Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Review: Powerful all-rounder

The Galaxy S21 FE is a good deal if you're looking to buy a new phone that not only works like a truly high-end device but also looks and feels as such. It flaunts a killer display, offers good performance, and also comes with the promise of clicking good photos in a variety of conditions. Yes, it's true Samsung could have done the S21 FE 5G a favour by launching the phone with a much more aggressive price tag. It would have not only helped the S21 FE 5G compete better with phones from the likes of OnePlus, iQOO and Xiaomi but also helped it look like a no-brainer in front of the Galaxy S20 FE 5G.

 

The Galaxy S20 FE was one of Samsung's better-selling phones of 2020. It brought with it the promise of a flagship smartphone experience, but at a more affordable price than what you'd typically pay for the top-of-the-line Galaxy S series flagships. But despite packing some seriously good cameras, a fun design language and a gorgeous display, the phone did suffer a little when it came to the core hardware. 

Now at the turn of the year, Samsung launched the Galaxy S21 FE as an upgrade over the Galaxy S20 FE 5G. The new phone follows the same script as the fan edition phone from last year but crucially improves in key departments, including design and core hardware. 

We've had the Galaxy S21 FE with us for a few days, giving us the chance to examine it in-depth and give a verdict on if the phone is worth your money. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G review: Design 

Let's get to the interesting bit first. The design. 

So, the moment you lay your hands on the Galaxy S21 FE you'll notice some interesting things. The first among them is just how the phone has obvious design similarities with the Galaxy S20 FE. There's the use of plastic at the back with the frame on both the phones created using metal. 

Both also feature curved corners and a central punch-hole camera at the top of the display. But, there are plenty of differences as well. Because of the presence of a slightly smaller display and thinner bezels on the S21 FE, the phone looks and feels more compact in the hand when compared to the Galaxy S20 FE. It is also a little lighter at 177 grams compared to the S20 FE which weighs in at 190g.

The Galaxy S21 FE also has a redesigned camera module which is more in line with the one found on the other S21 series phones. The one on the Galaxy S20 FE has a camera island that protrudes like the Galaxy S20 series phones. 

All these elements combine to make the S21 FE a very interesting-looking phone, in my opinion, one that will appeal to a large audience. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G review: Display 

At the front of the phone, we have a 6.4-inch display with no fancy curves on it. This is a flat display that offers support for up to FHD+ resolution. The flat panel is accompanied by very little in terms of bezels and houses a centre-aligned punch-hole for the selfie camera. 

As you'd expect from Samsung, the AMOLED panel used on the device is quite feature-rich and is capable of fast refresh rates. While there is no support for adaptive refresh rates, it does offer support for working at either 60Hz or 120Hz. And as we found during our review, it also does not disappoint in performance. It offers deep blacks and punchy colours, making it great for watching movies or consuming multimedia content on the device. 

In our Calman display tests, the Galaxy S21 FE performed well, clocking up an average DeltaE of 2.6 in both the sRGB and DCI-P3 colour space. However, in both the max DeltaE was a little on the higher side. Calman testing of the display also showed a very good contrast ratio and decent RGB balance as well. Samsung's also done a good job tuning the display to have no visible colour biases running in the natural colour profile. This is something that the Calman testing also showed, with the panel throwing up a very good average correlated colour temperature of 6513. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: Performance

In India, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G is powered by the Exynos 2100 SoC. This is a chip built using the 5nm process. On the phone, this chip has been paired with 8GB of LDRR5 memory and up to 256GB of UFS3.1 storage. Because the phone runs on Samsung's One UI 4, we also get support for the company's RAM Plus feature which extends the RAM by another 4GB. This is a pretty powerful combination, even if not the most powerful for the start of 2022. 

In benchmarks, this combination serves the phone well, with the S21 FE 5G racking up high scores in tests such as AnTuTu, Geekbench and 3D Mark WildLife. Interestingly, not only were these benchmarks scores higher than what the similarly specced Galaxy S21 Ultra achieved, but surprisingly also better than what some Snapdragon 888-based phones such as the OnePlus 9 managed to get in our tests. The only benchmark where the Galaxy S21 FE 5G did not perform too well was the CPU Throttling Test. Here, we found the chipset being dramatically throttled after the 15-minute mark of the test, leading us to believe the phone possibly has issues with handling thermals. 

