Tech Next: 5G on a budget

CHENNAI: The Infinix Hot 30 5G is the latest smartphone to drop in the sub Rs 15,000 segment. It’s part of a wider industry trend that is now seeing 5G smartphones hit affordable levels, as more customers get on the 5G superhighway.

The Infinix brand is part of the Transsion group (that also owns the Tecno and Itel brands), the Hot 30 is one of the better-looking devices at this price point with a refined matte finish. This finish also keeps out smudges, the device comes in a blingy aurora blue colour variant. One of the most striking design features is the bold rear camera module. Infinix keeps the heft under 200 gm despite a massive 6000 mAh battery.

The Hot 30 scores on the battery front- it should comfortably last a day and a half for most users. The device comes with an IP53 certification that offers limited dust ingress and protection from water spray, a handy inclusion at this price. One of our favourite features is the practical side-mounted fingerprint sensors, that allows you to power on the phone and unlock it in one action. The Hot 30 comes with a vivid 6.78-inch FHD+ display that hits a peak brightness of 580 nits.

The addition of Widevine L1 certification gives you full HD playback while video streaming; it adds to the binge appeal of the device along with the 120hz refresh rate that keeps things smooth. The Hot 30 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 Soc, chipset that supports 14 5G bands. It comes in two hardware options - 4GB/128GB and 8GB/128GB.

Other hardware highlights include a 50MP dual AI camera and an 8MP selfie shooter. Infinix adds a film mode to the camera that allows you to get creative when you switch to video mode. The Hot 30 is a good value for money option for its sticker price. (Rs 12,499 onwards)

DUAL SCREE APPEAL

Lenovo’s YogaBook 9i was one of the showstoppers at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, earlier this year, where it was first unveiled. This innovative laptop has finally started hitting retail shelves across the world including India, where it debuted in July 2023.

The YogaBook 9i is bound to appeal to creative professionals with a form factor that opens up multiple use-case scenarios. We’ve seen foldable laptops, but this is effectively two laptop screens in one work + play device that comes without the crease issues of a foldable screen. ASUS calls it the world’s first full-sized OLED dual screen laptop and brings two 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED displays (that peak at 400 nits) together seamlessly.

The bottom screen can also double up as an on-screen keyboard. You can also add the bundled bluetooth keyboard (if you prefer a physical keyboard) that can attach seamlessly to the top or the lower half of the bottom screen.

Lenovo has added a whole set of gestures that add to the flexibility of this device and add to the versatility of the bottom screen. For instance, the folio kickstand allows you to place the laptop and use it as a book in vertical mode with two screens. It can work as a regular laptop in cramped spaces, or you can also switch to tent mode.

It ticks key hardware boxes – it’s powered by an Intel Core i7 processor that teams up with 16GB of RAM and 1 TB of internal storage, Lenovo has also added a massive 80 Whr battery under the hood despite its lightweight form. (Rs 2,24,990)