Author: Aniruddh

Asus ROG GL552VW-CN430T Review-Pros and Cons
Asus is known to make good gaming laptops. Asus ROG series provides great powerful gaming laptops at attractive price range. In this post we will do Asus ROG GL552VW-CN430T Review based on the pros and cons. The Asus ROG GL552VW price in India is Rs.82,490.

ROG GL552VW comes in all new metallic design theme which according to Asus, is inspired by F22 Stealth fighter aircraft. It measures 385 x 255 x 32.4 mm and weighs around 2.5 Kg. In the sides it has 2 USB 3.0 ports, 1 USB type C port, 1 USB 2.0 port, DC in, Line in and mic in ports, Optical drive and LAN port. One of the biggest advantage of Asus ROG GL552VW is ease of upgrading. Gamers can easily access RAM and hard drive by removing just 2 screws. Apart from this, this Asus ROG gaming laptop has HD webcam and a 3-in-1 SD card reader. The HD video cam can record HD videos at 15fps and in 30 fps.

Asus ROG GL552VW sports a 15.6-inch full HD display with impressive 178 degree viewing angles. When we did review on GL552JX, we were not happy on the display viewing angles. Asus has done a good job by adding good quality display panel in this model. In this model colour shift on the display is minimal while viewing it from sides. Overall it is one of the best display panel used in the price segment.

Asus ROG GL552VW houses powerful specification. It packs powerful Intel Core i7 (6th Gen.) processor with 16GB of DDR4 SDRAM. Users have the option to add upto 32GB of RAM via dedicated RAM sockets. Talking about graphics, the particular department is run by Intel’s HD Graphics 530 GPU in tandem with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M. The NVIDIA GPU has 4GB GDDR5 VRAM. Games like Dota 2 and Assassin’s Creed ran smoothly even at High or even Ultra settings.However, we have observed minor frames stuttering when running on battery. Even with extended gaming, laptop remained comparatively cool.

Coming to storage, our Asus ROG GL552VW review unit came with 1TB of hard disc and a 128GB of SSD. The connectivity features of the device includes Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Bluetooth v4.0. It runs on Windows 10 out of the box. The boot time was extremely fast. Our review unit gave us desktop screen in just 7 sec on average. Asus has bundled few softwares like Steam application, ROG Gaming Centre, Asus Webstorage, WPS Office and more.

Asus ROG GL552VW has 4Cell 48Whrs battery. In our usage, we got around 3 hours of battery backup which is decent for gaming laptop in this price.

Verdict: Asus ROG GL552VW is a good performing gaming laptop in the price segment. It offers power which an average gamer expects in a PC laptop. Good keyboard, full HD display screen with wide viewing angle, USB Type C port are added advantage.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Asus ROG GL552VW

Pros of Asus ROG GL552VW
- Powerful performance.
- Great display screen.
- Runs cool and quiet.
- Easy to upgrade.
- Good value for money.
Cons of Asus ROG GL552VW
- Trackpad needs improvement.
- Sound output via speakers is not great.
- Bit heavy.
Asus ROG GL552VW Unboxing and Overview Video

Here is the quick unboxing video on ROG GL552VW.
July 25, 2016
Asus ROG GX700-World’s First Liquid Cooled Laptop Launched in India
ASUS ‘Republic of Gamers’ (ROG) launched world’s first liquid cooled laptop – ROG GX700 in India. The premium flagship laptop comes with a detachable ROG-exclusive Hydro Overclocking System cooling module. It is powered by the 6th-generation Intel Mobile K-SKU (‘Skylake’) processor with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 graphics card to give users desktop-grade power at home and ultra-fast performance on the go. GX700 is also the world’s first 17-inch real 4K UHD gaming laptop to feature NVIDIA G-SYNC for smooth, stunning visuals. The laptop comes neatly packed in specially made ROG themed briefcase.

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Asus ROG new lineup of Laptops and Desktops in India

The Hydro Overclocking System not just provides unmatched cooling capabilities, but opens up the possibility of superior overclocking. The CPU can be overclocked up to 48% and the 64GB DDR4 memory can be overclocked by up to 43%. With abundant power at disposal, it would only make sense that ROG included a 4K Ultra-HD display with G-SYNC for detailed and smooth visuals. The GX700 features a liquid-cooling dock based on a custom self-sealing valve design, a quiet and highly reliable pump, and dual 92mm radiators capable of dissipating over 500W of heat. The GX700 also packs traditional cooling and can be run without the liquid-cooling dock.

ROG Strix GL502: The Asus has also launched a compact 15.6-inch gaming laptop with a stunning 4K display that delivers breathtaking visuals. It is Equipped with the latest quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and a dedicated, up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M GPU. Strix GL502 is a gaming powerhouse that delivers smooth performance and highly-detailed graphics with even the newest, most demanding titles. Combined with its lightweight, ultra-portable design, Strix GL502 enables users to enjoy high-end gaming anywhere. The notebook is available for sale across all Asus channels and Exclusive Stores.