In real-world scenarios, these numbers translated into smooth performance in day-to-day tasks while running apps of daily use such as Twitter, Facebook and even when browsing the internet through apps like Chrome. Gaming performance too was pretty good, with Gamebench showing the Galaxy S21 FE can handle resource-intensive games such as Asphalt 9 Legends and Call of Duty 5 with relative ease. However, it must be noted the performance in games was not as stable as what we have previously seen on competing devices like the OnePlus 9 running last year’s flagship Snapdragon chipset. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: Cameras

When it comes to optics, the Galaxy S21 FE does not offer anything new in the camera department. This is because Samsung has equipped the device with a triple rear camera setup that features a 12MP primary lens with support for OIS sat next to another 12MP ultra-wide camera. Completing the camera set-up is an 8MP telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom. 

All three lenses throw up some really good results, with the primary lens churning out good shots in the daytime when the camera is fed with a good amount of natural light. Living up to our expectations, the lens captured detailed shots with rich and accurate colours. These shots offer good dynamic range and even more improved results with HDR on. 

The ultra-wide lens is also good, with clicking shots with plenty of details in them. However, there is some fish-eye effect in the images captured using this lens. The telephoto lens is our least favourite lens of the set-up. But, that's not a consequence of the poor performance of the lens. Rather, it's because of just how little usability telephoto lenses offer in general. The lens does offer serviceable details at 3x optical zoom. However, the quality of the images takes a hit once you zoom in further digitally.

Apart from these, the S21 FE's camera app and supporting computational photography algorithms ensure the phone performs well in low light conditions. With the primary lens, we clicked some really good shots that packed in a lot of detail and very little noise to ruin the frame. 

Apart from these, the phone also brings modes such as Single Take and Live Focus. The latter is the phone's portrait mode which clicks some really nice shots with good depth effect in them. The mode works almost equally well in both daytime and low light conditions. However, in the latter, the level of detail and accuracy of the blur along the edges of the subject goes for a toss a little. 

For selfies, the phone comes with a 32MP lens that captures accurate skin tones and skin details in well-lit situations. The low light performance of the lens, however, is something that leaves a little to be desired. 

Galaxy S21 FE review: Battery

For battery, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE comes with a 4,500mAh battery pack -- much like the Galaxy S20 FE 5G. This pack manages to ensure the phone lasts over a day on moderate use and also gets you through the day even if subjected to heavy usage. When the phone runs out of charge, the device can be topped up using a 25W charger in about an hour and a half. 

Honestly, for a phone in 2022, this just doesn't cut it anymore as much more affordable devices are now offering even 120W fast charging promising a complete charge in less than 20 minutes. But the S21 FE does have a few other tricks up its sleeve. The phone also comes with support for wireless charging. However, the speeds here are slightly slower, topping up at 15W. 

Galaxy S21 FE 5G review: Verdict

With all the gyan out of the way, let's get to the all-important question. 

Is the Galaxy S21 FE worth buying?

For me, the answer would be a yes. The Galaxy S21 FE is a good deal if you're looking to buy a new phone that not only works like a truly high-end device but also looks and feels as such. It flaunts a killer display, offers good performance, and also comes with the promise of clicking good photos in a variety of conditions.  

The only catch here is its price. 

At Rs 54,999, the Galaxy S21 FE is actually not badly priced. But could the pricing have been better? Maybe, yes. Considering the fiercely fought segment the phone comes in, Samsung could have done the S21 FE 5G a favour by launching the phone with a much more aggressive price tag. It would have not only helped the S21 FE 5G compete better with phones from the likes of OnePlus, iQOO and Xiaomi but also helped it look like a no-brainer in front of the Galaxy S20 FE 5g which despite offering a similar camera and overall performance, is retailing at a much more aggressive price point. 

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Sony WF-1000XM4 Review: An all-rounder like no other

There’s a reason why Sony’s ANC headphone launches are surrounded by so much hype. This company consistently makes some of the best ANC audio devices on the market rivalled by few others. The Sony WF-1000XM4 is simply the best noise-cancelling truly wireless earphones money can buy. It has dethroned the Sony WF-1000XM3 to take up this spot which shows Sony's prowess in this area. Apart from excellent ANC performance, you get impressive sound quality with LDAC codec, excellent app support, great battery life and microphone performance, and so much more. 

