Sony WH-XB910N Review: Stays true to its moniker

An affordable alternative to the Sony WH-1000XM4 and a bass lover’s dream, the Sony WH-XB910N has a lot going for it. Not only do you get ANC, app support, and multipoint connection support, but you also get a solid, robust build and excellent battery life. However, the ANC performance is not close to Sony’s flagship headsets, so keep that in mind. The sound signature is quite bass-forward though and may only appease hardcore bass lovers, so purists and audiophiles should look the other way.

The Sony Extra Bass (XB) lineup has always been a popular one in India, with an audience that largely prefers bass-heavy headsets. We’ve reviewed several XB headphones over the years, and they usually stay true to their moniker, being that extra bass promised. The Sony WH-XB910N is the company’s newest entrant in the XB lineup equipped with Noise Cancelling abilities. Priced at Rs 14,990, the WH-XB910N is cheaper than the company’s most premium noise-cancelling headset – the lauded WH-1000XM4 – and it comes with similar features. So, users who may not want to spend more than 20K on a noise-cancelling pair of cans may find the Sony WH-XB910N more appealing, price-wise. Additionally, those who prefer a more bass-driven sound signature may also gravitate towards these headphones. However, how do these headphones perform and are they worth their price tag? Let’s find out that and more in this review.

Sony WH-XB910N: Build and comfort

The Sony WH-XB910N’s design is reminiscent of the more expensive WH-1000XM4. The shape and styling are very similar but these headphones are lacking the copper accents that give the Mark 4s their aesthetic appeal. The WH-XB910N looks simple and plain but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The headphones are also very light, weighing merely 252g. The weight is also evenly distributed and you won’t feel stress at any one point when wearing the cans.

The headphones have an over-ear design with thick, plushy foam ear cups. The underside of the headband is also padded with foam, making these headphones supremely comfortable to wear. The urethane memory foam ear cups do get slightly warm after long periods of usage though. However, the headset is extremely comfortable to use in most scenarios including walking, jogging or merely sitting.

The headphones are very flexible so they should fit large-sized heads too. The headband extenders allow for variability in fit as well, allowing small or large-sized heads to wear the headphones comfortably. The earcups also rotate so they can sit flat on your chest when not in use. The headphones can be folded as well, so they are easily portable. Sony has provided a hard carrying case with a fabric texture, which is convenient for carrying the headphones around.

The power and ANC buttons are situated on the side of the left earcup. They’re easy to press and have pretty good tactile feedback. At the bottom, you also have a 3.5mm audio jack to listen to music passively using the provided 3.5mm cable. There’s also a USB Type-C port for charging. On the right side, you have the touch-sensitive panel on top of the earcup. You can use the touch panel to pause/play music, skip tracks, control volume levels, and activate voice assistant. The controls are simple, intuitive and worked flawlessly during our testing. 

Inside the box, you get the headphones themselves, a hard fabric-textured carrying case, a 3.5mm audio cable, a USB Type-C charging cable, and some documentation.

Sony WH-XB910N: Features

The Sony WH-XB910N serves up an array of features present in the Sony WH-1000XM4 at a more affordable price to users. Firstly, the cans come equipped with Active Noise Cancellation and Ambient Sound. The headphones are equipped with two feedforward and feedback microphones that capture environmental noise and either subdue it with ANC or amplify it with Ambient Sound mode. 

Another excellent feature present on these headphones is Sony Headphones Connect app support. The app allows access to a plethora of features and customisations including Sony’s AI-based Adaptive Sound Control, 5-band customisable EQ, 360 Reality Audio setup, Sony’s DSEE upscaling technology and voice assistant function. The Adaptive Sound Control function uses AI smarts to detect your surroundings or actions and apply a noise-cancelling mode accordingly. So, when you’re walking, it turns on ambient sound so you can hear your surroundings, and when you’re sitting it turns on ANC mode. You can tweak what activity applies which noise-cancelling mode within the app, as per your preference. 

