Realme C67 4G
One of our favorite features of the realme C67 is its camera system. It comes with a dual camera setup highlighted by a 108MP main shooter paired with a 2MP depth sensor.
Powering the realme C67 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 chipset with an Adreno 610 GPU.
Our unit comes with 8GB of RAM, which is virtually expandable by another 8GB along with 256GB of internal storage. There is a microSD card slot available to expand it further.
It also runs on Android 14, and comes with realme’s new Mini Capsule 2.0, which shows you various notifications such as charging, battery status, data usage, and more.
The realme C67 features a large 6.72-inch display. It might only be an LCD, but it has great color reproduction for an IPS panel. It can get quite bright as well with a peak brightness of 800 nits, allowing it to be usable under direct sunlight. But if you want it brighter, you can activate Extra Brightness in the settings to get a maximum of 950 nits.
It even features a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth UI animations, and a 180Hz touch-sampling rate for good responsiveness when you’re gaming.
Oppo A98 5G
The OPPO A98 5G is a stunning smartphone that offers a 6.72-inch FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 64MP dual rear camera, and a 32MP selfie camera. It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, and supports fast charging with a 5000mAh battery.
The front of the A98 has a 6.72-inch 120Hz display which is smooth and bright at times. Powered by a very decent Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It Houses a 64MP AI camera, a 2MP depth camera and a 2MP microlens on the rear and a 32MP selfie am on the front.
The 5,000mAh battery lasts all day, even with heavy usage — for me, I consider a battery good if I can get a full day of use out of it given I have a heavy user. Included their 67W SuperVOOC charging technology so you can quickly top up the battery if you do run low.
Infinix Note 30 4G
The standard Note 30 4G model includes the standard flat, box-shaped rear cover and rectangular camera island.
Facing it upward, it has a 6.78-inch LCD (IPS) screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and FHD+ resolution.Inside, it comes with a 6nm MediaTek Helio G99 octa-core processor with Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 128GB or 256GB storage.
The battery improvements would be the key selling point. With its 45W adaptor and All-Round fast charging tech, this phone can now endure up to 1,000 charges to its 5,000mAh capacity. That is 25 percent more charge cycles than the industry standard. This means that it would take longer for the battery to degrade over time.While it also supports PD 3.0 and reversed wired charging, making it function like a power bank as well.
In the camera department, the phone sports a 64MP f/1.7 OmniVision OV64B sensor, 6P lens, 2MP camera, and AI lens. There is also a 16MP front-facing shooter available for selfies.Other features mentioned are the dual speakers developed by JBL and a 3.5mm audio jack.
For connectivity, it has 4G, WiFi, GPS, and NFC support. While the Operating System would be Android 13 with XOS 13 skin overlay.
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G
The Galaxy A25 5G comes with Samsung's homegrown 5nm Exynos 1280 octa-core SoC, but you will be able to get it in just one storage/RAM configuration, i.e., 128GB + 8GB. Samsung is offering a crisp 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED screen (120 Hz) on the Galaxy A25 5G, with stereo speakers and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner to go along with it.
A total of three cameras sit on the back, with the 50MP primary camera coming with OIS support. This is complemented by an 8MP ultrawide sensor and a 2MP macro unit. Software features like Object Eraser and Single Take come bundled with the phone. Capping off the cameras on the Galaxy A25 5G is a 13MP front camera for selfies and video calls. The phone should comfortably last a day or more thanks to the onboard 5,000 mAh battery.
Android 14 with One UI 6 is the software of choice on the Galaxy A25 5G, with One UI 6.1 likely to make it to the device later this year. With these factors in mind, the Galaxy A25 5G is poised to be one of the top-value budget phones of 2024.
Infinix Hot 40 Pro
Introducing the Infinix Hot 40 Pro Smartphone, packed with impressive specs and features. With a 6.78 IPS LCD display, Android 13 OS, and Mediatek Helio G99 chipset, it offers a smooth and powerful performance. The 108MP main camera, 32MP selfie camera, and quad-LED flash capture stunning photos and videos. Available in Palm Blue, Horizon Gold, Starlit Black, Starfall Green, and Free Fire colors.
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro runs on the latest Android 13 operating system, with the added bonus of XOS 13.5. This combination provides a smooth and seamless user experience, with enhanced features and customization options. The smartphone is powered by a Mediatek Helio G99 chipset, built on a 6nm process for improved efficiency and performance.
The octa-core CPU, consisting of 2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 and 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55, ensures fast and efficient processing for all your daily tasks. And with the Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, you can expect stunning graphics and smooth gameplay on your favorite apps and games.
The Infinix Hot 40 Pro is equipped with a 5000 mAh non-removable battery, providing long-lasting power for all your daily activities. And with 33W wired charging, you can quickly recharge your phone in just 35 minutes, getting you from 20% to 75% battery life. The smartphone also supports reverse wired charging, allowing you to charge other devices using your phone as a power source.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G
This particular review is for the middle child in this family of five, the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G. Notice the lack of 5G in the name and in the feature set, but also notice that this is a "Pro" phone. For this particular series, the Pro series indicates an improved 200MP main camera sensor and a faster chip inside the phone.