Even though the acclaimed Sony WF-1000XM3 TWS earphones were launched in 2020, these noise-cancelling earbuds continued to reign supreme in our noise-cancelling TWS lists until now. This just indicates Sony’s prowess in this noise-cancelling space. Now that the latest model in Sony’s supremely successful WF-1000X lineup – Sony WF-1000XM4 (“Mark 4”) – has finally made its way to India, we have a feeling it may just dethrone its predecessor. Sony has a formidable presence in the TWS market in India with gems such as the Sony WF-1000XM3, the Sony WF-SP800N, and others that users can choose from. If history is any indicator, the Sony WF-1000XM4 will continue the trend of being one of the best TWS earbuds money could buy. But will it continue to be the best ANC TWS?

The newly-launched Sony WF-1000XM4 comes packing numerous improvements that set it apart from the previous-gen model. These include the new and improved V1 chip, LDAC codec support, IPX4 water resistance, Qi wireless charging, and a brand new design. These premium TWS earbuds go toe to toe with the likes of the Apple AirPods Pro, Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. We had a blast reviewing these earbuds and came away with many thoughts. Here’s how the Sony WF-1000XM4 fared in our review.

Build and design

Let’s begin with the box. The Sony WF-1000XM4 arrives in a box 34 per cent smaller than the WF-1000XM3 box and it’s completely plastic-free. The box is made of recycled paper which is certainly a step in the right direction for the environment, however, it does take some of the glamour out of the unboxing experience. Nevertheless, we appreciate Sony’s efforts in going the environmentally-friendly route, all without removing any important accessories from the box. Inside the box, you get 3 sizes of silicone eartips, a Type-C charging cable, some documentation and the earbuds themselves.

As for the design, Sony went back to the drawing board and completely redesigned the Sony WF-1000XM4. While the WF-1000XM3 looked sophisticated and classy, the charging case and the earbuds were anything but discreet, making it quite a hassle to carry around in pockets or small bags. The new Mark 4s have a case that’s 40 per cent smaller and earbuds that are 10 per cent smaller. While there’s a clear reduction in size compared to their predecessor, the charging case and earbuds of the Sony WF-1000XM4 are still on the bulkier side of TWS earphones. 

The earbuds are available in two colours – Black and Silver. We got the latter for review. The cream-coloured case has a simple matte texture with the Sony logo stamped on top in golden. There’s a large LED battery indicator on the front and a USB Type-C charging port on the back. The case is also wireless charging compatible, all you need is a compatible Qi wireless charger. The magnets inside the case are extremely strong and hold the earbuds securely, however, the lid feels a tad flimsy since it isn’t reinforced by metal. The case is definitely more pocketable than its predecessor’s case, but it will still bulge out considerably from pockets, especially if you’re wearing skinny jeans.

The earbuds are more rounded than the Mark 3s and have a circular golden accent around the microphone that adds some flair. The back of the earbuds houses capacitive touch controls, which are reliable and responsive. The earbuds are pretty bulky and hefty in comparison to other premium TWS earbuds on the market such as the Jabra Elite 7 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. Overall, the WF-1000XM4 earbuds are a definite improvement in terms of build in comparison to the WF-1000XM3. But we’re hoping Sony can shrink down the size even further with the next iteration in this lineup.

Comfort and fit

Owing to the bulky nature of the earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is definitely not the most secure pair of earbuds we’ve worn. We definitely think that the Jabra Elite 7 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro reign supreme when it comes to fit in the premium TWS segment. Nevertheless, what you get with the Sony WF-1000XM4 is still a pretty decent fit that may need some readjustment in your ears from time to time. They’re definitely miles better than the Mark 3s when it comes to fit. The Mark 3s used to easily slip out of ears during intense activities such as working out, but that’s not too much of an issue with the Mark 4s.

