Author: chris eilers

What could be more perfect than having a good budget smartphone, which means you do not have to pay too much for it, yet the specifications are pretty decent? Check out the following handsets and tell us which one do like most?  

1. Lenovo Vibe P1m – RM599

2. Alcatel Flash 2 – RM549

3. Meizu M2 – RM549

4. Huawei Honor 4X – RM649

5. Lenovo A7000 Plus – RM647

That’s all we’ve got for today. So, in case of wanting a normal smartphone to work, play and relax everyday, you can totally one of those 5 best budget smartphones which will meet your needs. And moreover, you just have to pay less than RM650. How does it sound?

You need a phablet to play and work and study? You should find a Note. We mean a smartphone containing “Note” in its name can be a good choice. Therefore, today, we would like to introduce 5 most potential ones to you!

VERY BUDGET

1. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is a budget flagship from one of our favorite Chinese smartphone makers – Xiaomi. Basically, it sports a 5.5-inch Full HD screen, a Mediatek MT6795 chip, 2GB RAM, and 16/32GB ROM. The whole machine is run by Xiaomi MIUI 7 OS based on Android 5.0 Lollipop and a 3,060mAh battery. As for the camera, there are a 13MP rear and a 5MP front one to help you take photos. The official Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 price in Malaysia has been announced at RM649.

2. Meizu M2 Note

Meizu M2 Note is also a budget flagship from one of Xiaomi’s strong rivals – Meizu. Meizu M2 Note specs include a 5.5-inch Full HD screen, a Mediatek MT6753 chip, 2GB RAM, and 16/32GB ROM. The whole handset is powered by Flyme 4.5 OS based on Android 5.0 Lollipop and a 3,100mAh battery. In terms of camera, a 13MP rear and a 5MP front shooter are on-board to make it easier for you to take beautiful pictures. Meizu M2 Note price in Malaysia starts from RM540.

3. Coolpad Dazen Note 3

So, this could be a strange name in the list but it is not gonna lose to Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 or Meizu M2 Note. Coolpad Dazen Note 3 specs feature a 5.5-inch HD screen, a Mediatek MT6753 chip, 3GB RAM paired with 16GB ROM, Android 5.1 Lollipop, and a 3,000mAh cell. About its ability of capturing pics, a 13MP plus 5MP camera combo will do it for you. Coolpad Dazen Note 3 price is set at around RM830.

MORE PREMIUM

4. Xiaomi Mi Note Pro

This is a beast from Xiaomi company since it has a 5.7-inch 2K screen, a Snapdragon 810 chip, 4GB RAM, 16/64GB ROM, Android 5.0 with MIUI on top and a 3,000mAh battery, pretty similar to Samsung Galaxy Note 5, right?! The main camera is capable of 13 megapixels while the front is of 4 megapixels. At this point, perhaps the Note 5 is better. You can get one Xiaomi Mi Note Pro with 3,299 Yuan (RM1,900).

5. Samsung Galaxy Note 5

On the contrary, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is a budget smartphone but a premium flagship phone from the Korean giant Samsung. Spec-wise, the Galaxy Note 5 specs contain a 5.7-inch 2K Super AMOLED screen, an Exynos 7420 chipset, 4GB RAM and 32GB ROM. Android 5.1 Lollipop OS and a 3,000mAh battery are in charge to power the device. Besides, there is a combo of a 16MP and a 5MP camera to assist you in becoming a photographer. Samsung Galaxy Note 5 price in Malaysia is from RM2,650.

Well, those are the best Note smartphones we found on the market nowadays. Each of them has its own strengths like the price, RAM, display, etc. Yet, which one do you like most? Share with us your opinions!

Recently, there has been a lot of news which may make you feel excited. First, we’ve got the information related to a Mi4i price drop, Xiaomi Mi5 release date and Redmi Note 2 Pro leaks. It seems Xiaomi is coming back with a big plan…

Xiaomi Mi4i, Mi5 and Redmi Note 2 Pro are in the spotlight!

