TECH NEXT: Devices aimed at hardcore gamers, running enthusiasts

Black Shark was set up in 2017 as a gaming technology company driven by seasoned hardware engineers, designers and gamers. The Black Shark 2 becomes the first smartphone from the brand’s global portfolio to be officially available in India.

The Black Shark 2 boasts of the same thermal technology used in high-end PC gaming rigs — the Mille-Feuille Full Area Liquid Cooling System. This reduces core temperatures by up to 14°C, perfect for those extended gaming sessions. The device is propelled by the best of breed Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Processor with a choice of two hardware options — 6/128 GB and 12/256GB. If you need an extra boost, turn on Ludicrous Mode that takes full advantage of this spec sheet. Every millisecond counts in a competitive gaming environment, this smartphone claims the world’s lowest latency touch (43.5 ms) for ultra-quick input response in action games.

Aside from the gaming thrills, the Black Shark 2 has all that you need for everyday use. The 6.39-inch TrueView Display (19.5:9 aspect ratio / 1080 x 2340 pixels) with HDR packs vibrant colours. The device also features an in-display fingerprint scanner and a dual rear cam that also includes a 48MP primary lens. Dual-camera optics. The 4000 mAh battery is gaming-ready too. It’s equipped with an 18w fast charge with Quick Charge 4.0 that lasts endlessly. (Rs 39,999 onwards)

Garmin Forerunner 945: Garmin’s latest smartwatch is designed for fitness fanatics and running enthusiasts. It doesn’t just look rugged; the 1.2-inch display (240 x 240 pixels) is reinforced with Corning Gorilla Glass DX. It’s almost weightless to wear 24/7; the lightweight form factor is complemented by a high quality silicon strap that looks stylish and is comfortable to wear for hours together. Just what you need to track your sleep — from deep sleep to light sleep and REM sleep, this is the most comprehensive sleep tracking app out there.

We put this triathlon wearable through multiple gym workouts and it captures multiple data points that tell you how productive your workouts are. VO2 Max tracking is one of the many cool features; it analyses the amount of oxygen that you can utilise during an intense workout. Other handy touches include aerobic and anaerobic training effect, safety and tracking features- like incident detection and real time location to your emergency contacts. If you need training tips for a 5K or a marathon, the Forerunner creates a personalised workout.

The Forerunner also offers smartwatch functionality including music storage. While you can transfer up to 1000 songs from your laptop, it’s the Spotify support that is one of the key highlights. Battery life is another big win; Garmin claims about 2 weeks on smartwatch mode and 10 hours with GPS mode and music on. (Rs 59,990)