When it comes to mid-range smartphones, Motorola has been consistent with their G series. Last year we had the Moto G84 with its impressive design, display, and performance. Motorola launched the updated G85 5G this year on 25th June 2024. Does the Motorola Moto G85 5G bring value for money performance with other upgraded features? Let’s check it out in detail.  Key Specifications of Motorola Moto G85 5G   Design and Build Quality  The design and build quality of the G85 is almost reminiscent of the outgoing G84. The near edge-to-edge front, tapering edges, matte back, and merging camera housing make the G85 stand out as uniquely Moto.  The dimension of the device comes in at 161.91 mm by 73.06 mm by 7.59 mm with around 171 g or 173 g weight (depending on the vegan leather option). As for the back, there’s either a PMMA/acrylic finish or a silicone/vegan leather finish. Both the variants use plastic as a base but the cover material exudes a premium feel to the hand.  Read more: Oppo Reno 12 Pro 5G Review: Midrange Phone with AI Features Ports and buttons are all in their usual spot. There’s an extendable storage option through micro SDXC. However, there’s no headphone jack on the G85 which was one of the highlights on the G84. There’s a single nano-SIM configuration with an additional e-SIM option.  Motorola claims a water-repellent design on the G85 but they didn’t provide any certification for it.  The Display  The display is the biggest highlight of the G85. Unlike last year, the G85 features a near edge-to-edge curved panel. The 6.67 inches P-OLED display has 1B colors, 120 Hz high refresh rate, and 1600 nits of peak brightness. The panel has a 2400 by 1080 resolution with 395 ppi density. The 20:9 aspect ratio and curved panel account for a whopping 92.70% screen-to-body ratio.  Read more: Top 8 Smartphones Launching in August 2024: Features, Specs, and Release Dates The 120 Hz refresh rate is also coupled with a 240 Hz touch sampling rate. Motorola has also included DCI-P3 color space SGS Blue Light Reduction and SGS Motion Blur Reduction technology for increased ease of use.  In terms of real-world use, the display on the G85 feels every bit like a flagship. The steady refresh rate, color calibration, and excellent viewing angles make the G85 a treat to use. The front glass is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 so you can rest assured about its durability.  The Camera  There’s a dual camera setup on the Moto G85. The main camera is a 50 MP, f/1.8 wide-angle shooter with a 1/1.95" sensor and 0.8µm pixels along with PDAF and OIS. The main sensor is the Sony LYT 600 which is commonly seen in mid-range devices. The secondary camera is an 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚  ultrawide shooter with AF. The front features a 32 MP, f/2.4 wide-angle shooter.  Read more: How to Activate Earthquake Alerts on Android, iOS Phones In terms of performance, the G85 punches above its weight. The main sensor can take some great photos in daylight and well-lit environments. The excellent dynamic range especially stands out due to its balance. There’s a good contrast, color reproduction, and details in each shot. However, the pictures may seem a bit overprocessed in subjects with a lot of colors. The portrait mode lacked a 2x feature. Other than that, it produced decent results.  The wide-angle shooter also performed well though it didn’t quite match the details and vividness of the main sensor.  The night mode on the G85 is the saver when it comes to night photography. It doesn’t over-expose the subjects but rather brings a good balance between details and exposure.  Read more: Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Flip Phone Review: A Trip to Nostalgia The videography on the G85 is rated at 1080p@30fps. The included OIS does a pretty good job of stabilizing the footage.  Processor and Performance  The processor on the Moto G85 is Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 based on a 6 Nm architecture. The 6s Gen 3 is a slightly upgraded version of the Snapdragon 695 5G in terms of raw performance.  The processor has a chip design of 2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver with Adreno 619 GPU. The internal storage is UFS 2.2 which is a slight bummer considering the “ancient” read and write speed. The RAM is also relatively older at LPDDRX4.  Read more: vivo iQOO Z9x 5G Review: Budget Meets Substance In tests, the processor performed similarly to last year's G84. Games like PUBG could be played at Smooth/Ultra settings with smooth frame rates and zero jitters. Free Fire and COD also performed well. However, Genshin Impact saw frame drops here and there with noticeable stutters in the gameplay at times.  The device did pretty well in heat management as we didn’t notice any thermal throttling.  Its RAM power ranges from 8 to 12 GB. Starting from 128GB its internal storage ranges up to 256GB. The Moto G85 is available in 8/128 GB and 12/256 GB configurations.  Read more: Honor 200 Pro Review: A Flagship Camera Experience Benchmark  Antutu 10: 471,687 GeekBench 6: 926 (single core); 2145 (multi-core)  GFXBench T-Rex: 4949  PCMark: 11.6  Software  The Moto G85 is running on Android 14 with a custom Motorola skin on top. Motorola went with a stock-like UI without much customization. The lack of bloatware is complemented by useful stock Android features making it a great UI for stock enthusiasts. Motorola has also committed to up to 2 years of software updates on the G85.  