Intel Iris Xe Max Discrete GPU for Slim Laptops Announced, Promises AI and Encoding Performance Boost

The Intel Iris Xe Max discrete GPU is not just about entry-level gaming performance, but AI acceleration and video encoding for content creators.

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Intel launches Iris Xe MAX discrete graphics for low-power notebooks

Intel launched their Iris Xe MAX discrete graphics chip for thin and light notebooks and they already have a few SKUs on the market with Acer (uses Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake Core processors along with Intel Xe Iris MAX Graphics) and more partners are expected to launch their Intel Iris Xe MAX powered notebooks in the weeks to come. Unveiled at the Intel Architecture Day 2020, the Xe-LP microarchitecture was designed for low-power applications with focus on media decode, casual gaming and accelerating AI features in compatible applications. Intel’s Iris MAX Xe will compete with the likes of NVIDIA’s MX-class Discrete GPUs (ex. MX350) and AMD’s RX Vega 8 Integrated GPUs. Key features of the Intel Iris Xe MAX discrete graphics chip include PCIe Gen 4.0 support and Intel Deep Link. The latter allows dynamic power sharing between the Intel CPU and Intel GPU, and can leverage the media encoders in both silicon to work in tandem to accelerate certain workloads.

“We set out to redefine the role of discrete graphics in thin-and-light laptops and address a growing segment of creators who want more portability. Iris Xe MAX graphics and Intel® Deep Link technology serve as examples of the kind of platform-level innovation that Intel plans to bring to market in the future as we execute our scalable Xe Roadmap.” said Roger Chandler, Vice President and General Manager of Client XPU Product and Solutions in the Intel Architecture, Graphics and Software Group.

Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics

The Intel Xe graphics architecture is a scalable architecture which is designed to work in a wide variety of applications ranging from low-power notebook graphics to discrete gaming graphics cards to machine learning GPUs to enterprise HPC applications. What we’re seeing today is the Xe-LP microarchitecture which is designed for low-power notebooks. The Iris Xe MAX GPU has 96 EUs which can go up to 1.65 GHz and will be hooked up to 4GB of LPDDR4X memory with a peak memory bandwidth of 68 GB/s. It’s using Intel’s 10nm Superfin process.

Since Iris MAX Xe is designed to compete in the same league as NVIDIA’s MX-class GPUs and AMD’s RX Vega Integrated GPUs, it hosts several features such as variable rate sharing, Intel DLBoost, AV1 decode support, PCIe Gen 4.0 support, adaptive sync and Intel Deep Link which we will get to shortly. It should be noted that Iris Xe MAX supports DirectX 12.1 and has Variable Rate Shading which is a DX12 Ultimate feature. Other DX12 Ultimate Features such as DirectX Ray Tracing are not performed on low-power GPUs so expecting them on the Iris MAX Xe would be silly.

Intel Deep Link

Intel Deep Link is a new feature that comes into play when an Intel 11th Gen processor is paired with the Iris Xe MAX GPU. Since both the GPUs (IGP on the CPU, and the GPU) have the same Xe microarchitecture, it’s easy to combine their strengths via software to accelerate certain workloads. This does not mean that Intel is running multi-GPU configurations for gaming, for such situations, the Iris MAX Xe GPU will be working alone. Although, users will be able to switch between the GPUs if they chose to. Certain games such as Dota 2 benefit from lower latencies so an IGP can outperform the discrete GPU. But for most use cases, the discrete GPU would be best for gaming.

Coming back to Deep Link, developers will be able to utilise OneAPI toolkits such as OpenVINO to accelerate certain AI applications. The Xe GPU has two media encoders so the two chips working together can use four media encoders together. Intel revealed that they have a proof of concept of how the two GPUs were able to accelerate media encoding far quicker than even some discrete high-end graphics cards. This would mean that you can export videos much quicker using Intel’s codecs accelerated by Deep Link compared to something like NVENC. Intel will shed more light on this development next year.

Notebooks powered by Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics

Several OEMs have already announced designs featuring Intel’s 11th Gen Tiger Lake Core processors along with Intel Iris Xe MAX discrete graphics. Acer’s Swift 3x is the first unit to feature the new Intel GPU and other OEMs such as ASUS and Dell will be releasing their SKUs shortly.

Intel Iris Xe MAX DG1 GPU will be present in the ASUS VivoBook Flip TP470 and the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 laptops.

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Samsung Redesigns Galaxy Store, Puts More Focus on Gaming

Samsung has redesigned its Galaxy Store to focus more on gaming. The new design is aimed to allow gamers discover, browse, and play more games. It also looks to offer a curated list of game recommendations and better gaming perks. Gamers can also download Fortnite through Galaxy Store.

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You can now set a custom background on Google Meet

Custom backgrounds on Zoom is how most people working from home is going places in 2020, and the feature is finally coming to Google Meet. Desktop users on Windows, Mac and Chrome OS can apply a custom background to their video feed on Google Meet.

There’s no need for an additional extension or software to apply the feature. It’s now built-in to the desktop version of Google Meet. You can choose from a library of images or use your own. There’s photos of landscapes, office spaces to get over your FOMO.

The feature will only be available to desktop users, for now. Google said mobile support is coming soon. Google also said it would take around seven days for most users to start seeing the feature on their Google Meet desktop app. The feature is rolling out on a staged manner.

Custom backgrounds is a widely used feature on Zoom, and was bound to make its way to other video conferencing apps. It’s also available on Microsoft Teams.

Confused about how to use Google Meet? Check out our guide.

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Leaked AnTuTu score pegs upcoming Snapdragon 875 to be 25 faster than before

Qualcomm has confirmed it will hosting the annual Snapdragon Summit from December 1, but this time in a virtual avatar due to the COVID-19 pandemic where the company is highly anticipated to launch the successor to the Snapdragon 865, likely called the Snapdragon 875.  And before its official launch, we already have an idea of how powerful the next-gen flagship really is.

The AnTuTu score of the Snapdragon 875 has leaked out online, showing a 25% jump in performance, than the previous generation. According to the leak, the Snapdragon 875 (codenamed Lahaina) has scored a whopping 847868, which is claimed to be around 25% more than the AnTuTu score of the Snapdragon 865+.

However, the leak comes from an unverified Twitter leakster, and we suggest taking this information with a pinch of salt.

While it’s not clear yet how small or densely packed, the scores indicate the Snapdragon 875 would mark a big leap in raw performance. Both Apple and Huawei embraced 5nm architecture in the chipsets used in the new iPhones and Mate 40 series respectively. It’s likely that Samsung and Qualcomm will also follow suit. Just how much will the difference in performance be, that remains to be seen.