Firstly, according to the company, Xiaomi Mi4i price for the 16GB version will be reduced to around $180 (RM790) starting from 18 November, 2015 on Mi.com. Besides, the flagship Mi4 is also discounted, which means you can be purchase one with 1,999 Yuan (RM1,374). These price drops are apparently hinting at a release of something new, perhaps the coming flagship Mi5 or the powerful variant of Redmi Note 2 – Redmi Note 2 Pro.

Xiaomi has just sent out an invitation to an event this month where some Xiaomi products will be introduced. Furthermore, two of the most interesting and expected handsets, Xiaomi Mi5 and Redmi Note 2 Pro, are said to come with strong specifications and breathtaking beauty. As for the main Xiaomi Mi5 specs, it will probably sport a 4K display and a Snapdragon 820 chip as its key selling points also.

About Redmi Note 2 Pro, a live picture of it has been spotted lately. The rear reminds us of a Meizu smartphone (Meizu MX5, to be precise) but with a fingerprint scanner which will make Redmi Note 2 Pro the very first machine in the house (of Xiaomi) to have this feature. Other Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro specs may include a 5.5-inch Full HD display, a Helio X10 processor, 2GB RAM, a 13MP primary and a 5MP selfie cam.

Price and Availability

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro price is believed to be 1,099 Yuan ($170 or RM745) in China and Xiaomi Mi5 price is going to be 1,999 Yuan ($315 or RM1,375). Some adjustments can happen at the event on 24 November, 2015. Anyhow, we are so eager to see what Xiaomi will bring to wrap up a perfect year for them.

It seems more and more smartphone manufacturers have been paying much attention to the sub $100 (RM440) range. Therefore, we are witnessing many launches of such devices these days, including UMI ROME. 

UMI ROME – Premium like Samsung Galaxy Note 5 but much more affordable

UMI is a Chinese smartphone maker and has been attracting a lot of people recently due to their budget but strong and beautiful products. Lately, the company has introduced a smartphone called Rome. Impressively, it looks very similar to the latest flagship of Samsung – Samsung Galaxy Note 5, premium and glossy. The back cover is likely to be made of metal and the color is so sweet. Moreover, the specs are good enough.

Specifically, UMI Rome specs include a MediaTek MT6753 octa-core 1.3GHz chip and 3GB of RAM. Besides, the machine is equipped with a 5.5-inch HD display, a 2,500mAh battery, Android 5.1 Lollipop OS, and 16GB of internal storage. As for the camera, there are a 13MP rear cam with Sony IMX164 sensor and a dual LED flash, and a 2MP front one with a LED flash. So, we really like the 3GB RAM, the octa-core chip and the 13MP Sony snapper. However, some other features are not the top ones, to be honest.

But, you know what, you will be satisfied with this smartphone once knowing UMI Rome price by continuing reading the next part! As we mentioned, it is going to be under $100, which can help UMI Rome beat a lot of competitors such as Cubot X15 and Ulefone Paris. Well, are you excited and ready to take a UMI Rome home?

UMI ROME Price – Super affordable!

In fact, there are handsets out there coming with similar packages of features, but they are usually priced at around $200 (RM880). Meanwhile, the Rome will just cost you $89 (RM390). We would like to give you a big WOW, UMI Rome! Nonetheless, you have to wait a bit more to purchase one Rome for yourself since the company is preparing everything. Probably we can see it before Xmas.

Huawei P9 Max VS Meizu Pro 5 are both top flagship of year-end 2015. Meizu Pro 5, with impressive 76,852 scores on Antutu, is leading the top list of Q3 2015. Not very far behind, Huawei P9 Max also scored up to 73,759. Here is our Huawei P9 Max VS Meizu Pro 5 comparison..