Battery and Charge Time  The battery on the G85 is 5000 mAh. The battery is complemented by 30W if wired for fast charging. If you’re going with the Indian variant, you’ll get a 33W wired option. Motorola claims up to 34 hours of normal usage on a single charge. Claims aside, the G85 is easily an all-day device.  Read more: Apple iPhone 16 Series: Everything We Know So Far Pros and Cons of Motorola Moto G85 5G Pros - 5G network - P-OLED display- Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection- 120Hz refresh rate- Water-repellent design- 30W fast charging - Android 14 OS and NFC - Stereo speakers - Under-display fingerprint scanner. Read more: Pirate-themed Video Games for Android, iOS Cons - No Wireless and reverse charging support- No optical zoom camera- No 4K video recording mechanism- Lacks Gyro-EIS support- No audio jack- Lacks custom UI- Heating issues may arise on heavy use. Read more: 10 Best eBook Reader Apps for Android, iOS in 2024 Price of Motorola Moto G85 5G  Moto G85 5G is not officially available in Bangladesh now. In India, 8/128 GB and 12/256 GB variants prices are 17,999 INR and 19,999 INR respectively (with offers). It roughly translates to 25,564 BDT and 28,404 BDT (1 INR = 1.42 BDT). However, the official price of the Motorola Moto G85 in Bangladesh may vary due to tax and other issues. Verdict  The Motorola Moto G85 5G brings several upgrades to its ancestor G84. Users now have a better camera, display, and processor. However, the omission of the headphone jack might be a bummer for many. In terms of performance, the G85 holds steady though a faster ROM and RAM would’ve benefitted the overall experience.  Xiaomi Redmi Note 13, Nothing CMF Phone 1, and the Samsung Galaxy M35 can be considerable alternatives at a similar price. However, the G85 still holds the edge in terms of the overall package. As for who this is for, anyone who’s looking for a durable lower mid-range device can easily pick up the Moto G85. Read more: Price Ranges of Wi-Fi Internet Routers for Home Use in Bangladesh

iQOO first emerged in the smartphone industry as a sub-brand of vivo. Under vivo, the brand brought industry-leading R&D capabilities and supply chains to new customers. The Z series from iQOO stands out as a high-budget option with significant performance capabilities. The latest in the lineup, the Z9x 5G was recently launched on 29th April 2024. Here’s a detailed take on the vivo Z9x 5G. Key Specifications of the vivo iQOO Z9x  Design and Build Quality The Z9x is a plastic-built smartphone all around. However, the sophistication of the design elements makes everything unique about the device. The frosted textured back (“planetary orbit” according to iQOO), the sunburst camera module, and the flat frames make for a stylish design. The dimension of the device comes in at 165.7 mm by 76 mm by 7.99 mm with 199 g weight. As a high-budget smartphone, the headphone jack and the card slot are on the Z9x. The power button doubles as the fingerprint scanner as the screen has no optical sensor. Read more: Xinji Nothing 3 Review: Amoled Smartwatch for 5000 Taka The porthole camera and the slight chin at the bottom of the display are streamlined with previous Z series smartphones. Needless to say, the design has adjusted enough to the changing landscape. The Z9x also boasts IP64 water and dust resistance for accidental splashes. The device is available in two colors, Mystic Black and Northern Green. The Display The display on the Z9x is a 6.72-inch IPS LCD panel with 120Hz high refresh rate and 1000 nits of peak brightness. The FHD+ panel has a resolution of 2408 by 1080 pixels with about 393 ppi density. The relatively smaller chin accounts for an 86.4% screen-to-body ratio. Additionally, the panel boasts about 83% NTSC color saturation. However, it does not support the DCI-P3 color gamut. Read more: Smart Plugs Buyers’ Guide, Price Ranges in Bangladesh in 2024 As a sub-25 K smartphone, the lack of an AMOLED display might be a deal breaker for some. But if you can overlook that, the color accuracy, viewing angles, and overall smoothness of the display are praiseworthy. The Camera There’s a dual camera setup on the Z9x. The main camera is a 50 MP, f/1.8, wide-angle shooter with a 1/1.95" sensor. The secondary sensor is a 2 MP f/2.4 depth sensor. The front camera is a generic 8 MP, f/2.1 sensor. In terms of performance, the Z9x holds up nicely for its price. The pictures taken in the daylight were well-detailed with decent exposure. One thing that stood out was the color vibrancy of the images. Regardless of the subject, the images tend to have a vibrant pop of color. At times, it might look and feel artificial, depending on the subject. Zooming on the images also shows over-sharpening issues at times, even with decent lighting. Read more: 7 Best Smartphones in Tk 35000-45000 Range in July 2024 As for nighttime images, the included night mode is the saving grace here. Pictures with the night mode came out well-exposed and detailed. However, the post-processing produces overall soft images to roll out the grains. As