As for all the rest, the Redmi Note 13 Pro is a big phone with a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED screen and it also has a 5,000mAh battery, just like all five phones in the series.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G is the second best in this family of five. It bets on a capable 200MP main camera, a zippy Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor, and a big and sharp 6.7-inch display.
Speaking of the 6.7-inch size, this is part of the common DNA in the Redmi Note 13 series, and others include fast charging and, of course, the MIUI software.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13
Starting with the Redmi Note 13 4G refreshed design. At the rear, its triple camera module gets simpler with the lenses now placed directly above its glass-like panel. The glass-like finish of its plastic rear panel, though, is reflective and is fingerprint-magnet. Our unit is in the Midnight Black colorway so it’s easier to spot the smudges as the light hits it.
Flipping at the front is the crisp 6.67-inch AMOLED display that runs up to 120Hz refresh rate. Using it outdoors won’t be a problem as it can reach up to 1800 nits peak brightness. There’s also a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for added layer of protection. Not to mention, the phone also comes with a pre-installed screen protector. Up top is a hole-punch notch, and the display supports in-screen fingerprint sensor. In my experience, it unlocks the phone fast enough with a split-second delay.
Every shot is bound to be iconic, thanks to its triple rear camera system boasting a 108-megapixel main sensor.
That’s complemented with an 8-megapixel ultrawide and 2-megapixel macro.
Software-wise, I was expecting it to run Xiaomi’s latest HyperOS. To my surprise, it’s still running MIUI 14 instead, which is based on Android 13. The Redmi Note 13 is capped to 4G connectivity. It supports Bluetooth 5.1, dual frequency Wi-Fi, and NFC for convenient tap-to-pay options. It packs a 5,000mAh battery that lasted a good 13 hours and 11 minutes in our standard video loop test.
Honor X9b 5G
HONOR started the new year with a bang, introducing the second-generation HONOR X9b 5G as the “toughest phone” in their 2024 lineup. Now available for purchase today, the HONOR X9b 5G is well-known for its build and durability, but there’s so much more to it!
The HONOR X9b also gets a new refined design, featuring a knurled-edge circular camera module here at the rear, that showcases the triple-camera array. It has sports a slightly curved 6.78-inch FHD+ (2652 x 1220) AMOLED display, that features a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1200 nits.
Color reproduction looks great with 100% DCI-P3 coverage. Making playing games, streaming movies and watching videos on social media a visual treat for the eyes. It’s 120Hz refresh rate paired with it’s mostly-stutter free software experience make UI animations look smooth.
Headlining the show is a 108MP main camera sensor with an aperture of f/1.8 and features PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus), followed by a 5MP (f/2.2) ultrawide and a 2MP macro sensor.
In the punch-hole display resides its 16MP selfie shooter that features an aperture of f/2.5.
The HONOR X9b 5G runs on MagicOS 7.2 based off Android 13 out of the box. MagicOS feels like a more global-friendly HarmonyOS with easy access to Google Play services and RCS support.
Infinix Hot 40i
The Infinix hot 40i, coming from its predecessor, the Infinix HOT 40i sports an improved design, bigger memory configuration, and better camera hardware.
In particular, the device sports a 6.56-inch LCD (IPS) screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, HD+ resolution, and a top-center punch-hole for its 32MP selfie camera.
Under the hood, the handset features a 12nm UNISOC T606 chip with 8GB RAM, 8GB virtual RAM (for a total of up to 16GB RAM), 128GB or 256GB expandable storage, and a 5,000mAh battery capacity with USB-C 18W fast charging.
The primary camera highlights a large 50MP sensor paired with an AI secondary camera helper.
Other specs include a side-mounted fingerprint reader, up to 200% Super Volume speaker, WiFi, 4G LTE, Bluetooth, and dual SIM slots.
This also has the XBOOST Gaming Engine and runs with Android 13 OS with XOS 13 skin on top.
Tecno Spark 20C
The Tecno Spark 20C, is a stylish device geared towards entry-level consumers. It comes in different colorways such as Gravity Black, Mystery White. At the front, it has a 6.6-inch LCD (IPS) screen with HD+ 1612 x 720 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. Its punch-hole camera uses 8MP for selfies and video calls. Moreover, TECNO developed its own Dynamic Island feature that will show notifications for battery, charging, and more.
Inside, TECNO has been quiet on its processor and only mentioned of "octa-core" CPU. But it uses 4GB RAM + 4GB virtual RAM or 8+8GB combo and 128GB single storage option.
For battery, it has a 5,000mAh capacity that charges using the 18W power brick and a USB-C cable.
For the rear camera, it is using a 50MP primary shooter coupled with an AI lens for depth shooting.
Other features noted are the side-mounted fingerprint sensor and a dual speaker setup with DTS sound which can be boosted to 400 percent volume.
Connectivity-wise, it has 4G, WiFi (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth, FM, GPS, OTG and dual SIM support.
For software, the phone runs Android 13 Operating System.
Tecno Spark 20 Pro
The Spark 20 Pro is built around a 6.78-inch IPS LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also features a Dynamic Port which displays the system info status and notifications around the punch hole. Speaking of punch-hole, it houses a 32MP front camera.
The device is powered by a 5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. Moreover, it has stereo dual speaker sound by DTS and IP53 water and dust resistance. It also boots the Android 13-based HiOS.