Asus recently launched the new line up for its flagship ‘Republic of Gamers’ (ROG) series in India. They are ROG G752VY laptop, gaming desktops G20 and GT51, GL552VW and G551VW mainstream laptops and ROG G501VW.

Asus ROG GX700 Specification
- Processor: Intel Core i7-6820HK Processor 2.7 GHz (8M Cache, up to 3.6 GHz).
- Operating System: Windows 10 (64bit).
- Chipset: Mobile Intel CM236 Express Chipset.
- Memory Max: 64GB DDR4.
- DIMM Memory:16GB DRAM DDR4 x4.
- Storage PCIEG3x4 512G M.2 SSD x2.
- Display 17.3 inch 4K UHD (3840X2160) resolution with NVidia G-Sync.
- Video Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce GTX980 with 8GB DDR5 VRAM.
- IGPU:Intel® HD graphics 530.
- Video memory:GDDR5 8GB.
- Video Camera:HD web camera.
- Battery: 93WHrs, 3S2P, 6-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack.
- Weight (Kg): 3.60 KG (with 6 cell battery).
Asus ROG Strix GL502 Specification
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-6700HQ Processor 2.6 GHz (6M Cache, up to 3.5 GHz).
- Operating System: Windows 10 (64bit).
- Chipset: Mobile Intel® HM170 Express Chipsets
- Memory Max: 16GB DDR4.
- DIMM Memory:DRAM DDR4 8G.
- Storage: PCIEG3x4 256G M.2 SSD; SATA 1TB 5400RPM 2.5 inch HDD.
- Display: 15.6 inch Back-lit//Ultra Slim 300nits//FHD 1920×1080 //16:9//AG//NTSC:72%//WV.
- Video Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce GTX970M.
- IGPU: Intel® HD graphics 530.
- Video memory:GDDR5 6GB.
- Video Camera:HD web camera.
- Battery: 64WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion Prismatic Battery pack.
- Weight (Kg):1.85 KG (Without Battery);2.20 KG (with 4 cell battery).
Source: Press release.
July 21, 2016
LeEco Le 2 Pros-Top Reasons to buy

LeEco Le 2 or Letv Le 2 is the successor to last years Letv Le 1s. Priced at Rs.11,999, there are many reasons to buy this smartphone. Here are the some of the LeEco Le 2 pros, which are top reasons to buy this smartphone.

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LeEco Le 2 Vs Honor 5C

LeEco Le 2 Vs Redmi Note 3

In my previous post on LeEco Le 2 cons, I have mentioned about some of the demerits of this smartphone. That is not complete as I have not mentioned any good feature about it. All the devices will have merits and demerits. If you are fine with the LeEco Le 2 cons which are mentioned in my previous post, then here are some of the good features of this smartphone.

LeEco Le 2 Pros-Reasons to buy

Great design and Build quality

One of the standout feature of Le 2 is its design and build quality. Even though it has 5.5 inch display screen, it is compact. The thin bezels makes this device comfortable to hold in one hand compared to other 5.5 inch smartphones in this price segment. All metal uni body design gives it a premium look and feel.

Good performance

LeEco Le 2 is powered by 1.8GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 Processor with 3GB of RAM and Adreno 510 GPU. It scored above 80000 in Antuntu benchmark score which is commendable in this price segment. The gaming experience was also good on this device. In our testing we have not faced any heating issue.

Decent Camera

LeEco Le 2 comes with 16MP primary camera with LED flash and a 8MP front facing camera. The pictures taken in good lighting conditions came out really good. Even the pictures taken in the low light and artificial light were not very bad.

Free one year access to LeEco Le 2 premium content subscriptions

LeEco Le 2 come with free subscription to LeEco premium contents which is worth Rs.4,999 if purchased separately. The content subscription includes Live TV, Movies on demand, music streaming, cloud storage etc. Though some of them are not yet launched in India, but will be launched soon.

Fast charging support

LeEco Le 2 supports fast charging. The box contains the fast charger. It will help you to charge your device quickly.

CDLA technology audio output and IR blaster

CDLA is supposed to provide good audio output via compatible headphones and earphones. Though it is in starting stages, still it is good move from the company to introduce latest technology in a budget smartphone. Also it has IR blaster which helps you to use it as remote control.

These are some of the reasons to buy LeEco Le 2 according to us. As mentioned before, no device is 100% perfect. This device is also not an exception. So don’t forget to read LeEco Le 2 cons before taking the decision to buy this smartphone.

July 20, 2016
Samsung Galaxy J2 2016 Cons-Reasons not to buy

Galaxy J2 2016 is the recently launched dual sim Android smartphone from Samsung. The SmartGlow and Turbo Speed technologies are the two key features of this smartphone. Priced at Rs.9,750, is it worth or overpriced? What are the demerits? Let us have quick look into Samsung Galaxy J2 2016 Cons.

Samsung Galaxy J2 2016

At a time when market is flooded with great value for money smartphones such as LeEco Le 2, Honor 5C, Redmi Note 3 etc, there is a great expectation from new Galaxy J series smartphone. But unfortunately Samsung disappointed with this smartphone. Here are the some of the basic Samsung Galaxy J2 2016 Cons according to us.