for the front camera, the portrait mode worked well thanks to the dedicated depth sensor. The maximum videography capacity on the iQOO Z9x phone’s rear and front cameras are rated at 4K and 1080P respectively. The gyro-EIS helps slightly to stabilize the footage. But you’ll probably need a dedicated gimbal for proper videography with this camera. Processor and Performance The processor on the Z9x is Qualcomm SM6450 Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 based on a 4 Nm architecture. The Gen series brought an overhaul in the naming convention, with more or less the same increment as before. The octa-core processor has a chip design of 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 with Adreno 710 GPU. Read more: Vivo Y28 4G Review: Is it a value-for-money smartphone? In terms of day-to-day use, the Z9x breezes past activities like browsing the web, watching videos, or scrolling social media. Games like PUBG were stable on the Smooth Extreme setup. There weren’t any frame drops unless there were deliberate high graphics usage moments in the game. Genshin Impact was also playable, but it had far more frame drops and jitters compared to PUBG. Highly optimized games like Asphalt 9 and COD ran without any issues. The device did, however, heat up quite a bit in each gaming session. But it didn’t affect the overall performance. Benchmark GeekBench 6: 933 (single core); 2799 (multi-core) Antutu 10: 580645 Software The iQOO Z9x runs on Funtouch OS 14, based on Android 14. Funtouch OS came a long way to becoming more optimized and streamlined with the stock Android experience. However, it still has its distinct features, like the app retainer, redesigned split-screen, and media locking. iQOO promises up to 50 months of smooth usage thanks to the newly optimized OS. Read more: OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G Review: Know the Pros and Cons Battery and Charge Time The vivo iQOO Z9x is powered by a large battery featuring 6000 mAh. It’s one of the largest in its class and can be easily topped up using the supported 44W wired charging system. Surprisingly, the Z9x also supports reverse charging, which isn’t all that common in this price range. Pros and Cons of the vivo iQOO Z9x Pros: - IPS LCD panel with 120 Hz high refresh rate- Capable dual camera system- 4K video recording capabilities- Audio jack and extendable micro SDXC- Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor- 6000 mAh battery with 44W wired charging- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner- IP64 water and dust resistance. Cons: - No ultrawide or zoom lens- No NFC support- Outdated UFS 2.2 storage system- No rated front glass protection. Read more: Top Home Electronics in Bangladesh for 2024: Simplify Your Life with These Smart Devices Price of the vivo iQOO Z9x  The iQOO Z9x is available in the 8/128 GB variant in India. The price is 16,630 INR (with a discount). It roughly translates to 23,348 BDT (1 INR = 1.40 BDT). Verdict The vivo iQOO Z9x, with its high refresh rate display, dual camera setup, and 5G capabilities, brings a lot to be hopeful about. Especially, its Snapdragon processor performs better than the similarly powered Helio options. On the other hand, minor shortcomings like the lack of a faster read-write speed are the only mentionable drawbacks of the device. On the whole, anyone looking for a solid daily driver with slight gaming capabilities at a budget price can easily pick up the vivo iQOO Z9x 5G. Read more: Honor 200 Pro Review: A Flagship Camera Experience

OnePlus produces its budget-friendly lineup under the Nord Series. Nord CE4 Lite was released on June 24. It is an upgrade of the Nord CE3 Lite. Let’s explore the specifications, pros, cons, and price of the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G. Key Features of OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G Design The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite has a sleek design with dimensions of 162.9 mm by 75.6 mm by 8.1 mm. It features a glass front, a plastic frame, and a plastic back. The rear panel is made of plastic and has a reflective finish that resists fingerprints. The phone weighs 191 grams, which gives it a solid feel without causing discomfort during use. The Nord CE 4 Lite comes with a vertically aligned rear camera setup within a new pill-shaped section that also includes a dual LED flash. The bottom edge of the phone has a 3.5mm audio jack, a microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grille. There's another speaker on the top edge. The power and volume buttons are on the right side, while the SIM card tray is on the left. The phone has an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance. Read more: Top Home Electronics in Bangladesh for 2024: Simplify Your Life with These Smart Devices Display The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite features a 6.67-inch full HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 by 2400 pixels, giving it a pixel density of around 395 ppi. The screen has a 20:9 aspect ratio and a high refresh rate of 120Hz. It can reach a peak brightness of up to 2,100 nits, which helps in bright lighting conditions, but it may still be difficult to view under direct sunlight. The display includes the Aqua Touch