Huawei P9 Max VS Meizu Pro 5: Antutu beasts from Chinese producers

In terms of specs, Huawei P9 Max VS Meizu Pro 5 share quite a lot in common. Both devices feature 4GB RAM and a whooping 21MP camera on the rear! Other Huawei P9 Max include powerful Kirin 950 chip set, 64GB internal storage, latest Android 6.0 and a beautiful 2K display. Meanwhile, Meizu Pro 5 specs have a combination of premium Exynos 7420, 32/64GB internal storage, FHD display and Android 5.0 OS. While we know Meizu Pro 5 battery is 3050 mAH, Huawei P9 Max battery is still under the cover.

The biggest difference between Huawei P9 Max VS Meizu Pro 5 is probably the screen sizes. Although both are big enough to fit in the phablet category, Huawei P9 Max screen is much bigger than its counterpart: 6.2 inch VS 5.7 inch. Bigger screen is ideal for maximum performance of media files. However, a more compact display is found more handy and convenient to be carried with. One more difference is that, the P9 Max by Huawei is competent of performing 3D graphics, making it more favorable to many users in need.

Specs-wise, it seems that Huawei P9 Max is leading the game, with lastest Android version and more premium chip set. However, if considering Antutu results, the Meizu Pro 5 still scored higher in general. Antutu is a trusted Benchmark used to evaluate smartphone performances, basing on a combination of different elements.

Huawei P9 Max VS Meizu Pro 5: good quality for their money

We know about Huawei P9 Max VS Meizu Pro 5 weak and strong points comparing to each other. Now, let’s come to the decisive element: price tag. Huawei P9 Max price is expected to vary from RM2,500 to RM2,800 while Meizu Pro 5 price has 2 variations: RM 1,900 for 32GB ROM and RM 2,100 for 64GB ROM! This would add in a lot when deciding the winner! Don’t forget to share with us your vote and the reason why you think that smartphone beats its competitor!

Here we goes again! We will bring you one of our favorite topics to discuss on PricePony today. It is smartphone comparison. More specifically, Nokia 1100 PureView vs Nokai 3310 PureView. Are you excited? Let’s see what similarities and differences they have.

Nokia 1100 PureView vs Nokia 3310 PureView means Legend Battle

Firstly, it is easy to see that they both have very different designs. Nokia 1100 is a smartphone version of the Nokia 1100 basic phone. Though it has a stylized back cover from the original Nokia 1100, the handset does look like many smartphones on the market nowadays. In general, it is beautiful with super slim borders and there is no physical home button on the front surface. Meanwhile, Nokia 3310 smartphone design is very close to its original design. Or, we can say that the keyboard is turned into a screen also and the rest of the machine are remained, which makes Nokia 3310 new version so special. As a result, we cannot tell you to choose any of them. We’ll leave it up to you!

Secondly, spec-wise, there are some great differences we want to talk about. Besides the similar PureView sensor they both have, Nokia 3310 is said to sport a 41MP rear camera with Zeiss optics and Xenon flash while Nokia 1100 smartphone has the primary cam as a secret weapon. The information has not been revealed yet, but according to some sources, it can be around 20 megapixels, which is completely lower than the 3310. However, other Nokia 1100 specs are much more powerful since they include Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, a Quad HD display and 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM. As for Nokia 3310 specs, it boasts Windows Phone OS, a Full HD display and 2 GB of RAM.

Price and Availability

Last but not least, you may want to know their prices and release dates. They are expected to be introduced when Nokia comes back next year. And to compete immediately with other mobile devices, Nokia would not let the price become a barrier between them and customers. Therefore, both Nokia products in this comparison are likely to cost around RM1,500, which can be varied slightly.

Anyhow, we will return to this topic and update more details. Now, tell me which one do you prefer? Nokia 3310 or Nokia 1100?