One big complaint we have with the Sony WF-1000XM4 is that they come with rubber silicone ear tips. We distinctly remember when these earbuds launched in the international market, we were excited to see Sony’s new Noise Isolation Earbud Tips that were made out of polyurethane foam. Unfortunately, we’re getting the regular silicone ear tips here in India that are much less secure and snug-fitting than foam. We asked Sony about this discrepancy between the global variant and the one that’s coming to India. They informed us that the silicone “Noise-Isolation” ear tips present in the retail box in India will also make their way to the global retail box of the product. We have a REALLY hard time believing that since the polyurethane foam tips are advertised so aggressively on the global web page of this product.

That aside, the foam ear tips provide a snug fit and you can go jogging with them, although the earbuds may feel loose at times. They’re comfortable to wear over long periods though, and don’t really strain the ear. Let’s move on to a big positive now – IPX4 sweat and water resistance. Yes, these buds come with a water resistance rating which was woefully absent on the Mark 3s. So, you can go jogging with them in light rain without worrying about any damage. 

Companion app: Sony Headphones Connect and other features

The Sony Headphone Connect app is possibly one of the most utilitarian and versatile companion apps we’ve ever used with TWS earbuds. The app has a plethora of features and customisation options that give users granular control over the earbuds. The app has nifty features such as a 5-band customisable EQ, sound presets, charging status, and customisable controls. However, the exact controls cannot be chosen, all you can do is switch the control type for each earbud.

For example, by default, the left earbud is set for Ambient Sound Control. So, a tap will cycle between noise cancellation profiles and pressing and holding will turn on something called Quick Attention mode. You can’t change the function of a ‘tap’ and ‘tap and hold’ individually. You can switch the entire touch control profile with something like Volume Control where a tap now raises the volume and pressing and holding decreases the volume. 

There are four control types to choose from – Ambient Sound Control, Volume Control, Playback Control, and None. You can apply any one of these on one earbud. So, essentially, you can have only two profiles active simultaneously. We opted for Ambient Sound Control and Playback Control (which also has a voice assistant gesture), so we had to miss out on volume controls. We don’t like this implementation and would rather have Sony provide users with the option to remap specific gestures as per their own preferences. 

Aside from that, the earbud’s app allows users to access features such as Adaptive Sound Control, Speak to Chat, 360 Reality Audio, DSEE Extreme, Earbud Fit test, and more. Adaptive Sound Control is a useful feature that uses AI smarts to determine your activity (staying, walking, running, or transport) and applies noise-cancellation settings accordingly. It can also detect your location and apply noise cancellation settings that you usually prefer in that location. The feature worked exceedingly well in our tests with it promptly switching between NC modes as the activity called for it.

DSEE Extreme is a feature that uses AI to upscale compressed lossy files. The effect is minimal and there isn’t a stark difference in the sound when using it versus when it’s toggled off. The Earbud Fit test is convenient and it lets you know if the eartips you’ve used are giving you a good seal. 

One of our favourite features on the Sony WF-1000XM4 is Quick Attention mode. It is present by default on the earbuds and can be activated by pressing and holding the left earbud’s touch panel (if you’ve left it on default control settings). Activating this will enable Ambient Sound and turn down media volume so you can have a quick conversation without having to pause your music and manually turn on Ambient Mode. It is an extremely nifty feature that we used a lot during our time with these earbuds. 

One feature we did miss is multipoint connectivity which lets you connect the earbuds to two source devices simultaneously and switch between them seamlessly. It’s a shame that a premium TWS like the WF-1000XM4 has skipped this feature. We would rather have multipoint support than features such as Speak to Chat or 360 Reality Audio, both of which are not very useful since Quick Attention mode basically does the same thing as Speak to Chat more reliably and there aren’t a lot of apps that support 360 Reality Audio in India. 

Overall, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is extremely feature-laden and a large portion of the features are accessible via the app. The Headphones Connect app is available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. We definitely recommend using these earbuds with the app installed to unlock their full potential.

Performance – Noise cancellation and Ambient Sound

We’ve already discussed Adaptive Sound Control that automatically switches between Active Noise Cancellation and Ambient Sound mode according to the activity or location. Now, let’s talk about the performance of these headlining features in detail. Sony headphones are formidable in the ANC category, and for good reason. The company has consistently launched some of the best ANC headphones and earphones on the market for the past few years. Fortunately, the Sony WF-1000XM4 more than lives up to the legacy of Sony noise-cancelling headphones.