Rumours are also rife that Qualcomm is working on its gaming phone in collaboration with Asus, likely as a reference to showcase the performance chops of the new chipset. With top-end performance plateauing when it comes to real-world usage, it’s in gaming where the might of a new processor would likely flourish.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War requires 250GB on the PC

Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will require up to 250GB of storage space at launch on PC. This is for the gamers who will be running the game in 4K with ray-tracing enabled. For the standard non ray-tracing, the game will require 175GB for the offline story mode and 50GB only for the multiplayer mode.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will feature 4K visuals, uncapped frame rates, Ray Tracing Shadows, NVIDIA DLSS, and Reflex Technology.

It is possible that Black Ops Cold War could be a lot closer to its PC size on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, as the consoles will be able to harness the power of new ray-tracing enabled GPUs with resolution up to 4k.

Sony has said PlayStation 5 will offer players more flexibility on how they manage their storage on the console, enabling users able to configure installations and choose to install just a game’s multiplayer or delete the single-player campaign once completed.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be released on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on November 13, 2020.

Minimum Specs:

OS: Windows 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit (v.1803 or higher) CPU: Intel Core i3-4340 or AMD FX-6300 RAM: 8GB RAM HDD (at launch): 50GB (MP only), 175GB (all game modes) GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 / GeForce GTX 1650 or Radeon HD 7950

Recommended Specs:

OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update) CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen R5 1600X processor RAM: 12GB RAM HDD (at launch): 175GB HD space GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / GTX 1660 Super or Radeon R9 390 / AMD RX 580

Recommended Specs for Ray-Tracing:

OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update) CPU: Intel i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 1800X RAM: 16GB RAM HDD (at launch): 175GB HD space GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070

Recommended Specs for Competitive mode (to run at high fps with high refresh rate monitor):

OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update) CPU: Intel i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 1800X RAM: 16GB RAM HDD (at launch): 175GB HD space GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / RTX 3070 or Radeon RX Vega64 Graphics

Ultra Specifications:

OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest Update) CPU: Intel i9-9900K or AMD Ryzen 3700X RAM: 16GB RAM HDD (at launch): 250GB HD space GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080  

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Oxygen OS Open Beta 9 is now live for OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro users

If you are a OnePlus 7T or 7T Pro user and like testing out new features on your smartphone, then there is good news for you. The Oxygen OS Open Beta 9 is now live for OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro users. So, what’s new in this Beta? It brings with it improved system stability and fixed general issues, updated Android Security Patch to 2020.10. The update also fixes the flashback issue when switched to the front camera in particular cases. 

On its official blog, OnePlus says, “Please keep in mind that this is beta software. These builds are sometimes not as stable as our official OTAs generally are. By installing this update, you accept the potential risks. For those who were on previous versions for OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro, we appreciate your active feedback and for reaching out to us. With your help, we have been able to better optimize and improve several key areas. Thank you for your patience and as always, we look forward to getting your continued feedback via the Community app”.

As far as the official OTA updates are concerned, the OnePlus 7, 7 Pro and 7T received an OTA update in October 2020. The latest update doesn’t have new features as such, but updates the software to version 10.3.6 for users in India, fixing some bugs and retaining the previous September security patch. You can learn more about it here.

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To replace the iPhone 12 camera, you will have to visit an official Apple technician

The iPhones are quite expensive in India and if something goes wrong with the device outside of the warranty, one usually resorted to getting their devices fixed by third-party repair shops. It looks like this may be difficult for iPhone 12 users. iFixit has discovered that replacing the camera module of the iPhone 12 causes some issues. It's not just a simple error screen that one gets. However, it looks like the same problem does not affect the iPhone 12 Pro. 

As reported by GSMarena, “iFixit explains that Apple has changed its training manuals. Starting with the iPhone 12 series, changing the display and camera requires the use of the System Configuration tool, which will connect to Apple’s servers before reprogramming the new component to work properly.” 

During the era of the iPhone 5s, one could only fix the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone via an authorised Apple repair. This made sense as the fingerprint sensor is vital for security. You can check out the iPhone 12 camera swap test video below.

 

Speaking of the new iPhones, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are on sale in India, with the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max going on sale later in November. The smartphones announced earlier in October can be purchased from the online Apple Store, and from authorised retailers across the country. Interestingly, the new iPhones are yet to be made available on both Flipkart and Amazon. You can learn more about the iPhone 12 devices here. 

If you are an iPhone user, then know that the Apple One subscription is now available in India. You can learn all the details here.

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Apple One subscription service now available in India: How to Subscribe

Earlier last month at the annual Apple iPhone event where Apple announced its iPhone 12 portfolio, the company also announced its unified plan for subscription services called Apple One. Apple One consists of three plans, one for individuals and two aimed at families, and while it was announced, the availability was set for “later in the year.” Good news folks, Apple One has gone live around the world, including India, just as Apple's iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro hit the store shelves.

Apple One is the company’s way of consolidating its plethora of subscription services into one. These services include iCloud storage subscriptions, Apple music, Apple Arcade, TV+ and News+ and Fitness+ for countries where its applicable. India is only getting two of the Apple One plans, namely the Individual and Family plans. The individual plan offers 50GB of iCloud storage space and access to Apple Music, TV+ and Apple Arcade. The individual plan costs Rs. 195/month. The Family Plan, which can be shared with up to 5 people, costs Rs 365/month and comes with access to all the same services, but increases the combined iCloud storage space to 200GB. Unfortunately, the Premier tier isn’t available in India.

Currently Apple Music costs Rs 99/month for individual and Rs 149/month for a family subscription. Apple Arcade, similarly, costs Rs 99/month and can also be shared between a family of maximum 5 people. The most expensive component of Apple’s services is the iCloud Storage, which alone costs Rs 219/month for 200GB. If you add it all up, a family can end up paying quite a bit to make the most of their Apple devices. If you do subscribe to the individual or family tiers, individual users you can still add more iCloud storage to your own iCloud ID in case you need more than the 200GB allotted.

How to Subscribe to Apple One

If you’re interested in subscribing to Apple One, doing so is going to be very easy. The steps are listed below

·      Open the Settings app on your iPhone/iPad.

·      Tap on the banner with your name on it at the very top.

·      Tap subscriptions.

·      Wait for the Apple One banner to appear.

·      Tap on Apple One Banner.

·      Choose your plan.

And that’s pretty much it. One reason why the Premier tier isn’t available in India could possibly be the fact that News+ and Fitness+ as services are not yet available in the country.

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Call of Duty: Mobile announces special one-day Halloween event

Call of Duty: Mobile’s Halloween events are still going on. However, the developers have one final event up their sleeve. Call the Undead Fog, the event will see the introduction of zombies to battle royale. Not only that, Halloween itself will see a special one-day-only event on the new Alcatraz map. 

During battle royale matches, players now have to deal with zombies besides other players. However, as a bonus, zombies will drop items such as loot when defeated. On top of this, the map will feature mystery boxes scattered in various locations. These boxes include rare items and weapons. 

