ 49,999 (8 GB RAM, 128 GB Storage). It is also available in 12GB/256GB for ₹ 57,999. There are also 2 more variants, Pro (16 GB RAM, 512GB storage) for ₹ 69,999 and Ultimate (18 GB RAM, 512 GB Storage, white color) for ₹ 79,999. We had the 12GB/256GB variant as our review device. The 12GB and 16GB variant would get few accessories for free with it. At this price, it gives great value in terms of design, performance. This phone has been designed specifically for gamers and it shows, attention to detail like a side charging port to give an undisturbed gaming experience while charging, the haptic feedbacks (AirTriggers as Asus likes to call them). It goes up against the likes of Samsung Galaxy S21 series, Oneplus 9/9 Pro, etc. ROG 5 is not without its shortfalls, lack of storage expansion and no IP rating. ROG 5 offers a great value proposition for its price. With great performance and big battery, combined with a flagship processor, Asus has great gaming device with flagship performance. It is hard to argue against it at this price. Its easily the best gaming phone out there at the moment. No other device gives so much value for money at this price point and you can hardly go wrong with this, whether you are a gamer or not.

Pros

• Design, build quality
• Great camera.
• 6000 mAh battery and battery performance.
• Snapdragon 888, butter smooth performance, dedicated gaming chops
• UI is bloatware free and looks closer to stock Android
• Headphone jack, Stellar audio.

Cons

• No micro-SD expansion
• No IP rating or protection