Active Noise Cancellation on these earbuds is truly exceptional, so much so that it almost matches up the performance of their over-ear noise-cancelling cans! From an AC’s drone to sounds of rail tracks when travelling in Mumbai locals to noisy office environments, the Sony WF-1000XM4 suppresses all these sounds to a truly impressive degree.  Low-frequency, constant sounds are almost cut out entirely. So, you can be assured that turning on ANC on these earphones will immediately isolate you from your surroundings.

All of this is accomplished by the new Sony V1 processor – the successor to the lauded QN1e chip that was present in the Mark 3 – and dual noise-sensing microphones in each earbud. The chip and microphones work together to provide improved ANC performance over the last-gen model that greatly diminishes most ambient sounds as per our tests. The earphones easily beat the Jabra Elite 7 Pro and the AirPods Pro when it comes to ANC performance. The only earbuds that come anywhere close are the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds.

As for Ambient Sound, we noticed an improvement in this area compared to their predecessors. The ambient sounds that are let in with Ambient Mode turned on sound natural and clear, while they sounded slightly artificial on the Mark 3s.

Performance – Sound, microphone, and connectivity

While Sony is mostly known for their bass-forward headsets and earphones, the WF-1000X series is where they keep the sound as clean and balanced as possible. The Sony WF-1000XM4 packs 6mm drivers that produce energetic yet balanced sound. The earphones support the SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs. We tested the earphones on the LDAC codec since it provides the highest quality of all the available ones. The Sony WF-1000XM4 has dynamic bass response, pristine mids, and decent highs. We tested these earbuds with our audio testing equipment and you can check out its sound signature in the frequency graph below.

Uncompensated frequency response graph of Sony WF-1000XM4 (Blue) vs Flat response (Dark Green)

In the frequency graph, you can see that the bass response is boosted, but not by too much as is the case with Sony’s more bass-forward headphones in their XB lineup. The bass response is also toned down from what the Mark 3s had. This result is an analytical yet energetic bass response that brought out the rumble in the lows while still maintaining clarity and accuracy. In tracks like Heat Waves by Glass Animals, the bass beats sound punchy yet controlled and the vocals sound absolutely sublime. We are seriously impressed by how exquisitely detailed the lows are but even more impressed with the mids’ clarity. The region from 500Hz to 3kHz is almost identical to the neutral sound signature making vocals and instruments in this range sound almost clinical. In the track Easy On Me by Adele, you can hear almost every breath she takes between lines, which is often not heard on other TWS.

As a result, these headphones are excellent for not only popular genres such as pop, rap, EDM and more but also to listen to classical tunes, podcasts and watch movies. The frequency range past 3kHz sees a drop so the highs do see a slight drop in detail and clarity after that point. So, you may notice that cymbals and hi-hats don’t sound as good in the mix, but just tweaking the highs in the EQ settings in the app pretty much fixes this issue. So, in tracks such as Something From Nothing by Foo Fighters, the cymbals lose some of its sparkle since they’re under-emphasised but when we EQed up the highs, we got back some of the missing detail. Overall, the Sony WF-1000XM4 seriously impressed us with its exquisite sound quality in the lows and mids, rivalled by only a few earphones such as the Devialet Gemini, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, and Shure AONIC 215 TWS Gen2. 

Uncompensated frequency response graph of Sony WF-1000XM4 (Blue) vs Sony WF-1000XM3 (Orange)

The imaging on these earphones is fantastic. In Selkies by Between the Buried and Me, the instruments can be distinguished and are placed accurately within the mix. The soundstage is pretty good for TWS earphones, although the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 still holds the crown in this department.

Now, let’s move on to the microphone performance. The earphones come with Sony’s Precise Voice Pickup Technology that leverages the beamforming microphones and bone conduction sensor on the buds to pick up your voice and relay it. The microphone quality is very good, voices are clear and loud on calls and during recordings. Ambient sounds are suppressed to some degree but if you’re in extremely noisy environments, some surrounding noise will make its way through. Overall though, these earphones have one of the best microphone setups on TWS earphones.