On October 31 however (UTC), dense fog will envelop the entire map. This will make it considerably harder for players to spot enemies or even zombies. As such, long-range weapons like  https://www.digit.in/news/gaming/call-of-duty-mobile-season-11-anniversary-update-everything-you-need-to-know-56808.html are pretty useless unless you are skilled for quick scope headshots. It should be noted that the fog will only happen on October 31, while the zombies will be on the map till November 5. 

Alongside this, there is also the featured event that will reward players for completing missions and tasks in battle royale. This includes anything from Halloween-themed skins to an Epic calling card called Devil’s Horns. Besides this, the game's Credit Store also gets an update with an Epic weapon blueprint for the Man-O-War and an Epic calling card. 

Of course, the rest of the Halloween-themed events are still going on. This includes the Halloween-themed Standoff map that is decked out in Jack-o-Lanterns. There is also Pumpkin Confirmed, which is pretty much the same as Kill Confirmed, but with two key differences. First off, the dog tags are replaced with pumpkins and secondly, the matches feature 20 players in two teams of 10 each. Needless to say, things get a bit chaotic.

 

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Xbox Series S/X Pre-Orders in India Sold Out Instantly, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer Says

Xbox Series S/X pre-orders in India sold out instantly, Microsoft Executive Vice President of Gaming Phil Spencer said in a weekly talk show. The Redmond company started taking pre-orders for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in the country starting September 22. The pre-orders went live through channels including Amazon, Flipkart, and Reliance Digital.

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Vivo V20 SE could launch on November 2 in India: Specifications and expected price

Vivo V20 SE could launch on November 2 in India, according to the latest report. The V20 SE has been teased online alongside the V20 Pro and the phones are slated to launch in India soon. The Vivo V20 was announced in India on October 13 after which the company started teasing the V20 SE and V20 Pro. Both the phones have already made their global debut in September.

According to a report by 91Mobiles that cites “industry sources”, the Vivo V20 SE could launch on November 2 in India and is already up for pre-booking in the offline market. Earlier this week, the price of the V20 SE was leaked through retail listings on Reliance Digital and Croma. While Vivo has not revealed the exact launch date yet, the company website has gone live with a dedicated page for the launch of the V20 SE that teases some of its features. Moreover, Nipun Marya, Director, Brand Strategy at Vivo has also teased the launch of the phone soon.

Adding one more feather to our innovation cap. #ComingSoon #vivoV20SE #DelightEveryMoment pic.twitter.com/fR9ttAoMTs

— Nipun Marya (@nipunmarya) October 29, 2020

As per the listing, the V20 SE could be offered in a single storage option and could be priced Rs 20,990 at launch. As the V20 currently retails for Rs 24,990, the V20 Pro is expected to be priced close to the Rs 30,000-mark as it is powered by the Snapdragon 765G processor. 

Vivo V20 SE specifications

Vivo V20 SE has a plastic build that measures 7.8 millimetres in thickness and weighs 171 grams. The phone features a 6.44-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution display that uses an AMOLED panel with a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera and an in-screen fingerprint sensor.

The V20 SE is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 610 GPU. This is paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage along with the option to expand the storage by using microSD cards. It runs on Android 10-based FunTouchOS 11.

Vivo V20 SE has a triple camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 48MP camera with an f/1.8 aperture, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there’s a 32MP selfie camera housed within the notch.

The V20 SE is equipped with a 4,100mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging out-of-the-box.

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OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 special edition confirmed to launch on November 2

OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 special edition is confirmed to launch on November 2 in China. OnePlus has been teasing this special edition of its latest flagship smartphone from quite some time now and earlier today revealed the official launch date of the phone. OnePlus has collaborated with CD Projekt Red for the Cyberpunk 2077 that has been now delayed by 21 days and will now release on December 10.

According to a post shared by OnePlus on Weibo, the OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 special edition is expected to feature a redesigned camera module along with red accents along the frame. The camera module seems to have increased in size and has “2077” imprinted on it. The phone could also have a revamped back panel to match with the game’s theme but apart from we don’t expect any major hardware changes. 

As of now, the OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 special edition is set to make its debut in China on November 2 at 2 PM, but there’s no word of the phone making it to other regions anytime soon. Having said that, we expect OnePlus to make an official announcement regarding this on the day of the official launch.

OnePlus 8T was launched on October 14 in India starting at Rs 42,999 with a high-refresh-rate display, 65W fast charging and OxygenOS 11 to boot. You can read our review of the OnePlus 8T here.

OnePlus 8T specifications

OnePlus 8T features a 6.55-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution flat-display with a 120Hz high refresh rate. There is a punch-hole cutout in the top-left corner for the selfie camera.

OnePlus 8T is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor and is paired with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage options to choose from. The phone runs on OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, out-of-the-box.

OnePlus 8T comes with a 48MP primary camera, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera that is housed in the punch-hole cutout.

OnePlus 8T comes fitted with a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging out-of-the-box courtesy of a Warp Charge 65 fast charging solution.

 

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Ubisoft Postpones Far Cry 6, Rainbow Six Quarantine Release to Next Year Due to Pandemic

Ubisoft’s Far Cry 6 and Rainbow Six Quarantine have been postponed due to issues caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Far Cry 6 was scheduled to release on February 18 next year while Rainbow Six Quarantine was supposed to be available early 2021.

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Aarogya Setu row: RTI responses reveal Indian government fails to deploy privacy measures to protect user data

Since its launch back on April 2, Aarogya Setu, India’s contact tracing app for COVID-19 has been marred in controversy over its data collecting methods. There have been several concerns raised in the past over the kind of access the government has over citizen’s data collected by the app.

As India’s Data Protection Bill is still being analysed by a government committee, there’s no law to safeguard that data. However, shortly after launching the Aarogya Setu app for Android and iOS smartphones, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) issued the Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol 2020 on May 11. These are essentially set of rules and security measures that the app must follow to safeguard user’s data from potential misuse.

RTI responses reveal government’s lacklustre approach to Aarogya Setu data

Now, as per an exclusive report by Saurav Das, an independent journalist and activist, the Indian government has failed to deploy the said security protocols leaving over 160 million users data exposed to potential risk. In the report, Saurav states that the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has failed to keep a track of access to Aarogya Setu data which means that it doesn’t know the exact entities who have accessed the data till now. The NIC responded to the RTI by giving names of the government departments instead of the names of the entities who have accessed the data. “Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, ICMR, State  Governments (i.e., State Health Secretary at the state level and District Magistrate at the district level),” the response read.

