The category of phones in the 50K to 60K price bracket in India hasn’t seen too many newcomers this quarter. As a result, there has been little churn in our list of phones under Rs 60,000 this time as compared to the last. Of course, the price of certain handsets has dropped significantly since then, and the Apple iPhone 13 has headed in the opposite direction and out of this budget. Time to jump straight into the action and look at who made the cut this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 60,000 in India
OnePlus 11 5G
Let’s start with two of the most powerful phones around with almost identical model numbers. The OnePlus 11 5G is the best all-around phone from the company at the moment. It is loaded with a lot of features generally reserved for the Pro variant. The phone feels great in hand and has a 6.7-inch curved LTPO3 AMOLED display with a resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. This HDR10+ and Dolby Vision-compliant screen supports 10-bit colour depth, 120 Hz variable refresh rate and can get up to 1300 nits bright. The phone runs OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13 and one can expect several OS and security updates in the future.
The OnePlus 11 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and you get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage variant in this budget. The rear camera department is loaded, starting with a 50MP primary camera with OIS and Hasselblad’s colour tuning. The support cast is equally impressive with a 48MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus that also doubles up as a macro camera and a 32MP telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom. Its 5000 mAh battery easily lasts for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 100W charger juices it up in under 30 minutes.
Pro tip: With the right credit card, you can get its top variant with 16 GB RAM and 256 GB UFS 4.0 storage under Rs 60,000 effectively.
OnePlus 11 5G price in India: Rs 56,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
iQOO 11 5G
The iQOO 11 5G is the other phone in this list based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. It is accompanied by 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage. You can also get its 16 GB RAM variant under 60K, but we prefer this variant given the Rs 5,000 price difference. It has a sharp 10-bit 6.78-inch HDR10+ compliant E6 AMOLED display with a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels and 144 Hz refresh rate. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The phone runs Android 13 with FunTouch OS 13.
The rear camera department here consists of a 50MP primary camera with a Samsung GN5 sensor and OIS, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 13MP telephoto camera that provides 2X optical zoom, and also doubles up as a portrait camera. The 16MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls quite well. The iQOO 11 5G’s 5000 mAh battery lasts for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge 50% of it in just 8 minutes, and fully in well under half an hour.
iQOO 11 5G price in India: Rs 54,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage
Google Pixel 7
The Google Pixel 7’s price has come down a little since last quarter on its official online partner, Flipkart, and you can get it for even lower with several credit cards. The Pixel 7 is powered by Google’s latest Tensor G2 processor and offers 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. It sports a 6.3-inch Full HD+ OLED display with 90 Hz refresh rate and 1400 nits peak brightness. The HDR10+ compliant screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and the phone has an IP68 rating for dust and fluid resistance.
As you expect from a Pixel phone, you get the purest and the latest version Android 13 with the Material You design language. Other than speedy OS updates, the Pixel phones are known for their camera capabilities, and the Google Pixel 7 delivers strongly in that department courtesy of two cameras at the back. You get a 50MP primary camera with OIS and a 12MP ultra-wide camera that do a great job in different lighting and modes. Software tricks like the Magic Eraser and Camouflage let you edit captured images on the phone itself.
Google Pixel 7 price in India: Rs 55,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G
Samsung’s previous flagship retains its place in our sub-60K list. This phone too has an IP68-rated ingress protection along with a compact design. The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G sports an aluminium frame and has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ at the front and back. It has a 6.1-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10+ compliance and a 120 Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy S22 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and you get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in this budget comfortably.
The photography department is mighty impressive. You get a 50MP primary camera with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with Super Steady video support and a 10MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3X optical zoom. The camera performance is flagship grade as expected and can record videos in 8K resolution too. A 3700 mAh battery keeps the phone powered for a day of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging as well as 15W wireless charging. It launched with Android 12 and Samsung’s One UI 4.1, and is now upgradeable to Android 13 with One UI 5.0.
