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Review

Review: Nokia 5.4

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The latest budget phone from Nokia provides stock Android experience, but is that enough for survival?

Price: from ₹13,999, nokia.com/phones/en_in/

Nokia is one of those companies that had once been a hot favourite and lost its sheen, unable to keep up with the rapid technological innovations of the late 2000s. The company tried to bounce back by partnering with Microsoft, once again to be left behind by the rapid progress of Android and iOS. The Nokia 5.4 is part of the series of Nokia’s Android phones in its third attempt at resurrection.

The Nokia 5.4 is an entry-level phone but offers a sturdy and stylish polycarbonate body. The phone has a glossy back with a diagonal shiny pattern offering some element of style in a budget phone. The phone is available in two finishes, Polar Night and Dusk. The 5.4 retains the circular camera housing, which has a minimal protrusion. An LED flash occupies the left flank while the round fingerprint sensor sits near the bottom of the housing. The housing itself is occupied by a quad-camera system made up of a 48MP main camera, a 2MP depth sensor, another 2MP macro camera and a 5MP ultra-wide camera. A punch hole at the top left corner of the screen houses a 16MP front camera. The volume rocker and power/lock button are on the right, while the Google Assistant button and SIM card tray are at the left. The USB Type-C port resides at the bottom and a 3.5mm headphone jack is on the top of the bezel.

The phone uses a 6.39-inch HD+ screen with 720 x 1560 pixels. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC. It ships with Android 10 and provides a clean stock Android experience. The device is Android 11 ready and Nokia promises two years of Android upgrades along with three years of monthly security updates. The Nokia 5.4 is powerful enough to run your day-to-day applications, even some of the medium-level games. However, games like Asphalt 9 and GT Racing 2 lags as expected. The phone is available in 4GB and 6GB variants, both with 128GB of internal storage. Additionally, the device supports a MicroSD card up to 512GB via a dedicated slot in the SIM tray. The phone accepts dual nano SIMs. It uses a 4000mAh battery, which provides a day’s power on extensive use and up to two days on conservative use. Nokia has bundled a slow 10W charger with this device, while other brands bundle fast chargers even with budget phones. In our tests, it took more than 80 minutes for a 50% refill.

The camera offers some advanced features including HDR, AI scene detection, Cinema mode and H-Log format, but the results are not as convincing as the claims even in normal still and video recording. The stills have no colour consistency and the images appeared over-saturated. The HDR mode does not make much of a difference. All videos appeared to have heavy banding and noise and the metering system appeared too slow to adapt to changing light intensity. We are still wondering how many users would find highly advanced features like H-Log and Cinema mode attractive in an under-15,000 phone. The built-in Cinema Editor in Google Photos offers some help in bringing out the tones in the Log footage. We cannot believe that this is the same brand that showcased the power of pixel oversampling with the Lumia 1020 PureView back in 2013.

The Nokia 5.4 offers only 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, which would have been acceptable in a regular budget smartphone. But the final rendered files of Cinema and H-Log footages after editing on the phone are more than twice the original file size and hence the slow connectivity can be a nasty bottleneck while transferring these to the cloud.

The 4GB/64GB variant is priced at a recommended price of Rs.13,999, while the 6GB/64GB variant sells at Rs.15,499.

WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, Dedicated MicroSD slot, 3.5mm headphone jack
WE’D IMPROVE Everything else
THE LAST WORD This is one phone that should have been launched at least a year before. Unfortunately for Nokia, competitors have launched models that far exceed the 5.4’s capabilities at the same price range.

★★★

Review: Optoma P2

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Rs. 4,99,999, optoma.com
Optoma returns with its high-end laser projector successor

It was exactly a year ago when we got a chance to use the Optoma P1 and came back mighty impressed. Now right on schedule, Optoma has launched the aptly named Optoma P2 that promises improved picture quality.  

Design-wise, there’s not much to differentiate the Optoma P2 with its predecessor. Except for the colour, which is white for the P2, there’s hardly any difference in the product design. The NuForce soundbar covered in soft mesh fabric is on the front, the glass-covered lens at the top and the host of ports at the back like two HDMIs (one of which supports ARC), USB, RJ45, S/PDIF and audio out. There’s one more HDMI and USB Type-A port along with ventilated sides for heat dissipation and airflow.    

The Optoma P2 is an ultra-short throw projector that enables a large 120-inch projection from a distance of just 14.5-inches. The projector automatically adjusts the keystone and focus, but if you need to fine-tune it, one can do it from the button on the remote control.

Equipped with a DLP projection chip, it supports 3840×2160 native resolution along with a light brightness of up to 3000 ANSI lumens, which is good enough for 30,000 hours in eco mode. The projection quality is top-notch. The P2 supports over a billion colours with a 120% Rec. 709 gamut coverage and 6-segment colour wheel for realistic colour reproduction. It also has HDR10 for HDR content and PureMotion for reduced motion blur when you are watching fast-paced content. 

The P2 is a smart projector and the fact that Optoma underplays this feature is a good thing because the smart experience is underwhelming. It runs on a forked Android version that does not have access to Google Play Store or its associate services. Instead, it comes with a third-party app store that has a limited number of apps. That said, wirelessly connecting via iOS or Android and casting to the projector is easy, provided you have fast and stable internet. The projector also supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. 