As for wireless connectivity, the WF-1000XM4 is powered by Bluetooth v5.2 and supports Google’s Fast Pair feature. This allows Android users to quickly connect to the earbuds with just one tap. The wireless range on these earbuds is pretty good and the connection stays put even if you are a room or two away from the source device. There are also minimal lags and connection drops, and the overall experience is quite seamless. Sony has also added a swift pair feature for PCs. Swift Pair brings up a pop-up pairing guide on nearby Windows 10+ PCs or laptops, allowing users to connect in a jiffy. The latency is also minimal and we noticed very little delay between the content and audio.

Battery life

Owing to the reduced size of the charging and earbuds, we were fully expecting the battery life on the Mark 4 to take a hit in comparison to its predecessor. Fortunately, though, that’s not the case. The Mark 3s were capable of 6 hours of wireless playback from the earbuds with ANC turned on. This number has been bumped up to 8 hours with the newer Mark 4s, according to the company. Along with the charging case, you get 24 hours of total battery life (8 hours on earbuds + 16 hours from charging case). 

If you use the earphones with ANC turned off, on the other hand, Sony claims you get 32 hours of total battery life, which is pretty good. In our tests, the earbuds themselves lasted 6.5 hours with LDAC and ANC turned on. If you turn LDAC off, you’ll get better mileage. The case provided another 2 charges and still had some juice left over for a partial third charge.

The earphones also come with Quick Charge capabilities where 5 minutes of charging will provide an hour’s worth of playtime. The earbuds’ charging case finally comes with wireless charging capabilities, which was absent on its predecessor. So, you can simply set the case down on any Qi-compatible charger or a phone with reverse wireless charging to power it up.

Verdict

There’s a reason why Sony’s ANC headphone launches are surrounded by so much hype. This company consistently makes some of the best ANC audio devices on the market rivalled by few others. The Sony WF-1000XM4 is simply the best noise-cancelling truly wireless earphones money can buy. It has dethroned the Sony WF-1000XM3 to take up this spot which shows Sony's prowess in this area. Apart from excellent ANC performance, you get impressive sound quality with LDAC codec, excellent app support, great battery life and microphone performance, and so much more. The only two drawbacks are the missing multipoint connectivity support and the fit. For users with smaller ears especially, you may not get a snug fit from these earbuds since they are pretty hefty and stick out from the ears considerably. So, if getting the best fit from your earbuds is a top priority for you, we’d definitely recommend the Jabra Elite 7 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro over these earbuds. However, for almost everything else, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is an excellent choice. The Sony WF-1000XM4 is truly an all-rounder like no other that not only does so many things, but does most of them well.

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OnePlus 9RT pricing and variants leaked ahead of India launch on January 14

OnePlus 9RT pricing and storage variants have leaked ahead of its launch on January 14 in India. The OnePlus 9RT was launched way back in October 2021 in China as an upgrade to the OnePlus 9R. It brought in Snapdragon 888 over the 870 along with a slightly larger display and an upgraded main camera. OnePlus 9RT is slated to launch at 5:00 PM IST on Friday, January 14 in India and will be accompanied by the OnePlus Buds Z2 TWS active-noise cancelling earbuds.

According to a tweet by popular tipster Yogesh Brar, the OnePlus 9RT is priced starting at Rs 42,999 for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage and Rs 46,999 for the 12GB+256GB storage option. He also states that the phone will go on its first sale on Amazon, in line with the Amazon Republic Day Sale which commences from January 17.

Had an intuition that OnePlus might shift to old pricing and that is happening :( Final rates for OnePlus 9RT: 8/128GB - ₹42,999 12/256GB - ₹46,999 Will be available in 2 colors : Black & Silver Both models up on sale during Amazon's Republic Day starting 17th January

— Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) January 13, 2022 OnePlus 9RT specifications

The OnePlus 9RT features a large 6.62-inch AMOLED display that offers Full HD+ resolution along with support for 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ certification. The display is bigger than both the OnePlus 9 and 9R and is topped with a layer of Gorilla Glass 5. It measures 8.3mm in thickness and weighs 198.5 grams.

It is powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 660 GPU. This is paired with upto 12GB RAM and 256GB storage options to choose from.

The OnePlus 9RT has a 50MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, a 16MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. The rear cameras can record in 4K at 60FPS and we also get a 16MP selfie camera tucked away in the punch-hole notch cutout in the top-left corner.