360 Reality Audio is present but there aren’t too many apps that support the feature in India. As for DSEE, it enhances and upscales digital files to bring them as close to the original recording’s quality as possible, according to Sony. You can also toggle multipoint connectivity within the app that allows you to connect two devices to the headphones simultaneously. Additionally, you can pick between the device voice assistant or a handsfree voice assistant (Google Assistant or Alexa) within the app. We picked Google Assistant and used handsfree commands a lot to call people, have assistant read out our notifications, and more. Overall, the app is very feature-rich and allows users to have more granular control over the headphones.

As for other features, the headphones come with Quick Attention Mode which is possibly one of our favourite features to use on ANC headphones. Placing your palm on top of the right earcup activates ambient sound and turns down media volume, allowing you to have a quick conversation or pay attention to announcements at railway stations or airports. It is an excellent feature that we really enjoy using and miss having on headsets from other companies.

The headphones also support Google’s Fast Pair, allowing you to connect the headphones to your Android device in a jiffy and you can even ring them to find them if misplaced. The headphones support Swift Pair as well, allowing them to be connected to Windows 10 PCs with ease via a pop-up pairing window.

Sony WH-XB910N: Performance

The Sony WH-XB910N headphones feature 40mm dynamic drivers and support the SBC, AAC and LDAC audio codecs. LDAC is a high-quality codec that provides 96kHz sampling at 990kbps, which in turn allows for more detailed sonic representation. The headphones are part of Sony’s XB (eXtra Bass) lineup and they stay true to that moniker. While not as ridiculously lows-biased as their predecessors – the Sony WH-XB900N – they still favour the lower end of the frequency spectrum. 

The cans have a warm, V-shaped sonic signature with boosted bass and treble notes. The bass is punchy and dynamic while the mids are recessed. This sonic signature lends itself well to genres such as pop, rap, EDM and Bollywood and will please bass lovers. However, audiophiles and purists should turn away since the bloated bass can definitely sound muddy at times and hamper the clarity of the already-recessed mids. 

In tracks such as Another One Bites The Dust by Queen, the bass notes sound boomy and veil the details in Mercury’s vocals quite a bit. The sound you get is pretty one-dimensional and it doesn’t work with genres such as classical and blues. The highs can get slightly shrill as well and the drop off isn’t as precise as we’d hope as well. The soundstage is wide though and feels as if it extends well beyond the confines of your head. The headphones also suffer from sound leakage, we recorded well beyond 70dB of sound leakage, which isn’t ideal, especially when listening to music around other people.

Overall, these headphones’ sound signature is best suited to those who prefer bass-biased headphones and not to those looking for a more natural and balanced sound. However, you can use the customisable EQ within the app to tailor the sound to your liking. We found that lowering the bass and treble a bit can really make a tremendous difference.

As for ANC performance, it isn’t as effective as that on the Mark 4s. Low, constant sounds are dealt with pretty decently but more erratic, high-frequency sounds barely get suppressed at all. So, sounds such as high-speed fans, the clacking of a mechanical keyboard, the sound of train tracks, or people speaking make their way through almost unhindered even with ANC turned on. The cans are more proficient at dealing with sounds such as an AC’s hum, a PC’s whir, etc. Moving on to ambient sound mode, the effect provided allows users to be aware of their surroundings but the sound is slightly unnatural. The same is true for the Sony WH-1000XM4’s ambient sound mode as well, so Sony needs to put in some work in this area.

Wireless connectivity is exceptionally stable on these headphones. You get Bluetooth v5.2 which is a huge improvement over its predecessor’s v4.2. There were no lags or stutters in the connection and the latency is barely noticeable unless you really look for it. If you’re really nitpicky about this, you can use the 3.5mm cable to listen passively without any latency.

Finally, coming to microphone performance, the Sony WH-XB910N does pretty well in this regard. The headphones pick up the speaker’s voice and relay it clearly with minimal distortion. The speaker’s voice can sound slightly muffled at times, but the overall experience is a pleasant one. The headphones’ microphone is best used in an indoor setting for meetings and calls. Outdoors, the microphones tend to pick up a lot of ambient sound which may sour the calling experience.