The NuForce 40W soundbar was the highlight in last year’s projector and it’s no different in P2. The audio quality is excellent with crisp, room-filling audio and supports Dolby Digital 2.0. There’s a dedicated audio mode that allows the projector to stream music via your connected Bluetooth device. 

All said and done, the Optoma P2 is a solid follow up to the P1. The smart features can be improved but considering its overall performance, the ultra-short throw projector delivers excellent projection with amazing audio quality. 

RATING 4.5/5
WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance, audio
WE’D IMPROVE Smart features
THE LAST WORD Optoma P2 is an easy-to-use ultra-short throw laser projector that delivers top-notch projection and audio.

This review is originally published in the January 2021 edition of T3 India. Subscribe here.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Review

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Live like a Viking in the new Assassin’s Creed action-adventure
₹3,999; PS4, PS5, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X|S (reviewed)

The Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey breathed a new life in the 13-year-old franchise. The games not only gave us beautiful regions to explore with a meaningful story but also strengthened its RPG foundation. It is clear in the all-new Assassin’s Creed Valhalla where you explore the vast lands of Norway and England and take decisions that matter.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Set in the Viking Age, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla lets you assume the role of Eivor, a Viking from Norway. Although we don’t have Alexios or Kassandra, like in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the new game lets the player choose between a male or a female Eivor. If you are unsure, the game will even decide it for you. I started with female Eivor since Kassandra was better in Odyssey but changed to the male counterpart a few hours in, realising he feels apt for the story. However, since the storyline remains the same, and character’s abilities, it all comes down to preference.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

The prologue set in Norway shows Eivor’s parents getting killed and how he avenges them before setting sail for England for fame and riches along with his Viking clan and adoptive brother Sigurd. The initial Norwegian arc feels like a mishmash of how we are introduced to the ancient order, assassins and the events before reaching the English shores but the storytelling is vastly improved after that. Once in England, Eivor is tasked with pledging alliances with other leaders in the region for clan’s safer and a prosperous future, and this is when the game opens up allowing to explore the world as you want to. Finish various region arcs to gain their alliance or just roam around trying to find the hidden treasure, artefacts and mysteries. Ubisoft has done a stellar job to bind everything together as you progress and also make you feel responsible for the actions. The dialogue choices have an impact on how the story advances. For instance, finding a traitor based on the clues you have gathered can separate a real traitor’s head from the body or kill someone innocent. Involved in a forbidden romance? Well, you should be ready for repercussions with other NPCs in the future. The decision-making in the game makes the narrative more immersive and also gives you, as a player, a moment or two to think if we have made the right choice.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

An assassin is someone who works stealthily picking off enemies in the shadows, and while Assassin’s Creed Valhalla lets you do it, it just doesn’t feel right. A Viking is known for face-to-face battles, and this is where the game shines. Melee combat is excellent along with the gory animations. Raids and castle sieges have been introduced where you and your clan use the collective might to kill and loot the wealth.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Gameplay-wise, the combat has been refined where one needs to take into consideration the different weapons and outfits. Wielding a heavy weapon or armour will make the bulky Viking less agile compared to someone wielding an axe and a light shield. If that’s not enough, there are abilities to gain or special powers that can be put to use during combat and can be acquired by finding “books of knowledge” spread across the map. The skill tree, on the other hand, does not feel as useful. Earning XP lets you earn skill points but except for the key skill that unlocks after adding some random skill like “3.1 melee resistance” or “5.2 health”, the constellation-like skill tree structure looks like a way to increase Eivor’s power level.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

If bloodshed is too much to handle, the game also helps to scale back by sparring in flyting (poem battles) or revel in drinking and dice games. Furthermore, one can indulge in the beautiful English landscape. Ubisoft has outdone themselves and playing on the Xbox Series X shows off the detailed visuals and lighting. Playing on the latest console also shortens the load time and even lets you enjoy the game in 60fps with the performance mode. However, the game is not without its share of quirks. The game is buggy, even on the recently released 1.0.4 title update. Sure, it’s less than what it used to be, but it’s still far from being perfect. Most of the glitches I experienced were graphical, but there were a couple of them that didn’t let me progress an ongoing raid by not allowing to loot the wealth chest or an NPC not moving, thus not allowing me to finish the mission. Luckily, the issues were fixed after re-loading the game again.

Despite these hindrances, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is still an enjoyable game. The main story is engaging, but it’s the combat, raids, massive open-world and innumerable things to do that keeps you entertained for hours, irrespective if you’re a seasoned Assassin’s Creed fan or a newcomer.

RATING 4/5
WE’RE IMPRESSED Story, gameplay, visuals
WE’D IMPROVE Bugs
THE LAST WORD Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is yet another strong entry in the AC franchise with an immersive story, massive open-world, and combat.

BenQ GV1 Review

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The new BenQ projector is travel-friendly and comes with smart feature
Rs. 30.990, benq.co.in

Customers now understand the advantage of installing projectors at home versus going with a large-size television. But when it comes to portable projection, there’s still some ground to cover. We have seen some solutions from ViewSonic, Sony and Asus in the past and now BenQ has launched its offering, the GV1.