Breaking story. RTI responses by NIC reveal there is no list of data recipients, no audit and no anonymisation of data taking place. #AarogyaSetuApp protocol ignored by its own makers- the Govt of India. A huge privacy risk! My Exclusive for @TheQuint. Shoutout to @VakashaS ! https://t.co/776ixoeNnI

— Saurav Das (@OfficialSauravD) October 30, 2020

Furthermore, MEITY and NIC have no information whether the entities with whom the data has been shared have implemented “reasonable security practices and procedures” as mentioned in the Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol 2020. Interestingly, the protocol does not define “reasonable security practices” in detail. 

Additionally, the Protocol also warrants an expert committee to be set up by the government for developing hard anonymisation methods so that the user’s private details remain anonymous for anyone accessing the Aarogya Setu data. This rule was made so that the user’s data cannot be backtracked to individuals while being accessed by Indian universities, research institutions and entities. As per the guidelines, only after the hard anonymisation of user’s data can it be shared with the said entities. Surprisingly, in its response to Saurav’s RTI appeal, the NIC has confirmed that the set up of the “expert committee” is still in progress and has “refused to answer if any data has been shared with universities/research organisations so far.” To reiterate, the Aarogya Setu app was launched back on April 2 and it has been over six months since the committee is being set up to hard anonymise the Aarogya Setu data. 

Another interesting reply that’s been put to light by Saurav’s RTI query is that the Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol 2020 specifically mentions that the sharing of Aarogya Setu data is “subject to audit and review of their [entity] data usage by the Central Government”. However, the response by NIC states that this is “not applicable” as the data is shared with government entities. 

An audit or review of the Aarogya Setu data is important so that the entities with access to user’s data don’t misuse it, explains Srinivas Kodali, an independent researcher. 

If there is a ever a serious independent audit of #AarogyaSetu. The skeletons will be unearthed. All the data was long shared without any anonymisation to third parties as just database dumps.

— Srinivas Kodali (@digitaldutta) October 30, 2020

This comes after the Central Information Commission (CIC) hollered up MEITY, NIC and other concerned departments for obstructing sharing of information and offering an “evasive reply” over an RTI application filed by Saurav earlier. In it, the CIC has sought an explanation from the NIC on how there is no data available on the creation of Aarogya Setu, especially when it is hosted on a government server.

According to the Aarogya Setu website that is maintained by MyGov and MEITY, over 162,500,000 million people have downloaded the app across Android, iOS and KaiOS platforms. As to the question of who has access to the personal data of these users, the government seems to have no record which makes the requirement of privacy laws in India all the more important now.

 

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10 Games Releasing in November On PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series XS and PC Worth Checking Out

If you thought “techtober” was over, then we say think again. The madness for the world of tech may be slowing down, but it is just getting started for the world of gaming. Microsoft is launching the Xbox Series S/X globally on November 10, including India, and you can learn about the India price and availability here. Sony is launching the PS5 in the US on November 12 and globally on the 19th but there is no information on an India launch. You can check out the India price of the PS5 here. 

In addition to the launch of the consoles, there are also the games that will release. November is filled with games launching on all the consoles, be it the current-gen or the next-gen. While Cyberpunk 2077 has been delayed, there are still a lot of games worth considering. Some games are also offering a free upgrade to their next-gen version. Here is a look at 10 games we think you deserve to spend your hard-earned money on.  

Dirt 5

Release Date: 6 November 2020

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia

Dirt 5 is launching on the current as well as the next-gen consoles and boasts of a 120fps mode on the next-gen consoles. While the game by definition is an off-road racer, it also includes rallycross, ice racing, Stadium Super Trucks and off-road buggies. The game also boasts of split-screen multiplayer. Races will take on challenges in multiple locations across different seasons. The game also features a narrative-focused career mode.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered

Release Date: 16 November 2020

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One and PC

With a lot of classic games getting remastered, it's nice to see Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit as well on the list. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered has a very fast-paced arcade racer feel to it and is made by the same masterminds behind the urnout franchise. Needless to say, that this is one game that will bring back a lot of memories. 

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Release Date: 10 November, 2020 

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, Microsoft Windows

Assassin's Creed is back in 2020 and this time players will don the role of a Viking names Eivor. The gameplay has been overhauled when compared to Assassin's Creed Odyssey. This time around, social stealth and assassinations are back, something which was a highlight in the first few games in the series. New additions to gameplay include dual-wielding of weapons, raids and also rap battles. Yes, rap battles. We’ll let you discover that for yourself in the game. 

Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition

Release date: 10 November 2020 

Platforms: Xbox Series S/X and PS5

Devil May Cry 5 (review) was one of my favourite games on the current console generation and it looks like the Special Edition is all set to exploit the features the next generation of consoles has to offer. From Ray-Tracing to higher frame rate, it looks like it’ll be a good time to revisit the adventures of Dante. The updates for the PS5 and Xbox Series X include 4K/30 FPS with ray-tracing on, 1080p/60 FPS with ray-tracing on, 4K/60 FPS with ray-tracing off and Up to 120 FPS with ray-tracing off.

The Falconeer

Release Date: November 10

Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

If aerial dog fighting is what you are looking for, then you can check out the Falconeer. It is an open-world air combat game. One of the highlights of the game is said to be the frenetic aerial dogfights and deep exploration. You are on a mysterious open-world called The Great Ursee. One of the most fascinating things about the Falconeer is that it is being developed by a single person - Tomas Sala. 

Demon Souls Remake

Release Date: 12 November 2020

Platforms: PS5

Demon Souls was released on a console called the PS3. Now, it is being remade for the PS5. It will naturally bring with it updated visuals, but the game also has a bunch of modes players can choose from. The game will play at 4K and 30 FPS in the visual mode or it will have a dynamic 4K resolution at 60 fps. What the developers are touting is the near instant load times thanks to the super-fast PS5 SSD. This will make the challenge of the game and the frequent deaths a lot more bearable.   

Godfall

Release Date: 12 November 2020

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows

Godfall was the first PlayStation 5 exclusive we heard of even before we heard of the PS5. The game is a hack and slash looter game. Think Destiny with swords. Godfall was also the one of the games the Japanese media got to try out when they went hands on with the PS5 for the first time. 

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Release Date: November 12

PlatForms: PS4, PS5

Sackboy: A Big Adventure may not be on most people's radar, but it was the games used to show off some new features coming to the PS5 UI. The game could also be one of those that shows off the new abilities of the DualSense controller. Considering the cartoony nature of this platforming game, it is one worth considering especially if you have young gamers in the house. 

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Release Date: 12 November 2020

Platforms: PS4, PS5

Considered one of the most anticipated games for the PS4 and PS5, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales isn't a direct sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man but is more on the lines of Uncharted: Lost Legacy. As the title suggests, in this adventure, players will don the role of Miles Morales who also has spider powers. The game will have a free PS4 to PS5 upgrade, and we are really looking forward to the performance of the game on the PS5, especially how the game will use the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller. 