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G price in India: Rs 52,990 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
The top variant of the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra can now be purchased for a Rupee under 50K but can easily hold its own against the phones in this list. This Moto flagship is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and is accompanied by 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. You get a 6.67-inch Full HD+ 10-bit P-OLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and 1250 nits peak brightness. The HDR10+ compliant display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. An Android 13 update is available for this phone, and like all Motorola phones, you get a near-stock user interface.
The camera department here is quite impressive too. You get a 200MP primary camera with OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide shooter and a 12MP telephoto camera for 2X optical zoom. Thus, you have all the key bases covered. The selfie enthusiasts are in for a treat courtesy of a 60MP front camera. The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra’s 4610 mAh battery keeps it powered for well over a day of moderate use, and supports 125 Watts wired and 50 Watts wireless fast charging. For its current selling price, it offers great features and excellent value for money.
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra price in India: Rs 49,999 for 12GB RAM/256GB storage
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Pros:
– Excellent video quality with 10-bit colour
– HyperSmooth 5.0 Video stabilisation is as good as it gets
– Captured footage can be easily repurposed for different platforms
– Easy to use
– Quik is a great companion app for this device
– Rugged build, water and shock-proof design
– 360-degree Horizon lock
– Improved battery backup with the bundled Enduro battery
Cons:
– Low-light performance needs improvement
– Still photography is not as good as similarly priced smartphones
– Expensive
Rating: 4/5
Price: Rs 51,500 (at launch), Rs 41,000 (currently)
It is vacation time at the moment in India. And if your vacation involves a bit of adventure, you need more than a smartphone to capture those special moments. While smartphones have pretty much-taken care of most still photography needs, high-quality videos remain a domain of only a handful of premium phones.
And you certainly cannot put your phone at risk to capture your thrills in several adventure sports or if your vacation involves a monsoon getaway. You need something more rugged and weatherproof that can do the job well.
When you think of those attributes, the first name that comes to mind is GoPro, which has become synonymous with an action camera. And believe it or not, it’s been over a decade since the first of its name was released. We now have the 11th iteration, the GoPro Hero11 Black that takes the game to a new level. This time it doesn’t restrict itself to just action videography and offers certain features that should have the new-age content creators interested. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest GoPro.
What we liked about the GoPro Hero 11
Build and design
The Hero11 Black sports a trademark GoPro design that’s not too different from its predecessor, Hero10. You get a 2.27-inch touchscreen LCD at the back and a 1.4-inch preview screen up front. But what we liked best is its compact yet rugged build. It is an action camera in every sense that can withstand a few drops and can survive immersion in up to 10 metres deep water.
Despite the sturdy exterior, the camera weighs just 154 grams with a battery. The battery, microSD card slot and USB-C charging port are located under a flap to protect them from the elements. At the base of the camera are the mounting flaps (or fingers, as the company likes to call them) that let you hook up the camera with various mounts and accessories. There are only two buttons on this camera – the camera shutter to start the recording or click the photos, and a Mode button to bring up the menu. Clicking either turns the camera on.
Ease of use
GoPro cameras have always been extremely easy to use. While there are a bunch of tweaks available a level deep in the settings, it is essentially as easy as point and clicks and record. The Hero11 continues that tradition. When accessing the settings using the touchscreen at the back, the user interface is quite simple. One can just swipe on the screen horizontally or click the Mode button to choose between photo, video and time-lapse modes. Swiping down on the screen brings up more settings, and swiping up from the bottom shows the captured footage.
Tapping on different icons on the screen lets you adjust the resolution, aspect ratio, frame rate and other options. The chosen mode and video settings are visible on the preview screen at the front too, along with the remaining battery and storage space in terms of recording time or number of photos at the chosen settings. A quick glance tells you all you need to know. The camera automatically switches off after a few minutes of inactivity. So if you forget to switch it off before putting it in the bag, there won’t be much of a battery drain.
The versatility of the new sensor
The GoPro has continued with the same processor used in the GoPro 10 here too but has opted for a newer, larger sensor with an unusual default aspect ratio of 8:7 that supposedly packs in 13% extra height in your video footage. That squarish frame seemed odd on paper, but the idea behind it, as well as the implementation, is brilliant. The Hero11 allows you to shoot the footage in the stock aspect ratio and then crop it horizontally in a 16:9 format for say a YouTube channel or vertically in a 9:16 ratio for Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts.