We believe that 2016 will be a whole new great chapter for many smartphone manufacturers, including ASUS. It is because they have ideas, they have tools, they have technologies and they have motivation to produce products that meet people’s needs. So, if ASUS ZenFone 3 is on its way, we hope ASUS ZenFone 3 Selfie is, too.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Selfie – A masterpiece for selfie lovers

Yes, we think what you are thinking right now is correct. This is kind of a variant of ASUS ZenFone 3 but with a much more powerful selfie cam. Obviously, you may know the ASUS ZenFone 3 specs, but let’s do a recap of them. It is likely to be equipped with a 5.5-inch Quad HD display, an Intel Atom Z3590 2.5 GHz chip or better, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage which is expected to be expandable. In terms of camera, ASUS ZenFone 3’s snappers are capable of an at least 16 MP plus OIS on the back and an 8 MP on the front surface. Last but not least, the whole machine would be powered by a 3,500 mAh battery, yet it could be more like 4,000 mAh and above. 

How about ASUS ZenFone 3 Selfie?

Normally, a variant will base on the original version and boast some special feature to make it stand out. As for the Selfie 2016 version, it will also have a 5.5-inch Quad HD display, an Intel Atom Z3590 2.5 GHz chip or better, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of ROM, and a 3,500 mAh cell. However, the camera combo will be a bit different. Instead of 8 megapixels for the front-facing snapper, that of ZenFone 3 Selfie will be capable of up to 20 megapixels, coming along with the same 16 MP main shooter. WOW!

ASUS ZenFone 3 Selfie Release Date and Price

It can be one of the next beasts of ASUS company next year, so we should wait more. With such an amazing set of features, ASUS ZenFone 3 Selfie price will be around RM1,000 to RM1,5000, which is pretty reasonable.

We really hope that ASUS will do the same Marketing Stunt for their new ASUS phone. Really hope it will see the light some day!

Antutu points can somehow show you how strong a smartphone is. So, if you see a flagship smartphone appearing on Antutu benchmark with a high score, it can become a beast in the near future. The following devices are also in such a case and they are all in the way in the next weeks. Then, let’s have a look at them with their Antutu Benchmark scores now!

Antutu scores of upcoming flagships

1. Huawei P9 Max – 73,759 points

Huawei P9 Max is going to be a new member of the Huawei P series. It has been spotted on AnTuTu benchmark, coded as P950S. Accordingly, the phone will sport  a Kirin 950 chipset, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, a 6.2-inch 2K display and Android 6.0 OS.

With such high-end specifications, Huawei P9 Max managed to score more than 73,500 Antutu points. However, its 3D graphics score was 16,822 points, which is below many flagships like the Meizu Pro 5.

2. Huawei Mate 8 – 89,630 points

Lately, a Twitter account has shared an Antutu score which was said to belong to Huawei Mate 8. Specifically, a Twitter user @Steve Hemmerstoffer or @Onleaks showed a picture spotting the 89,630 points of Mate 8, absolutely higher than the flagship Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6, and even the Antutu champion Meizu Pro 5 (with 76,820 points).

Spec-wise, Huawei Mate 8 is going to sport a Kirin 950 chip, a 6-inch 2K display, an up to 20MP rear camera, and Force Touch tech. It is also expected to go on sale this month. Keep looking forward to this new Antutu champion.

3. Xiaomi Mi5 – 73,075 points

This is maybe the very last Xiaomi’s flagship smartphone this year. Though the company has still kept so many mysteries about Xiaomi Mi5 specs as well as Xiaomi Mi5 release date and price, we were able to bump into its Antutu score: 73,075 points. According to some experts, to get 73,000 Antutu points, Xiaomi Mi5 has to boast a super strong package of features which are probably a MediaTek Helio X20 or Snapdragon 820 chip. In addition, the handset is also expected to own 4GB RAM, a 5.3-inch 2K display, a 16MP main shooter, a 6MP selfie one, 16/64GB ROM, a 3,030mAh battery and Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box. Those are really top specs at the moment, yet can it beat other beast machines? Let’s wait and see!

So far we have just got 3 Antutu scores of 3 upcoming smartphones. They are all extremely high, hinting that there will be a storm in the mobile market as the end of 2015 is drawing closer. We will update you more on their official information. 