Sony WH-XB910N: Battery life

The Sony WH-XB910N’s battery life is nothing short of exemplary. You get 30 hours of wireless playback with ANC turned on and a whopping 50 hours with ANC turned off. In our tests, the headphones managed a playback time of 31 hours with ANC turned on and the battery levels set at 60 per cent. Not just this, the headphones also support fast charging. So, plugging the headphones into a charger for merely 10 minutes will provide 4.5 hours’ worth of wireless playback time! This is extremely convenient and we barely had to charge the device through our week-long testing phase. The headphones take about 3.5 hours to charge to full though, which is a tad longer than desirable.  

Sony WH-XB910N: Verdict

An affordable alternative to the Sony WH-1000XM4 and a bass lover’s dream, the Sony WH-XB910N has a lot going for it. Not only do you get ANC, app support, and multipoint connection support, but you also get a solid, robust build and excellent battery life. However, the ANC performance is not close to Sony’s flagship headsets, so keep that in mind. The sound signature is quite bass-forward though and may only appease hardcore bass lovers, so purists and audiophiles should look the other way. There are options in the market at a similar price range with a more balanced sound signature from Sennheiser and Jabra, but if booming bass is your style, there’s really no reason to look another way.

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Google Play Pass Debuts in India; Offers Over 1,000 Apps, Games Without Ads, In-App Purchases

Google Play Pass has debuted in India over two years after its initial launch in the US. The service offers access to over 1,000 apps and games on Android, without ads and in-app purchases.

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Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro, Pro 360 laptops debut with Intel 12th gen CPUs, OLED displays, and S-pen: MWC 2022

At MWC 2022, Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Book 2 Pro and Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360. Both laptops come with 13.3-inch and 15.6-inch AMOLED displays with 1080p webcams up top and support for S-pen input. They are running on Intel 12th-gen processors along with Intel EVO certification which entails features such as instant wake up, fast charging, FHD screens, good battery life, and performance. So, let’s unpack what the new machines bring to the table.

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro Specs and Features

The 13.3-inch and 15.6-inch models of the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro come in at 0.87 grams and 1.11 grams (internal graphics model) respectively. Those screens are AMOLED in nature with 1080p resolution and an FHD webcam on the top. 

Inside, it is sporting Windows 11 laid on top of Intel’s 12th Gen Intel Core Processors (i7/i5) along with Intel EVO perks. While the graphics options are either Iris Xe internal GPU or Intel’s Arc external GPU. This is coupled with 8/16/32GB LPDDR5 RAM and Up to 1TB NVMe SSD storage. The battery size also differs as in 63W for the 13.3” model and 68W for the 15.6” one. The supplied charger support is 68 watts Type-C adapter.

The differences also extend to the connectivity and audio side of things. The 13.3-inch variant comes equipped with dual-band WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C, 1x USB 3.2, 1x HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, and MicroSD Slot. Meanwhile, the 15.6-inch model has 5G through an optional SIM slot on top of these I/O options. The speakers on the 13.3-inch unit is a 2x 4W setup while the 15.6-inch variant has a 2x 5W setup. 

The keyboard on the 15.6-inch machine has a numeric keypad while the other one doesn’t.

Among other things, the laptops also have a Fingerprint​ on Power Key and Dual Array Mic. The colour options are Silver and Graphite.

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 Specs and Features

The Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 13.3-inch model weighs 1.04kg while the 15.6-inch model is slightly heavier at 1.41kg. Samsung has detailed more about the display. That is both the models are of sAMOLED kind with FHD resolution, 16:9 ratio aspect ratio, up to 500nit (HDR), 120% of DCI-P3 color gamut, and 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

The laptops are powered by Intel’s 12th-gen i7/i5 chips but with just the Iris Xe iGPU option only. You get more storage options in the way of 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB SSDs. Rest, the RAM, connectivity solutions, audio setup, battery, and charging support are all the same as the Galaxy Book 2 Pro. It also comes in a Burgundy option too.