So a single video can take care of multiple needs, thus simplifying the life of content creators present on multiple platforms. Clipping the video in different ratios is almost as easy as cropping an image. All thanks to the Quik app that one needs to install on their Android or Apple smartphone/tablet to easily edit the captured footage, publish it, share it or store it on a cloud server. It can also turn your smartphone or tablet into a remote control for your GoPro. The app is available free, but one needs to pay Rs 499 per annum to unlock its full potential; money well spent.
The GoPro Hero11 Black also lets you click still images in up to 27MP resolution in Photo mode with a broad FOV. The image quality is pretty good in proper lighting but not spectacular. But what’s special is the option to pull high-quality images from videos. When you shoot at 5.3K resolution with an 8:7 aspect ratio, you can actually grab 24.7MP images from the video frames, which adds to the versatility of this camera.
Excellent video quality with great stabilisation
The video quality of GoPro cameras has always been very good and the Hero11 takes it a couple of notches higher. You get 10-bit colour and HDR support here making the colours look more lively with better contrast and hardly any banding. The GoPro Hero11 Black can shoot in multiple resolutions with different aspect ratios. If you do not prefer the default 8:7 frame, you can record 5.3K footage even with a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio at up to 60 fps.
Similarly, you can opt for 4K as well as 2.7K resolutions. Speaking of those two, you can record slow-motion videos at 4K with 120 fps and at 2.7K or 1080p with 240 fps which lets you slow down the footage 4 to 8 times. The slow-motion footage is smooth and free of stutter. Even the normal 4K footage looks lively and detailed, but the best part about this camera is the video stabilisation.
The GoPro Hero 11 Black uses the new HyperSmooth 5.0 video stabilisation, and it is easily the best I have come across in this category. In fact, the captured footage looks smoother than videos shot on some of the best smartphones around. And some of the footage I captured looked a lot smoother than it should have, given the terrain it was shot on. You can check the footage to get an idea. And not to forget the Horizon Lock feature, which brings me to my next point.
360-degree Horizon Lock and the licence to get creative
Simply put, the Horizon Lock feature keeps the frame steady even if you turn around a full 360 degrees. So even if your hand shakes and the camera tilts, the horizon stays level throughout the video giving you that feeling of stability. Check out our video to understand it better. Beyond that there is so much more you can do with this camera, right from playing with the lights at night to create light paintings to light trails – be it stars or vehicle lights. And of course, you have time-lapse videos that you can also schedule to start at a particular time. I can go on and on but I will pause here and let your creativity take over.
Improved battery backup with the new Enduro battery
GoPro bundles a higher capacity 1720 mAh Enduro battery with the Hero11 Black which promises 30% more battery backup as compared to that of its predecessor. That’s good news, but since we haven’t reviewed the GoPro Hero10, we cannot verify that claim. But what we can verify is that the extra capacity does not make the camera heavier, which is good. While I cannot term the battery backup as great, it is pretty decent.
Your mileage will obviously vary depending on the resolution you shoot in and the frame rate chosen. The higher the resolution and frame rate used to record videos, the lower the battery backup. During our usage over a period of time, we managed to get a full hour of 4K recording at 30fps, and straight half of that at 120fps. An hour of 4K30 footage is acceptable for a device this size, given the quality of output. If your daily recording needs are more than that, you may want to carry a spare battery or a power bank along.
Good collection of accessories
No GoPro camera is complete without its accessories. Unfortunately, you have to pay extra for them, but the good part is you get a nice spread for various needs. We tried three very interesting options – Gumby flexible mount (Rs 4,750), Suction Cup mount (Rs 3,150) and 3-way Grip 2.0 (Rs 6,350). Gumby can only be described as rubber twisties that let you attach the GoPro to a variety of objects like pipes, branches, bike frames and more, limited only by your imagination and physics.