Samsung Galaxy J2 2016 Cons-Reasons not to buy

Lack of basic sensors

Samsung continued to omit the basic sensors like Compass, Ambient light sensor on this smartphone as well. Now a days, most of the users use smartphones for navigation purpose. Lack of compass sensor/Magnetic Sensor, makes the device not a good device for navigation.

Low powered SoC

Galaxy J2 2016 is powered by 32bit quad core 1.5Ghz Spreadtrum SC8830 SoC which is based on Cortex A7 . It comes with 1.5GB of RAM and Mali 400MP2 GPU. It also has the new technology called Turbo Speed technology which is suppose to improve the performance. However, comparing this with the likes of new 64 bit mid-range snapdragon SoC powered smartphones in this price segment, performance is below average. With the first usage you will feel the lag in the UI. By no means it is a good smartphone for gaming.

Low internal storage

Galaxy J2 2016 has 8GB of internal storage and support for microSD card. The available user storage is around 3GB out of the box. Though it supports microSD card, all apps cannot be transferred to microSD card. The Android Marshmallow feature of using microSD card as internal storage is not available.

Average Build Quality

As we have seen in the Galaxy smartphones from 2013,2014, Galaxy J2 2016 also has plastic build. It is sad to see, Samsung continued to use same last years design and plastic build.

Over Priced

Looking at the options available at the price range of 10k, Galaxy J2 2016 looks overpriced.

Summary: These are the some of the Samsung Galaxy J2 2016 Cons according to us. Having said that, it has few advantages as well. They are decent battery life, AMOLED display screen, VoLTE support, dedicated microSD card support and vast Samsung service centers.

July 18, 2016
Honor 5C Review-Compact Yet Powerful
Huawei’s Honor series is known to provide great value for money smartphones. The smartphones like Honor 6, Honor 7, Honor 5x have kept this reputation strong. Now we have another budget offering from this brand-Honor 5C. Priced at Rs.10,999, it will compete with the likes of Moto G4, LeEco Le2, Redmi Note 3 etc. So here is the Honor 5C Review which will help you to decide whether to buy this smartphone or not.

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Honor 5C vs LeEco Le 2

Honor 5C comes with slightly curved back which is made up of brushed aluminium alloy. The textures along the sides and near the top and bottom gives a nice feel to the device. As it has 5.2inch screen, it is compact and comfortable to handle compared to most of the 5.5 inch smartphones selling in this price segment.

Honor 5C sports 5.2 inch full HD IPS display screen with pixel density of 423 ppi. The screen brightness, colour accuracy, viewing angles are good. The automatic brightness adjustment struggles a bit while moving from dark to bright environment. The touch screen is quite responsive. Overall it is a good display panel in the price segment.

Honor 5C is powered by latest Kirin 650 Chipset with Flagship FinFET Plus 16 nm Chip Technology and 2GB of RAM. It has 16GB of internal storage. The device comes with hybrid sim card slot. You can use 2 sim cards or 1 sim card and a microSD card. It runs on EMUI on top of Android 6.0. General performance is good. The games like Asphalt 8, Nova 3, Dead Trigger ran well without any issue. Even with extended gaming, Honor 5C didn’t exhibit any heating issue. However, there was a bit of delay in opening of apps. We have got benchmark scores of 52666 in AnTuTu, 19fps in GFXBench, 902 for single core and 3916 for multi-core score in Geekbench 3.

Honor 5C has fingerprint scanner. It is fast and accurate. Good thing is it has more functions other than just unlocking the device. Using fingerprint scanner on Honor 5C, you can take photos, start or stop video recording, recieve incoming calls and stop alarms.

Honor 5C house 13MP primary camera with single LED flash and a 8-megapixel secondary camera. Both cameras are capable of recording upto 1080p videos. The camera app on Honor 5C provides lot of useful functions such as pro photo/Pro Video mode which allows you adjust individual settings such as ISO, shutter speed and exposure. It also has object tracking, smile capture, self-timer, HDR, slow-motion video, time-lapse video and panorama. Though there is bit of noise and loss of colour detail in low light, overall picture output is excellent in this price segment.

Honor 5C sample video

Honor 5C Camera interface and Settings

Honor 5C packs 3000 mAh battery. In a single charge, we got around 1 and half days of usage. As it does not comes with fast charging it takes around 2 hours to completely charge. Call quality, network and data connectivity are good in this device.

Honor 5C Review Verdict: Honor 5C is a good all round performer. Considering the price, it performed decent in all segment. If you are looking for a good compact smartphone with good features and performance in the price range of 11k, then it is worth considering this smartphone.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Honor 5C

Pros of Honor 5C
- Good Design and Build Quality.
- Decent display panel.
- Fast and Accurate fingerprint scanner.
- Decent performance.
- Good battery life.
- Good camera performance.
Cons of Honor 5C
- Hybrid sim card slot.
- No USB OTG support.
- No fast charging.
July 14, 2016