It also has stereo speakers and an in-screen optical fingerprint reader. There is a 4,500mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging out of the box which OnePlus claims can fully charge the battery in 29 minutes.

Also Read: OnePlus 10 Pro passes BIS certification, India launch imminent

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Wordle Knockoffs Pulled From Apple's App Store

Apple said it has removed from its App Store several knockoffs of Wordle, a website-only word game that has seen a recent surge in popularity thanks to celebrities like Jimmy Fallon.

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Wordle Rip-Off Appeared on App Store With Subscription Model, Pulled After Criticism

Wordle clone appeared on the App Store earlier this week. It was removed from the App Store shortly after gaining criticism over the paid model and identical gameplay.

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Lenovo Legion Y90 gaming smartphone is so powerful that it has cut-outs in the rear panel to increase air flow

Lenovo Legion Y90 Specifications have leaked thanks to an alleged 3C listing. For the uninitiated, 3C is China’s certification board for mobile phones. The leaked information suggests that the upcoming Lenovo Gaming smartphone will feature up to 68W fast charging capabilities, for reference, several thin and light laptops cap out at 65W. Lenovo also released a video some time ago revealing the updated design and features of the Legion Y90 gaming smartphones. Here’s a quick refresher.

Lenovo Legion Y90 Specs, Features, Launch Date In India

If you think Lenovo Legion Y90 looks cool, then the last-gen Lenovo Legion 2 Pro gaming smartphone was a pretty amazing gaming smartphone as well. It featured a Snapdragon 888 SoC, powerful specs, and a horizontally placed popup selfie camera so the user can show his face while streaming online. 

However, the new Lenovo Legion Y90 gaming smartphone ditches that design in favour of a conventional selfie camera placed near the top bezel. Lenovo had to do so in order to effectively cool the brand new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC powering the Legion Y90. At the rear, the smartphone features dual cameras and several air vents, both centrally located.  

As per China’s 3C Certification, the smartphone will support up to 68W fast charging and according to another leak the Lenovo Legion Y90 will have a Samsung E4 AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and a 720 Hz sampling rate, one of the best in the business. 

Gamers can get their hands on the Lenovo Legion Y90 probably next month in February, probably after the Chinese Spring Festival. Lenovo’s last two gaming phones had a global launch so most probably the Legion Y90 could launch in a similar way. 

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Sony will continue manufacturing the PS4 due to current PS5 shortage

Getting a PS5 (review), even after a year of its release, has been incredibly difficult for some. Blame the pandemic, the current chip shortage crisis but it’s clear that snagging a PS5 is not going to be easy. To that end, it looks like Sony is going to continue producing PS4 to make up for the lack of its latest console. In a report on Bloomberg, sources state that Sony was looking at discontinuing assembly of the Ps4 sometime in 2021, but owing to the shortage of newer consoles, Sony is looking at bolstering its sales with more PlayStation 4s. The report goes on to state that about a million PS4 consoles will be manufactured to take off a bit of the load from the PS5’s production. 

Sony looking at manufacturing more PS4s in 2022

Most people have had a hard time finding PS5s since its launch last year. Even in 2022, it seems that there is going to be a shortage of newer consoles. In fact, we earlier reported that Sony reportedly lowered its internal production forecast from 16 million units to 15 million for 2021 and it does not look like that’s changing anytime soon. From what we’ve seen, there seems to be a number of games that are cross-generational with God of War: Ragnarok being the biggest of the lot. So, if players can’t get a hold of the PS5, picking up a PS4 Pro could be a good option if you’re looking to experience Sony’s exclusive games. 

Sony has made a number of improvements to the PS5 since launch such as enabling the built-in M.2 storage expansion option (which wasn’t available at launch) and making some much-needed tweaks to the UI. Sony has also made a hardware revision to the PS5 by reducing the size of the heatsink and also redesigning the screw that holds the stand in place. 

For Sony, 2022 looks to be quite an interesting year with games like Horizon: Forbidden West, God of War: Ragnarok and Sifu releasing soon. 

Also Read: If You Thought Buying A PS5 In 2021 Was Tough, Wait Till You See What's In Store For 2022

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