The Suction cup, as the name suggests, lets you attach the GoPro firmly to a car or a bike’s fuel tank or even a helmet to capture your travel logs. And last but not least my favourite, the 3-way Grip 2.0 which is a camera grip + tripod + selfie stick/extension arm all rolled into one compact device. It measures about 20 cm when folded and can extend up to half a metre. It has a built-in ball joint that lets you tilt your camera or swivel 360 degrees, providing you with great flexibility to record your footage from interesting angles.
What we did not like about the GoPro Hero11 Black
Low light performance needs improvement
This point is a result of the expectations set by the camera in good lighting. While the results aren’t bad in low light, there is definite scope for improvement when the light is lower than ideal. The video stabilisation works perfectly fine in low light too, but there is a noticeable amount of noise in the captured footage. While our expectations weren’t unrealistic, we were expecting better results given the large sensor the GoPro Hero11 comes equipped with.
Still photography could have been better
Similarly in still photography, it can do better. Yes, we know that this camera is largely meant for videos, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be great at stills too. The GoPro Hero11 can capture 27MP images in Photo mode. Again, the results are not bad at all, but when you compare the performance in this department with similarly priced phones, they come up short. The edge distortion in particular needs a bit of improvement in wide-angle clicks.
Quite expensive
The GoPro Hero11 Black was priced at Rs 51,500 in India at the time of launch, which is quite expensive. A few months since, it can now be purchased on Amazon India for a good 9K to 10K lower with either one year or two years comprehensive warranty, depending on the option you choose. Needless to say, that’s a much better deal, but the price is still on the higher side. Also, factor in the cost of accessories that you will need on day 1 and going ahead. It doesn’t come bundled with any, barring a couple of adhesive mounts, buckle and thumb screws and a USB cable.
Final words
I did term it as expensive, but that depends on what you intend to do with the GoPro Hero11 Black. If you just plan to use it on vacations or for occasional activities, it is expensive. But if you are a content creator or a contributor to various social media platforms, then I would say this camera offers great value for money purely for its versatility of letting you quickly repurpose the footage in different resolutions for different platforms without breaking a sweat. And of course, the quality of captured footage is excellent.
As for alternatives, I haven’t had a chance to test its competitors first-hand. So I can only compare it to the last two generations of GoPro. Incidentally, the price of the 11 is quite similar to that of the GoPro Hero10 at the moment, which makes the Hero11 a straightforward choice. The GoPro Hero9 sells for close to Rs 28,000, which makes it a nice entry point for someone who hasn’t used an action camera before or just wants one for occasional use. For everything else, the Hero11 Black is the best GoPro out there with significant and useful improvements on most fronts.
Pros
– Gaming performance
– Volume of cache
– Annihilates CPUs more expensive than itself in gaming
– PCI Express 5.0 support
– Lower power draw given the performance
– Longer product line for AM5 platform
– Integrated graphics
Cons
– Does not support older platforms or DDR4 RAM
– Productivity performance not at par with similarly priced CPUs
– Lower thermal limit may lead to thermal throttling
– No multiplier-based overclocking
– No cooler included
Price: Rs 44,790
Rating: 4.25/5
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review: Overview
The Ryzen 7 series has been monumental in establishing AMD as a proper, true value-for-money gaming and performance option for people looking for a no-frills, high-performance CPU. The CPUs in the Ryzen 7 series have been a massive hit for people looking to build a beast of a gaming machine, without taking the Intel route.
With their 7000 series of CPUs, AMD has turned the dial all the way up to 11. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D is often considered to be one of the best gaming CPUs to have ever come from team red. However, the more recently launched Ryzen 7 7800X3D is not only a better value-for-money CPU but also performs better, especially if you’re just going to be gaming.
There’s no easy way to say this, but the Ryzen 7 7800X3D stands out as the fastest gaming CPU on the market, outperforming pricier alternatives from Intel and even surpassing AMD’s own lineup.