Price and Availability

The i7+8GB+256GB model of the Galaxy Book 2 Pro will be available from April starting at $1,050 (~₹78,840). 

The Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360, meanwhile, starts at $1,249.99 (~₹93,857). The pre-booking begins on March 18.

For more news, features, buying guides, reviews, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.

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Samsung Galaxy A03 launched in India with a Unisoc T606 processor and 48MP rear camera setup

Samsung has added a new smartphone to its entry-level portfolio named Galaxy A03. This also marks the company’s first Galaxy A-series offering this year. This newbie slots in at the 10-12K price segment and packs Unisoc silicon, a 6.5-inch HD+ screen, a 48MP duo at the backside, and a 5000mAh power source inside. Let’s start off with the cost and release details.

Samsung Galaxy A03 India Price and Availability

You can buy the Galaxy A03 in Black, Blue, and Red colors through Samsung.com, major online platforms, and offline stores. The price is set at ₹10,499 for the 3+32GB model and ₹11,999 for the 4+64GB unit.

Samsung Galaxy A03 Specs and Features

Samsung has employed a 720p screen on the front that extends 6.5-inches diagonally. It’s a TFT panel and has got an Infinity V cutout at the top. This indent is home to a 5MP camera for selfies and video calls. You get a 48MP+2MP dual camera arrangement by the back. This is housed in a square camera hump. 

The processing is attributed to a Unisoc T606 SoC that’s aided by up to 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. There is a 5000mAh battery also in the inner chamber. This can be charged through the phone’s micro-USB port. 

The software version it ships with is Android 11 and the skin is OneUI 3.1 Core. Other things to note are up to 1TB microSD expansion, 3.5mm headphone jack, Dolby Atmos equalizer, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0.

That’s the long and short of it. For more such news, reviews, buying guides, feature stories, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.

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Asus 8z confirmed to launch in India on February 28: Expected specs and features

Finally, after months of waiting, the Asus Zenfone 8 will be setting foot in India as the Asus 8Z. Now, even though you may be well aware of this delayed launch and the phone’s anatomy, let’s jog our memory. For starters, the key items in the repertoire are likely a 120Hz FHD+ screen, a 64MP (OIS) plus 12MP ultrawide sensor setup at the back, a 4000 milliamp battery, and possibly multiple memory variants.

The launch announcement through the Asus 8Z Twitter handle says, “Your wait for the perfect phone is over! We're bringing you unparalleled performance into a compact sleek body. Catch India's ironman @milindrunning talk about the #asus8z at its launch on 28th Feb, 12pm.”

Here’s what you can expect from this forthcoming Asus handset:

Asus 8Z Specs and Features (Expected)

Asus 8Z could come with a 5.9-inch FHD+ AMOLED HDR10+ ready display with 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, up to 1100 nits brightness, 112% DCI-P3 Color Gamut support, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection.

Towards the left corner, there would be a punch-hole cutout housing a 12MP selfie clicker. The back cameras, by the way, could be a 64MP (OIS) and a 12MP 112° ultrawide shooter.

Its innards might comprise of a Snapdragon 888 5G processor, a 4000mAh battery (with 30W charging support), and memory options going up to 16GB LPDDR5 RAM + 256GB (UFS 3.1) storage.

Amidst various other treats, the phone could also include a 3.5mm audio jack, Stereo speakers, Triple Mics, IP68 Water and dust resistance, In-display fingerprint scanner, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NavIC (L5), USB-C, and NFC.

Let’s see if these estimates turn out to be true and if it boots with Android 12 or 11.

So, mark your calendars and till then, keep yourself updated with news, buying guides, feature stories, reviews, and everything else tech-related at Digit.in.

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Redmi Note 11 Pro series launching in India on March 9: Heres what to expect

After the Redmi Note 11 and Note 11S launched in India earlier this month, the company is now going to break cover on the Redmi Note 11 Pro series in the country. Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro+ will be launched in India on March 9, 2022. The phones have got a microsite on Amazon, so we know where it will be available too. The two phones are teased to sport a 108MP camera, 67W fast charging, 120Hz high refresh rate and 5G capability. Let’s know everything they are likely to feature.