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Release Date: 13 November 2020

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War is another game that will be available on the current and next gen consoles. With Call of Duty Modern Warfare eating up oodles of space on consoles and PC, it is no surprise that the new game will occupy a massive 250GB on the PC if you want to play the game in 4K. A first-person shooter game, it will be interesting to see how this game exploits the potential of the next generation consoles. 

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Steam Halloween Sale Underway, Discounts on Control, Doom Eternal, Death Stranding, and More

Steam Halloween Sale is currently underway and brings attractive discounts on several games. The sale started on October 29 and will run through November 2 with discounts on not only horror titles but also a variety of other genres. Control, Devil May Cry 5, Doom Eternal, Dead Island, Resident Evil 2, and Outlast are some of the games that get price cuts for the Hallo...

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Tencent kills PUBG Mobile in India

Indian users will have to bid a tearful farewell to PUBG Mobile from October 30 onwards. In a post on its official Indian Facebook account, it was announced that Tencent Games will terminate all services and access for users in India to PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite. On top of this, the rights to publish the game in India will be returned to “the owner of the PUBG intellectual property,” namely, PUBG Corp. 

The post also emphasizes that protecting user data has always been a “top priority” for the game. It also notes that the developers always complied with applicable data protection laws and regulations in India. It further noted that all users’ gameplay information was processed transparently and the same was disclosed in its privacy policy. It ends the post by saying that it deeply regrets the outcome, but thanks the love and support it got for the game in India. 

The point about returning the rights to publish PUBG Mobile in India to PUBG Corp is in line with an earlier statement. Soon after the game was banned in India, PUBG Corp. released a statement saying it fully intends to comply with the ban in India and understands why these steps had to be taken. It also said that it had decided to cut ties with Chinese firm Tencent and cancel the licence that allows Tencent to run PUBG Mobile in India. 

To recall, PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite were among the 118 apps that were banned by the Indian government on September 2. However, crafty players were able to find a way around the ban and continue playing. However, with the termination of all services, it seems like that won’t be possible after October 30.  

Thankfully, while PUBG Mobile was a great game, there are some other games that you may wish to try. You can check those out here  

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iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro go on sale today in India: Prices, launch offers and more

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are going on sale in India starting today, with the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max going on sale later in November. The smartphones announced earlier in October, can be purchased from the online Apple Store, and from authorised retailers across the country. Interestingly, the new iPhones are yet to be made available on both Flipkart and Amazon.

iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro price in India

The pricing, like always, is a little higher in India as compared to the prices in other regions. But launch offers on the new smartphones does help sweeten the deal. The iPhone 12 with 64GB storage is priced at Rs 79,900 while the 128GB variant costs Rs 84,900. Similarly, the 256GB iPhone 12 costs Rs 94,900.

As for the iPhone 12 Pro, the smartphone now starts with 128GB base storage, and is priced at Rs 1,19,900 while the 256GB variant is priced at Rs 1,29,900 and the 512GB variant will retail at Rs 1,49,900.

The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will go on sale on November 13.

iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro launch offers and discounts

Buying the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro from the Apple Store will get you a chance to buy it cheaper. Apple is offering up to a whopping Rs 22,000 off upon returning your old smartphone. You can enter the details on the website to know the exact discount.

For HDFC credit card users get a discount of Rs 6,000 while debit card users will get Rs 1,500 cashback. There’s also no-cost EMI for 16 months. The monthly EMI for iPhone 12 starts from Rs 8,227 per month, while the iPhone 12 Pro can be purchased with minimum EMI of Rs 14,111.

On Flipkart and Amazon, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are marked coming soon. The product page for iPhone 12 on Amazon states the phone will be in stock from November 3, while the iPhone 12 Pro is “coming soon”.

Both e-commerce portals also have launch offers. Flipkart is offering a 5 per  cent discount on Axis Bank Buzz credit cards, while on Amazon, ICICI Bank cardholders will get a 5 per cent discount.

iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro specs and features

Apple embraced 5G technology with the iPhone 12 line-up. All four iPhones now support high-speed 5G networks. They also run on the same SoC, which is by far the most powerful Apple has ever created. Made on a 5 nm manufacturing process, the Apple A14 Bionic can hit up to 3.1GHz, faster than any other mobile chipset out there.

The new iPhones also bring back a flatter design, with a thick stainless steel frame, while the screen has been reinforced with Ceramic Shield, a new material Apple developed in collaboration with Corning.

The iPhone 12 sports two 12MP cameras for wide and ultrawide photos, while the 12 Pro sticks to the triple camera setup with an additional LiDAR scanner.

Apart from that, the new iPhones run on the latest iOS 14 and both phones come with a 2815mAh battery now, and the same Super Retina XDR OLED display with Dolby Vision support.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War PC System Requirements Revealed

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War PC system requirements have been revealed by Activision and Treyarch, and the first thing that stands out is the game’s massive size: 175GB for all game modes, and 250GB for 4K gamers. Here are the minimum and recommended requirements for CoD Cold War.

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Apple One Launch Date Set for October 30, CEO Tim Cook Reveals

Apple One — the subscription bundle that includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud storage — will launch Friday, October 30, Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced. Apple One costs Rs. 195 / $15 per month (for individuals) or Rs. 365 / $20 per month (for families).

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PUBG Mobile to Stop Access for Users in India from Friday, Following September Ban

PUBG Mobile will terminate its access for users in India starting Friday, October 30. The new move comes nearly two months after the government banned the highly popular battle royale game along with its lightweight PUBG Mobile Lite and other 116 apps in early September.

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Netflix raises Standard and Premium plan prices in the US, what does that mean for Indian subscribers

If you were moaning about having to shell out Rs 799 for a premium Netflix plan, there could be some bad news on the horizon for all you pocket pinchers. Netflix is now raising the prices of both the standard and premium plans in the US and since Netflix doesn’t really follow differential pricing for other markets, we’re assuming that prices in India could rise as well. Remember, this is all speculation at this point as Netflix has not made an official announcement regarding raising prices in other markets. 

The Netflix Standard plan has been raised from $13 a month to $14 a month. The Premium plan is going from $16 a month up to $18 a month. The Basic plan stays the same at $9 a month. In India, the Standard plan costs Rs 649 a month while the Premium plan costs Rs 799 a month. With this increase in the US pricing of these plans, the assumption is that we could see a Rs 100 rise in the both Standard and Premium plans, which would put them at about Rs 749 for the standard plan and Rs 899 for the premium plan. Also, remember that Netflix is available in Hindi, in India.

 New members signing up for the service in the US will be charged the updated prices from October 29 onward. In a report by CNBC, Netflix has said that it will alert existing users 30 days before the changes are made. The company has also stated, “Timing will be based on the specific member’s billing cycle and will be rolled out over the course of the next two months.”. 