In simple terms, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the highly recommended Zen 4 3D V-Cache CPU due to its exceptional speed and impressive power efficiency. Surprisingly, AMD chose to postpone the launch of this particular model and instead introduced the 7950X3D and 7900X3D versions, which became available approximately a month ago.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review: Specifications
Similar to other AMD Ryzen processors, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, based on the AM5 platform, follows a chiplet design, where multiple chips are integrated into a single package. Inside this processor, you’ll find two main chips. The first chip, known as the CCX, is fabricated using a 5nm manufacturing process and contains all 8 Zen 4 CPU cores of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. The second chip, called the I/O die, is manufactured using a 6nm process and includes various specialized components such as the integrated graphics processor (IGP), memory controller, and PCI Express controller. The CPU comes with 8 cores, as we said, and 16 threads.
A notable feature of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology, which sets it apart from most other processors. This technology involves stacking a chip solely dedicated to cache memory on top of another chip, significantly increasing the available cache. Each Zen 4 CCX inherently comes with 32MB of L3 cache. In comparison, other Ryzen 7 7000 processors, like the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, would have a total of 32MB of L3 cache.
However, AMD takes it a step further by incorporating a 64MB 3D V-Cache chip onto the CCX of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. This configuration results in an impressive total of 96MB of L3 cache for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, providing a substantial boost in performance, which in applications like gaming, is a massive advantage. Basically, this allows the CPU to keep the GPU fed properly, consistently and with more data to work with.
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a desktop processor with a TDP of 120W and supports up to 128GB of DDR5 memory in a dual-channel interface. The highest officially supported memory speed is 5200 MHz, but with overclocking (and the right memory modules) you can go even higher. It also supports PCIe 5.0 and has 24 usable Native PCIe lanes, out of a total of 28.
You also get 2 cores of Radeon integrated graphics, running at 2200 MHz.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review: Compatibility
Unfortunately, if you have an older AM4 motherboard, you have no choice other than to upgrade to a new one if you’re interested in using the 7800X3D. Also the Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports only DDR5, so you won’t have the option to recycle your old DDR4 RAM KIT. You also have to get one of the newer motherboards from manufacturers, based on the AM5 socket, with the X670E, X670, B650E or B650 chipsets.
Based on the motherboard you do go for, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports AMD’s EXPO Memory Overclocking, Precision Boost Overdrive and ECC. Do keep an eye out that the motherboard and RAM combo you go for supports all these features, and has been updated to run at the highest possible clock speeds.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review: Our test bench
For our tests, we ran the Ryzen 7 7800X3D with the Gigabyte X670E AORUS master motherboard, which Gigabyte let us borrow very graciously. For RAM, we went with Kingston Fury Beast 32GB kit (2x16GB) DDR5 running at 6000 MT/s. For storage we had the 500GB unit of the Kingston Fury Renegade NVMe M.2 SSD at PCIe 4.0 speeds.
For the GPU, we were using our MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Ventus 3X 8G OC. The 7800X3D doesn’t come with a stock cooler. Instead of AMD’s Wraith cooler, we decided to go for the Noctua NH-U14S. Powering all of this up, was the Corsair CX850M Watt modular PSU for power.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review: Performance
The impressive thing about the 7800X3D is that it can achieve gaming frame rates on par with the more expensive CPUs from both AMD and Intel, despite having lower clock speeds. The 7950X3D for example has a higher clock speed, and that is what most people will look at.
The peak 5.7GHz clock speeds of the 7950X3D can be misleading since they apply only to the CCD without the 3D V-Cache.
This explains why there is little difference in gaming performance between the AMD chips. However, the Core i9 13900K, a CPU that costs Rs 59,500, and boasts a 5.8GHz boost clock speed and benefits from Intel’s gaming legacy, still falls short compared to the 7800X3D. And come to think of it, AMD is actually targeting the 7800X3D at the i7 13700K.
Productivity, on the other hand, tells a completely different story. When it comes to creativity and productivity applications, the focus on the 7800X3D as a gaming-oriented processor becomes evident. While it does outperform the previous generation Ryzen 7 5800X3D with the same core count thanks to the Zen 4 architecture, it falls behind comparable processors at the same price point.