Redmi Note 11 Pro series Specs and Features (Expected)

Redmi Note 11 Pro phones are likely to flaunt a 6.67-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It could have a 16MP selfie snapper.

Meanwhile, at the back, as already confirmed, you will be getting a 108MP camera. The accompanying sensors might differ between the two models.

Under the hood, the Pro edition may house an Helio G96 and Pro+ may feature a Dimensity 920 5G processor. 

The power source may also differ between the two, i.e., the Note 11 Pro Plus could come with a 5000mAh battery whereas the Pro could rely on a smaller 4500mAh cell.

In China, the phones had shipped with Android 11 based MIUI 12.5 but that might not be the case in India. Let’s see.

Speaking of that, the phones had released in the home market at the following prices:

Redmi Note 11 Pro series Price and Availability (China)

Redmi Note 11 Pro was launched at CNY 1799 (~₹21507) in China for the 6GB+128GB model. Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ started at CNY 1999 (~₹23,898) for the 6+128GB variant.

However, the Indian pricing may differ.

We’ll know soon. Until then, stay tuned in to Digit.in for news, buying guides, feature stories, reviews and everything else tech-related.

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Canon EOS R5 C joins Canons Cinema EOS Systems lineup, price starting at Rs 3,99,990

Canon recently announced a new camera that adds to their lineup of Cinema EOS Systems that not only boast excellent performance in the video department but also exceptional photography capabilities. Along with the Canon EOS R5 C, Canon also expands their lineup of L-series RF Prime lenses with the new RF800mm F5.6L IS USM and the RF1200mm F8L IS USM which are touted to be significantly lighter, weighing in at just a little over 3 kgs. 

Canon EOS R5 C specs

As we already mentioned, the EOS R5 C is engineered to provide excellent performance when it comes to video and is exceptional for photography as well. Well, the question is, what makes it perform so well and what are the major selling points of this system. To start with, the camera is designed to be compact and lightweight, weighing just around 680-grams. It also has ergonomics that make it comfortable to hold for long durations in both photo and video modes.

In terms of specifications, the Canon EOS R5C boasts a full-frame CMOS sensor featuring 45MP. The image processing duties are taken over by the DIGIC X processor. Those two together give the camera the ability to shoot video at a whopping 8K at 60 frames per second RAW. One thing to note though is that 8K at 60P is only possible with an external power supply, while anything lower than that like 8K at 30P at RAW as well don't have a need for an external power supply. Shooting at high resolutions and high frames can sometimes lead to overheating in cameras, especially compact ones, but the EOS R5 C features an internal cooling fan that keeps the camera between acceptable operating temperatures. 

Canon also puts its legendary focusing prowess to good use on the EOS R5 C, with the camera featuring the tried and tested Dual Pixel CMOS AF tech with Eye AF, Face AF and deep learning tech that improves when used more. You can also control the Auto Focus via the articulating touchscreen LCD.

Canon EOS R5 C vs R5

While the new Canon EOS R5 C shares a major portion of its name with Canon’s other mirrorless camera, there are a few differences that make the two totally different beasts. One of the most notable differences is that the R5 C has a cooling fan which increases the thickness of the device when compared to the non “C” sibling. That accounts for the major visual difference between the two but there are internal changes as well where the R5 can one-up the R5 C and that is in the stabilisation department. The R5 features IBIS or In Body Image Stabilisation, which is not present on the R5 C.

Canon EOS R5 C price in India

The Canon EOS R5 C will be priced at Rs 3,99,990 (Body Only) in India. Basically, the Canon EOS R5 C is a proper hybrid camera. Unlike other cameras that are primarily photo-centric with controls and interfaces designed for photographers first, the R5 C is designed from the ground up to serve dual purposes and do justice to both. For example, it has a power dial that can toggle between the video and photo modes and that even gives you different interfaces dedicated to making life easier in that mode in essence giving you two supremely capable cameras in one body. Or as we like to call it, a true hybrid.

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