Again, remember that this has not been announced in India yet so do take our assumptions with a grain of salt. As of right now, this price rise applies only to users in the US. So, for guys who want to check out the new Assassin's Creed show on Netflix, you may have to shell out a bit more cash for it. 

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Zebroniucs Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Dolby Atmos Soundbar review

What the Zebronics Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Dolby Atmos Soundbar has going for it is good connectivity options, a simple plug and play setup and support for Dolby Atmos decoding. While the Dolby Atmos performance is gimmicky, the bass heavy nature of the soundbar makes it hard to recommend for all. If you don't want the additional HDMI pass-through ports and are looking for a surround sound experience, you can check out the similarly priced Sony HT-S20R. It is a 5.1 soundbar with dedicated surround speakers and has better overall sound output. 

Budget TVs today come with a host of options like HDMI ARC, 4K HDR playback and some smart capabilities. Some budget TVs also boast of support for Dolby Atmos as well. One of the compromises made to keep the price of these TVs low is the quality of audio output. The 20W to 40 W of sound output from most budget TVs can get the job done for watching regular TVs but for an immersive experience, you need to invest in a sound system like a soundbar. 

In the past year, we have seen the launch of a bunch of budget soundbars at attractive price points that can complement your TV. These soundbars generally have a 2.1 setup, the subwoofer isn’t wireless and the build quality is average. 

Today we have with us the Zebronics Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Dolby Atmos Soundbar. Not only does the soundbar boast of Dolby Atmos support, but also has upward-firing drivers to simulate the height channels. Can it simulate a surround sound experience? Read on and find out!

Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Dolby Atmos Soundbar key specifications at a glance

Soundbar and Subwoofer Weight: 8.2 kg Subwoofer: Yes Audio Inputs: 3.5mm, Optical in, Bluetooth HDMI (ARC). Soundbar Dimension: LxWxH = 960 x 83 x 73 mm HDMI Input: 2 HDMI Output (Audio Return Channel): 1 Soundbar Speaker Driver: 2.25-inch x 4 + 2-inch x 2 Subwoofer Speaker Driver: 6.5-inch Power output: 450W Price: Rs 17,999

What’s in the box of the Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Dolby Atmos Soundbar

In the box, you get the soundbar, subwoofer, power cable and an Aux cable. You also get the remote control and manual. The subwoofer connects via a cable to the soundbar.

Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Dolby Atmos Soundbar Build and Design

The Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro has a simple traditional soundbar design. It has a plastic build with the grill occupying the front and the top of the soundbar. It has a hint of silver on the sides which is nice as this will ensure people will notice it. It has 2 rubber feet which hold it well when kept on a table. The soundbar itself is relatively light but does not feel flimsy. The left of the front has the Zebronics logo and the right has the Dolby Atmos badge. At the centre, we have an LED indicator to show you the sound preset, the current source, etc. I wish this were a little dimmer or would automatically go off after some time as its constant visibility can get distracting, especially if you watch content in a pitch-dark room. The top of the soundbar has physical buttons for power, source and volume. This is nice in case you lose the remote control. The buttons have a nice clicky feel to them. The power cord is detachable on the soundbar and is user-replaceable. 

Moving over to the subwoofer, it has a rectangular form factor with the duct facing front and at the bottom half of the soundbar as we have seen on so many other subwoofers.  It has a matte finish, which I like. The subwoofer has no connectivity options except for a cable which is attached and not user-replaceable. This cable connects the subwoofer to the soundbar. 

Overall, the soundbar doesn’t feel cheap, but it isn't premium either. The subwoofer has a minimal design which is very nice. The soundbar doesn’t have bling but the prominent logos and chunky LED indicator in the centre can get distracting. The grill finish surrounding the soundbar is good.  

Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Soundbar Ports and Connectivity

Speaking of connectivity options, the speaker has one HDMI ARC port and 2 HDMI pass-through ports capable of 4K and HDR. It also has an Optical in, one USB port, Bluetooth 5.0 and one AUX-In. All the ports are neatly hidden at the back of the soundbar and easily accessible. We didn’t wall-mount the soundbar, so we can’t say for sure, but it may be a bit of trouble to manage cables when wall-mounting the soundbar. 

It’s nice to see 2 HDMI pass-through ports on the soundbar along with support for 4K and HDR.

Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Remote Control

Moving to the remote control, it is all plastic with curved edges to add to the grip. Even though the buttons are clicky, the remote does feel slightly cheap. It runs on two AAA batteries and offers playback controls for Bluetooth and USB connectivity, four different EQ presets, treble, bass and volume controls and the ability to change inputs. You can also use the remote control to put the soundbar in pairing mode for Bluetooth playback. Whatever you do on the remote control is reflected on the LED display on the soundbar. 

Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Soundbar Setup 

Setting up the soundbar is extremely easy. Place the soundbar under the TV, place the subwoofer in a corner (it should be close enough for the subwoofer cable to reach the soundbar), connect the soundbar to a power supply, connect it to your TV and you are good to go. The setup shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes. 

Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Soundbar Performance

Bass-heavy is the first thing that will come to your mind when you hear this soundbar. Be it for movies, TV shows or music, the soundbar has an overemphasis on bass. The soundbar can get really loud too, if bringing the house down is something you want. We connected the Xbox One X to the soundbar via an HDMI cable to check the pass-through and it works. If you connect a Dolby Atmos enabled source to the soundbar and connect the soundbar to your TV via ARC, you will be able to enjoy the Atmos encoding from the source even if your TV doesn’t support it, which is good. The fact that it has 2 HDMI pass-through ports is a very handy touch, especially since most budget TVs come with 3 HDMI ports, one of which is ARC, leaving you with only 2 HDMI ports at the back of the TV. With this soundbar, you effectively get 2 more HDMI ports to connect devices to. 

Let’s get the Dolby Atmos performance out of the way. While the soundbar has decent channel separation, don't expect the sound to come from above you. It has a decently wide soundstage but gimmicky Atmos performance.

Coming to the sound quality itself, we connected it to the TV using HDMI ARC and Optical and both inputs worked fine. However, for a more seamless experience, we recommend using the HDMI ARC port. 

At about 30 to 40 percent volume the soundbar can get pretty loud but what it lacks is clarity and that is again because of the bass-heavy signature of the bar. Watching news or TV shows like Young Sheldon or Big Bang Theory where dialogue is most important, you still get a bass-heavy sound output. The only picture preset that worked to reduce this was the news preset and I ended up using this preset most of the time. You can control the bass and treble separately from the remote control, but it kinda muddies the sound output. 

When in the “News” sound preset, the bass is low and we can focus on all the other aspects. Vocals in the news preset are clear so daily TV shows and documentaries can be enjoyed. 