Off all the portable projectors we have seen recently, GV1 is the most portable. As compact as a small soft drink bottle, the GV1 is tiny and well-designed. Equipped with a travel case, the 708g GV1 goes for a dual-tone design with the top quarter of the device housing the projector essentials like the controls at the top, focus ring at the side and the lamp on the front whereas the remaining three-fourth of the device goes with a mesh grille design that conceals the back-firing speaker and a USB Type-C and power port at the bottom. Overall, the design is slick and premium-looking. 

Being a smart projector, GV1 is as easy as setting up an Android smartphone but this is where the similarities end. It runs a custom version of Android and since it does not have a Google certification, there’s no access to Google Play Store and related services. Instead, it comes with Aptoide TV app store. The app store allows downloading popular entertainment apps, but the library is sparse. If you use Netflix, Prime Video or Disney+ Hotstar, the projector can play the content but going through the menu and settings are laggy, given the slow Snapdragon 210 processor and meagre 1GB RAM that powers the forked Android OS. There’s a delay in registering the commands while using the remote control. Connecting an external device is one way to watch content on this projector, but you will have to use the bundled Type-C to HDMI port since the projector does not come with a full-sized HDMI. Another way is to wirelessly project, which works well with PC and Android but was a hit-and-miss with iOS.

GV1 can project images to up to 35-inches from a distance of 1m, which is good enough for such a small projector, but it can project up to 100-inches in size. However, the experience is underwhelming considering the FWVGA (854×480) resolution support and 200 ANSI lumens brightness that goes dimmer if you use the projector with the integrated battery. The 15-degree tilting lens is a nice touch along with the auto keystone that ensures the projection is straight, irrespective of the angle. Users can adjust manually, as well. The 5W back-firing speakers offer good crisp audio, good enough to fill a small room and even has a dedicated Bluetooth mode allowing the GV1 to function as a Bluetooth loudspeaker. 

GV1 is an interesting device. While BenQ has nailed the portability factor with its compact and handy design, this same compactness compromises on the picture quality. Adding insult to injury is the laggy user interface. 

RATING 3/5
WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, portability, audio
WE’D IMPROVE Performance
THE LAST WORD A decent attempt by BenQ to appeal to customers looking for portable projection but falls short in terms of its smart features and picture quality. 

Trifo Max Review

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Not just another robot vacuum cleaner
Rs. 21,990 (promotional price), amazon.in

Robot vacuum cleaners have been in demand in the last few months and Trifo is trying to kill two birds with one stone with its latest product. The Trifo Max not only works like any other robot vacuum cleaner but also comes with a camera at the top that can be used as a security camera.

Trifo Max looks like any other robot vacuum cleaner in the market. The circular robot vacuum features a bumper on the front, whereas the top hosts a camera along with physical buttons. The upper lid can be pulled up to reveal status lights for the Wi-Fi, reset button, a USB port (to charge gadgets!) and the dustbin. At the bottom is the side brush that sweeps everything towards the large main brush, which vacuums the dirt in the dustbin. The wheels let the Trifo Max roam around while it cleans the surface and even features sensors so it does not topple down from the stairs or higher ground.

The easy setup requires the use of the Trifo Home app, which also acts as a gateway to all the other things Trifo Max can do. Although vacuuming can be initiated by pressing the power button on the Trifo Max, using the app is preferable because you can use features like adjusting the suction power that goes up to 3,000 Pa. The suction power also determines how loud the robovac will be, so you can adjust it accordingly. The app allows manual control of the Max and even turn on the surveillance camera, which is a nice feature to have but feels inadequate compared to a proper home security camera. The motion detection works well, but the images seen from the camera are at an angle that makes looking at the feed a little impractical. The only advantage with it is that you get the mobility if you need to see something and talk via the 2-way chat feature.

The first couple of cleaning sessions seem like a bump-into-every-obstacle session, but what Trifo Max is doing is creating a virtual map of the room, which you can see in real time on the app. The robovac is learning the environment for a more efficient cleaning route. In short, the more it cleans the room, the better it gets. It’s handy, but only if you keep it docked in the same area. The app does not allow any geo-fencing (requires a physical obstacle) or naming different rooms in the house which means if you move the charging station to a new place, say, to another floor of the house, the Max needs to learn the new room and previous room again. Trifo has confirmed to us that the memorising feature will come, but no idea when.

Regarding its vacuuming performance, Max leaves the floor spick-and-span. It even comes with mopping pads and a tiny water tank that makes mopping possible, but in our experience, it was underwhelming.

Despite some of its shortcomings, Max is a formidable robovac that does its job well with the ability to adjust the suction power, up to 2 hours of battery life and controllable via Amazon Alexa.

RATING 4/5
WE’RE IMPRESSED Vacuum performance, easy to set up
WE’D IMPROVE App experience, camera
THE LAST WORD Trifo is pitching Max for its security camera feature, we prefer Max for its cleaning performance and adjustable suction power.

This review was originally published in the November edition of T3 India. Subscribe here.