So, when the beast Mate 8 of Huawei has not come yet, we continue to hear things about another…beast. It is called Huawei P9 Max. And according to the company, Huawei P9 Max launch is likely to happen on 26 November, 2015. Though we still have some more days to go, its Antutu score and specs have been leaked on the internet. Check them out!

Huawei P9 Max: BEAST phablet from the Chinese giant phone maker

Accordingly, Huawei P9 Max specs include a 6.2-inch 2K display with 486 ppi, an octa-core Kirin 950 chip (which is the newest one made by Huawei) paired with GPU Mali-T880 MP4, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. In general, we can see that is smaller than its predecessor Huawei P8 Max (equipped with a 6.8-inch screen). Yet, it is surely more powerful in terms of display resolution (P8 Max only comes with Full HD) and operating system (P9 Max will run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS out of the box).

Although there are some specifications still unclear about the upcoming smartphone of Huawei, we are quite impressed by its AnTuTu score: 73,759 points generally and 16,822 points for the 3D graphics. It can beat a lot of flagships on the market now but.

Huawei P9 Max price and availability

Actually, they are still mysteries but it will not be so surprising if Huawei P9 takes up the Huawei P8 Max price, which is 3,788 Yuan (about RM2,600). So, our prediction is that the phone will range from RM2,500 to RM2,800. As for the Huawei P9 Max launch, it is said to be held this month and the handset will go on sale in December. Anyhow, let’s wait for the company’s official announcement.

In the end, we are looking forward to the new member of the Huawei P series and it is surely a great machine due to what we have been hearing. How about you? What do you think of Huawei P9 Max?

This year we have been witnessing a lot of launches of flagship smartphones from many brands such as Sony, Samsung, Apple, Lenovo, ASUS, Xiaomi, and so on. But have you ever wondered what they have in common? We have and also figured out 4 main features that are mostly found on 2015 flagships. Check them out, now!

Smartphone flagships 2015: 4 premium features they have in common

2K (aka Quad HD or QHD) display

2K display first appeared in 2014 but in 2015, it has become a new trend for high-end phones. From January, there have been some handsets released with this feature such as Samsung Galaxy S6 series, LG G4, LG V10, Motorola Moto X Play, Huawei Nexus 6P, Lumia 950 and 950XL, etc. However, some people also discuss that the difference between an FHD and a QHD smartphone display does not really matter when they view things at a regular distance, and QHD resolution only makes the price more expensive. Some manufacturers may have the same point and their products just come with normal resolution (FHD or HD) like Sony Xperia Z5 and Apple iPhone 6S. Nonetheless, they still can gain much attention from the public.

Anyhow, we think 2K is a new tech and for the current situation, it is the more advanced feature which should be a part of a flagship. Do you agree?

All-alloy body

This is for the design. Nowadays, metal is said to be able to give smartphone a much more premium look. Therefore, a flagship cannot “live” without an all-alloy body. Typically, Samsung used to be criticized for its phones’ plastic builds and then decided to employ metal for their high-end product’s design.

Non-removable battery along with fast-charging tech

As for the battery, it is not strange anymore to spot a machine with a non-removable cell to make the device become thinner and save more internal space. Though, the idea was not 100% agreed on by users since they preferred to swap a dead battery for a new one immediately instead of waiting so long for the batt to be fully charged. That was quite a problem but developing technology has been able to solve it with fast-charging tech. As a result, most Android flagships now can charge much faster if compared to their predecessors. For instance, we have Samsung Galaxy S6 by 38%, HTC One M9 by 47%, and Sony Xperia Z5 by 17%. In addition, it just takes the phones less than two hours to reach a full battery.

Fingerprint sensor

Last but not least, flagship phone means it has a fingerprint sensor. Actually, this has turned into a common characteristic for most handsets on the market recently. Nevertheless, we have to admit that we usually do not see it in many mid-range machines. So, fingerprint scanner is still a must-have feature every flagship should boast.

Well, those are the 4 main features which premium devices have in common. Do you want to add more? If yes, please tell us! Or you can suggest any smartphones that contain all the 4 to us.