Moving over to movies, once again you expect the bass to kick in when an action sequence starts or the background score demands it. The same thing for gaming, especially in a game like Doom Eternal where you need to feel the thump of the shotgun, you end up feeling everything. 

Resorting to the news preset was the only way to ensure some normalcy to the sound and in this preset, the bass just doesn’t feel right.

Overall, even though the sound output from this soundbar can get really loud, its bass-heavy nature leaves a lot to be desired to have an enjoyable experience. Some of you that want a lot of bass at every turn may enjoy the sound output.

Bottom line

What the Zebronics Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro Dolby Atmos Soundbar has going for it is good connectivity options, a simple plug and play setup and support for Dolby Atmos decoding. While the Dolby Atmos performance is gimmicky, the bass heavy nature of the soundbar makes it hard to recommend for all. If you don't want the additional HDMI pass-through ports and are looking for a surround sound experience, you can check out the similarly priced Sony HT-S20R (review). It is a 5.1 soundbar with dedicated surround speakers and has better overall sound output.

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Xiaomi Mi NoteBook 14 with Core i3 processor confirmed to launch soon in India

Xiaomi Mi NoteBook 14 with 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor is confirmed to launch soon in India. After the launch of the Mi NoteBook 14 (Core i5) and Mi NoteBook 14 Horizon Edition earlier in June this year, this will be the third laptop from the company to make it to the country in the affordable laptop range. The company has teased the key specifications along with a picture of its upcoming laptop.

Manu Kumar Jain, MD at Xiaomi India took to Twitter to announce that the company is preparing to expand its laptop portfolio and will launch the Mi NoteBook 14 powered by the 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor soon. The tweet was accompanied by an image of the laptop teasing the key feature-set. 

Going by the image, the upcoming Mi NoteBook 14 is powered by the 10th gen Intel Core i3 processor with 256GB SSD storage. The laptop is expected to be thin and lightweight, weighing in at 1.5 kilograms. Moreover, unlike its existing laptops in the Mi NoteBook 14 range, the Core i3 variant also features an in-built webcam on top. 

While the company has not revealed the actual launch date of the Core i3 variant of the Mi NoteBook 14, it is expected to launch in the coming weeks with some “festive offers” as stated in Jain’s tweet. Currently, laptops with the similar configuration-set such as the ones in Lenovo IdeaPad or Dell Inspiron series are priced between Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 and it will be interesting to see whether Xiaomi is able to undercut these or offer better features in the range.

The Mi NoteBook 14 powered by the 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor with NVIDIA GeForce MX250 graphics and paired with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD is currently priced starting at Rs 41,999. It features a 14-inch Full HD display and is sleek and lightweight.

The Mi NoteBook 14 Horizon Edition, on the other hand, features a 1080p anti-glare display and is powered by the 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor with NVIDIA GeForce MX350 graphics. This is paired with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage making it lightweight at 1.35 kilograms. The Horizon Edition is priced starting at Rs 51,999 in India. You can read our extensive review here or watch the review video below.

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OnePlus 8T Review

The OnePlus 8T doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but polishes and refines the previous lineup to reach a middle point. The OnePlus 8T is basically the OnePlus 8 that adds the 120Hz refresh rate from the OnePlus 8 Pro, and adds 65W fast charging, to create what is easily one of the best Android experiences out there.

With the Pro Model largely absent from this year’s fall lineup for OnePlus, all eyes are on the OnePlus 8T, which seems to sit cozily between the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. It borrows quite a few features from the OnePlus 8 Pro, including the primary camera sensor and the display, but also adds new things like 65W fast charging and UFS 3.1 storage. Like OnePlus has stated over the years, the T series was brought in to capitalise on the new developments that break in the second half of the year.  Hardware like the chipset and other components also tend to become cheaper by the second half of the year, and the overall offering gives a lot more value for money than the products launched in the first half of the year. The OnePlus 7T did more or less the same thing by imbibing the high refresh rate display from its Pro sibling, and becoming one of the best value flagships of 2019. With the OnePlus 8T Pro not seeing the light of the day, the onus on the OnePlus 8T to prove itself in the market is a lot higher. Can it succeed? Let’s find out —

Performance

With OnePlus opting out of the speed-binned variant of the Snapdragon 865, the benchmark scores of the OnePlus 8T remain largely the same as its predecessor. Interestingly, the OnePlus 8T goes back to using LPDDR4X RAM, instead of LPDDR5 used on both the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro earlier this year. This after a detailed forum post on how the latest RAM module improves operating speed, definitely feels like a compromise on paper, and the benchmark scores also reflect that when compared to the OnePlus 8. That certainly feels odd, but might disappoint the speed enthusiasts who buy a OnePlus flagship thinking that it’s the latest and the best.

Thankfully, the real world performance is reassuring, and is actually a testament to the fact that benchmark scores and real world usage are poles apart. The lower scores should ideally indicate that the OnePlus 8 should feel faster than the OnePlus 8T, but set the refresh rate to 90Hz on the 8T, and we guarantee you won’t see any difference in the speed at which the phone boots up, unlocks and launches apps. It’s definitely a good thing as the OnePlus 8 was already plenty fast and gets the job done effortlessly. The 120Hz refresh rate is the only thing that seems to separate the experience of using the phone. It’s ever so slightly smoother, like how the 8 Pro was as compared to the OnePlus 8.

The dual stereo speakers are loud, with audible sound separation, making watching episodes on the pot a lot more immersive. The on-screen fingerprint sensor works just as fast as the 8 Pro, but if you have face unlock enabled, you won’t even need to use it. The storage is also blazing fast. All the photos I clicked on the phone got transferred in less than 5 minutes. That was around 4GB of data.

Gaming

OnePlus flagships have always offered the best gaming experience without the extra buttons and triggers found in a typical gaming phone. And the OnePlus 8T is no different, and unlike the OnePlus 8 Pro, doesn’t heat up excessively. I tried my hand on a few rounds of Call of Duty: Mobile’s Team Deathmatch, and it’s really the best it can get right now. Having built a habit of playing COD on the ROG Phone 3, I didn’t feel a big difference in gameplay, except for missing the AirTriggers. The touch sensitivity and the large surface area is perfect for quickly moving around and aiming, and the response times are near accurate on a good Wi-Fi connection.

The game ran at 60 FPS at 100% stability, and it only got slightly warm after three matches. Now, despite having a 120Hz display, none of the mainstream Android games will run at 120FPS. 90FPS on Fortnite has been promised, but that’s likely going to be at the cost of low quality graphics.

Software

The OnePlus 8T did give me a chance to explore the new OxygenOS 11 to its fullest, and that’s the real charm of using the device. Not the flagship hardware as such, because now that I’ve had a taste of the same experience on mid-range hardware, there are reasons to believe spending upwards of Rs 40,000 will not make much of a difference in the overall experience, when it comes to OnePlus smartphones.