feature, allowing it to register touch inputs even when fingers are wet. However, the screen does not support HDR content, limiting the quality of streaming on OTT apps. The phone also has an in-display fingerprint sensor, but it may have issues with accuracy, potentially needing a software update to improve performance. The screen-to-body ratio is approximately 87.2%, making for a large viewing area suitable for multimedia content, but primarily indoors. Cameras The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite features a dual rear camera setup. The primary camera is a 50-megapixel shooter with a Sony LYT-600 sensor and an f/1.8 aperture. It also includes a 2-megapixel depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. Its front camera features 16 megapixels (f/2.4) censor, suitable for daytime selfies, but less effective in low light.  Read more: Tecno Camon 30 Pro Review: Style Meets Substance The primary camera supports both optical image stabilization (OIS) and electronic image stabilization (EIS), capturing clear images during the day, though details may be lacking when zoomed in. The camera app offers a 2x in-sensor zoom mode for close subjects, but detail is still limited when zooming in. The phone includes a Night mode for low-light conditions, which needs to be manually enabled. Night mode improves visibility and detail but adds noticeable smoothening and can make the sky appear brighter than it is. Video recording is available up to 1080p at 30fps with both rear and front cameras, with OIS and EIS support on the rear camera. Performance The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite uses the Snapdragon 695 6nm chipset, offering performance comparable to competitors with the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset. This phone handles everyday tasks well and can run popular games and apps that are not too demanding. Read more: Motorola Edge 50 Pro Review: A Competent Mid-Range Smartphone In gaming tests, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) ran well on default settings but experienced some lag when the phone warmed up. Asphalt 9 ran smoothly even after 30 minutes of gameplay. Benchmark tests show the Nord CE 4 Lite scored 904 in Geekbench 6 Single Core and 2015 in Geekbench 6 Multi Core. In AnTuTu v10, it scored 448,127, while in 3DMark Wild Life, it scored 1508. Running on OxygenOS 14, the phone is stable with smooth app switching, especially with navigation gestures. Pre-installed bloatware includes Agoda, Netflix, Facebook, and others, which can be uninstalled. The phone's overall performance is suitable for regular use and light gaming. Battery and Charging The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite features a 5,110mAh battery, offering solid battery backup. It supports 80W fast charging, with the charger and cable included in the box. Furthermore, it supports 5W reverse wired charging. In the PCMark battery test, the phone lasted 11.35 hours from 100% to 20% battery, which is decent but not as good as some competitors like the realme 12. Read more: Oukitel RT8 Review: Rugged Tablet with Long Battery Life For everyday use, the battery should last all day on high settings and even longer with adjustments. The Nord CE 4 Lite takes about 50 minutes to charge from 20% to 100%. Despite the quick charge, a dual-cell battery could have reduced this time further. Overall, the phone provides reliable battery performance suitable for most users. Pros and Cons of the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite Pros - 5G and NFC-enabled- AMOLED screen- Huge battery with fast charging- Android 14 OS with OxygenOS 14 UI- Gyro-EIS support- Stereo speakers and an audio jack- An under-display fingerprint scanner- Comes with an IP54, dust, and splash resistant- Reverse wired charging. Read more: Xiaomi Civi 4 Pro Review: A Camera-focused Smartphone with Flagship-level Specs Cons - No optical zoom and ultrawide cameras- A shared microSDXC card slot- No Corning Gorilla Glass protection- Not suitable for heavy gaming and multitasking- No wireless charging- No 4K video recording support- Available in single RAM and storage variants. Price of OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G in Bangladesh The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G is officially available in Bangladesh. The 8/256GB variant of the phone is available at BDT 27,999. Conclusion The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite is a well-rounded smartphone with a sleek design, solid build, and a large AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It features a capable 50 MP primary camera with OIS and EIS, though it lacks an ultra-wide lens. Powered by the Snapdragon 695 chipset, it performs well for daily tasks and light gaming. The large battery supports 80W fast charging, ensuring long usage and quick recharges.  Read more: Top 10 Smartphones Coming in July 2024 While it includes useful features like 5G, NFC, and an in-display fingerprint scanner, it misses out on wireless charging, Gorilla Glass protection, and 4K video recording.  On the whole, the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G is a good phone for people who are looking for a lower mid-budget phone with decent performance under the 30000 Taka price range.