Sony Xperia Z5 camera is definitely the beast among all mobile devices in our market. Needless to say, its 23MP IMX 300 sensor has been certified as the best smartphone camera to date. Popular as it already is, Sony doesn’t seem to be contented with “just” that. The Japanese giant has just introduced a new function for their Xperia Z5 camera, promising even better experience for users.

Sony Xperia Z5 camera: the best is becoming better

If you are also using an Xperia smartphone, you may know how the camera app operates. For now, an update has been launched for the Xperia Z5 family only, making it easier to switch between camera modes.

This update simplifies the camera interface. Before, you need to touch and go to the menu, then touch once more to choose the mode you like. But for now, with one single swipe, you can change between Superior Auto, Manual, Video and other camera apps.

The new Sony camera interface was actually previewed for the first time back in IFA 2015 (happened on this September), and is now reaching out to Sony Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact and Xperia Z5 Premium smartphones. If you are owning on of these high-end devices, check it out to make sure you know this new advantage. We hope to read about your experience after update share in the comment below!

Sony Xperia Z5 camera: new smartphone trend 2016?

In case you haven’t heard about it, Sony Xperia Z5 camera is currently featuring a 23MP with IMX 300 sensor, special by Sony, and a super fast auto focus of only 0.03s. The IMX 300 is so good that Samsung got impressed and said to be negotiating with Sony in order to take over this for their upcoming flagship Galaxy S7 of 2016. I started to wonder whether this will make a new trend among high-end smartphones of 2016!

Sony Xperia Z5 camera has received a lot of praise so far. Now with the new update, we are excited for Sony for more and more compliments on the way. Sony Xperia Z5 price in Malaysia starts from RM 2,6K, and varies with different versions.

You know Nokia E7 and you also know Nokia E1 which is an important part of Nokia comeback. They seem belong to the same E series but there are some great differences between them. Check them out, now!

Nokia E1 – The best successor to Nokia E7

Actually E7 and E1 are somewhat similar in the look with curved corners. However, E7 has a full QWERTY keyboard under the screen which you have to slide if wanting to use the keyboard. As a result, E7 is surely thicker than E1. In general, in case of preferring something more “manly”, E7 is perfect, yet it should be more elegant, E1 is the number one.

About the specs, firstly, no doubt that they do not feature the same operating system. Nokia E1 is likely to go with Android 5.0 Lollipop OS and Nokia Z Launcher while Nokia E7 obviously comes with Symbian 3 (upgradable to Nokia Belle OS). As for the display, the difference is also noticeable. E7 has a 4.0-inch 360 x 640 pixels screen and E1 a 4.95-inch Full HD IPS one. It shows they both are truly smartphones; you can put them in your pocket easily but the resolution of E1 is much better.

In terms of chipset, being powered by a 2.3GHz Intel 64-bit Atom chip paired with PowerVR G6430 graphics makes Nokia E1 stronger than Nokia E7’s processor (including 680 MHz ARM 11 and Broadcom BCM2727). Besides, some other Nokia E1 specs are 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 2700 mAh battery, a 20MP rear and 5MP front-facing shooter. Meanwhile, Nokia E7 specs offer an 8MP cam with a dual LED flash, a 1,200mAh battery, 16GB ROM and 256MB RAM. Needless to say, E1 is the best if we consider this a battle. Nonetheless, at the end of the day, we would like to see them as a predecessor and a successor. And it is so great to see the latter is the better.

One was running on Symbian OS and the other is going to run on Android OS.

Price and Availability

Nokia E7 debuted in September, 2010 and cost around $440 (RM1,920), which would be very expensive if it were available now. Nevertheless, E1 is a mid-ranger that’s gonna debut in 2016, marking the Nokia comeback, so it may cost around $200-$250 (RM855-RM1,100) and beat a lot of rivals in its kind.   

Well, those are some main points of Nokia E1 vs Nokia E7 we want to look at. What do you think? Share with us your opinion!