Nevertheless, OxygenOS 11 is still eluding the Nord, with the 8 series being the only one with it for now. There are improvements across the board, some incremental and some game-changing, like the Always-on display. That is one big missing piece that makes OxygenOS the best Android skin in my books. It disappeared from the OnePlus 6, and returned with more powers on the OnePlus 8T. It’s called Ambient Display and it’s always-on, and now shows the number of times you have unlocked the phone throughout the day in a minimalist visual.

OnePlus has removed the OnePlus Slate Font and replaced it with Sans, which did take a little time for me to get used to. Menu titles are big and bold, sub-menus have rounded corners; you can also customise the icon shapes, the colour accents and

There’s also a pull-out game bar you can use to toggle settings on the fly, quick access to Google Home devices and more. It’s not a major visual upgrade as such, and the UI still feels just as smooth, slick and fast. I doubt there’s anything more OnePlus can do here.

Camera

With the OnePlus 8T in place, we now have three OnePlus smartphones using the same 48MP camera sensor, including the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus Nord. This, when the competition has already moved on to larger sensors seems quite ‘unsettling’ for OnePlus. The performance I felt was being held back for this reason. The ultrawide camera is also the same as before, but there’s now a larger macro camera and a 2MP monochrome lens.

The camera performance, as a result of the hardware, isn’t anything groundbreaking. The output is ever so slightly better than the OnePlus Nord, but nowhere close to the results from the OnePlus 8 Pro. Both the OnePlus Nord and the OnePlus 8 Pro also carry a warm tinge in photos shot in the day, which the 8T gets right. The colours are nicely balanced, and even with a dominance of green in the frame, the white balance is not off.

OnePlus 8T

OnePlus Nord

OnePlus 8 Pro

The level of details in photos shot from the primary 48MP camera is similar to the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus Nord. You can crop by at least 2x without losing the details too much. The overall sharpness, including the center and the edges are uniformly good, and the dynamic range is just shy of what the 8 Pro can produce with its larger sensor.

 

The ultrawide lens too outputs sharp, clean photos given the source of light is ample and not directly in the frame. In the day, the 16MP shooter produces sharp details in the center, with very little distortion in the corners. The colours are also quite consistent moving from the primary to the ultrawide lens.

The good thing is that the ultrawide lens now works with the Nightscape mode, and there’s a definite improvement in using the lens in lowlight. Don’t think iPhone standards, but at least you are now able to get a lot more light in through the small aperture, details be damned.

The Nightscape mode using the primary lens, is now faster than before, and pushes the brightness of the frame to make it look like it’s morning. I’m guessing there are admirers of this effect, but personally, I like to keep my photos natural, and the Nightscape mode by default doesn’t allow it. You need to dial down the exposure level to reduce the brightness, at the cost of darker shadows.

OnePlus 8T

OnePlus Nord

OnePlus 8 Pro

The OnePlus 8T also brings a larger macro lens, even as the 8 Pro simply uses the primary camera to take macro shots. The macro camera seens to have focus issues. It hardly got the details from the flower I was trying to capture.

Overall, the camera performance is sort of disappointing. Not that the photos aren't sharp and detailed. But the camera performance in OnePlus smartphones seems to have hit a plateau. The 8T camera could have done better with a larger sensor, and we’re unsure whether it was cost-cutting or, using up stock of older sensors that made OnePlus stick to a camera sensor launched two years back, even as smartphones like the Mi 10 and the Vivo X50 Pro innovated on using larger sensors and newer stabilisation methods. OnePlus' flagship lineup this year lacks that lustre. So if you are planning to get the OnePlus 8T for its camera performance, there are better options in the same price range.

Battery

The battery is where the OnePlus 8T will put all other OnePlus flagships to shame. After sticking to 30W fast charging for years, the 8T embraces hyperfast 65W fast charging, and what an impact it makes! It’s not the first time we are seeing 65W fast charging on a smartphone before. OnePlus’ BBK sibling Realme and Oppo have already outed smartphones with the technology, and you can avail that speed for as low as Rs 14,999. On the OnePlus 8T, the 65W only adds on to the long list of flagship features and makes this one even more compelling amidst competition. You will anyway have trouble draining the 4500mAh battery on the 8T. The optimisations in place keeps the battery drain extremely conservative when you are doing simple tasks like texting, browsing Twitter or even video calling. That’s usually how my morning goes, and from 100%, the battery drained only to 93% after the usual morning routine.

Even with heavy usage sprinkled with gaming, streaming content on Netflix and taking plenty of photos and videos, the OnePlus 8T lasts till the evening. And the moment the charge hits 15%, you can just plug it for 10 minutes to bring the battery level up to 50%. The total time it takes to charge the phone to full capacity is just over 30 minutes. Trust me, it’s a game-changer.

Design and Display

Another place that saw big changes is the design. The OnePlus 8T is now more in line with the OnePlus Nord’s design philosophy. OnePlus switched to a glossy glass finish and used a broader camera module in the top corner, housing four cameras and two flash modules. The frame is built out of aluminum and feels quite resilient. The phone is also as heavy as the OnePlus 8 Pro, and putting it in a cover makes it even heavier. The punch-hole camera, the speaker arrangement and the alert slider has been retained from its predecessor, and thankfully, the screen is now flat, and shows no glare or colour shift along the edges. Sadly, the OnePlus 8T is not water resistant and IP68 certified like the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Speaking of the display, this really feels like the best panel we have seen on a OnePlus device. The 6.55-inch AMOLED display is tuned to produce bright and saturated colours with deep blacks and high contrast. Using the phone in Dark Mode is a charm, and watching HDR videos on YouTube is just as charming. Netflix still hasn’t certified the 8T yet, but that won’t take long. The panel is also ideal for gaming as the touch sampling rate can hit a claimed 240Hz. But here’s what’s missing — While the panel does sport 120Hz refresh, there’s no MEMC chip inside in the 8T to upscale videos to up to 120 fps, like the OnePlus 8 Pro. The resolution is also lower on the 8T’s panel. As a result, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s display visually remains the best, but I just prefer the flat screen more than the sharply curved edges.

Bottomline

With one of the smoothest displays, hyperfast charging, and a premium design, the OnePlus 8T offers almost everything one wants from a smartphone in 2020. Only the camera holds it back from challenging the stalwarts in the market, even its own Pro sibling. What it does offer is one of the best value for money devices out there. The 8+128GB variant launched at Rs 42,999 and goes up to Rs 45,999 for the 12+256GB variant, in line with the Xiaomi Mi 10 and the OnePlus 8. The OnePlus 8T is perfect if the camera is not the highest priority, but gaming, watching movies and speedy usage, is. It’s not as ergonomic as the Mi 10 or the OnePlus 8, because of its weight and thickness, but boy is it fast!

Photos by Prateek Khatri

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