Intel’s top Core i9, Core i7, and Core i5 CPUs still surpass the AMD chip in terms of cache-heavy performance. If you’re seeking a versatile processor that excels in both multi-threaded tasks and gaming, you’ll need to look elsewhere. The 7800X3D lacks that level of versatility.
The rendering, encoding benchmarks, and memory bandwidth tests highlight how the slower clock speeds due to the 3D V-Cache limit its performance. However, that’s not the main focus here. The 7800X3D is about being a dedicated gaming CPU, and it excels in that regard while also being highly efficient.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review: Power consumption and thermals
To accommodate the increased heat and power demands of the 3D V-Cache, AMD made adjustments to the CCX on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, resulting in improved energy efficiency compared to other Ryzen 7000-series processors without the 3D V-Cache. As a result, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D stands out as one of the more energy-efficient options available.
When considering the power consumption relative to its performance, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D may offer the best performance-per-watt ratio among the processors tested, although it could be a close call with impressive performers like the Ryzen 9 7900. This is an area where AMD holds an advantage over Intel, even though energy efficiency typically does not heavily influence purchasing decisions.
However, the thermal performance of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is less appealing, as the chip reaches its thermal limit of 89 degrees Celsius. In some tests, such as Cinebench, the chip throttles down its clock speed to prevent overheating and potentially damaging itself. Throttling down the clock speed to prevent overheating during intensive tasks is a common occurrence with modern processors. However, it is evident that the presence of the 3D V-Cache in the Ryzen 7 7800X3D does not hinder its performance in this aspect.
During testing, the 7800X3D demonstrated impressive efficiency, consuming a peak package power of 81W as measured in HWInfo. This level of power consumption allowed the processor to deliver gaming performance that was twice as efficient as the previous generation 3D V-Cache chip and better than the Core i7 13700K. Additionally, the power efficiency of the 7800X3D contributed to its remarkable coolness, with load temperatures reaching a maximum of 89 degrees Celsius according to measurements.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review: Verdict
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a great CPU, make no mistake about it. It is in fact the best CPU in its price range for gaming. But, when it comes to other computing tasks, it takes some beating from its competitors in Team Blue.
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is specifically designed for gaming, and it excels in that area. It stands out as the fastest gaming CPU available, rivalling or even surpassing the more expensive Ryzen 9 7950X3D. While it may lag behind in productivity performance, for gamers, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers impressive speed and capabilities.
However, if your PC usage involves a combination of gaming and productivity tasks like Photoshop or Premiere Pro, opting for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D or an Intel processor would be a better choice, as they provide similar or marginally lower performance for gaming while performing considerably better in productivity applications.
In terms of power consumption though, choosing an AMD CPU like the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is cost-effective. It offers excellent PC gaming performance without significantly impacting your electricity bill. This is particularly important in markets where electricity costs are rising or for those who prioritize reducing their environmental impact while enjoying PC gaming.
A recent report from McKinsey Global Institute has stated that generative artificial intelligence is projected to contribute up to $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy. This optimistic forecast highlights the economic impact of this rapidly evolving technology.
Generative AI includes chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Bard, which are capable of generating text in response to prompts, and have the potential to significantly increase productivity by automating 60 per cent to 70 per cent of workers’ tasks.
The report, spanning 68 pages, predicts that half of all work could be automated between 2030 and 2060. McKinsey’s previous forecast had indicated that AI would automate half of all work between 2035 and 2075. However, the emergence of powerful generative AI tools has accelerated the timeline for this transformation.
The report states that generative AI has the capacity to reshape work dynamics by augmenting the capabilities of individual workers through task automation.
Tech companies have been investing billions of dollars in this technology, fueling excitement and debate about its implications for jobs and the global economy.
While some experts predict that AI will displace human workers, others argue that these tools can enhance individual productivity. Goldman Sachs recently released a report warning about potential worker disruption caused by AI, while a study from Stanford and MIT highlighted how generative AI could increase the productivity of call centre operators.
Most economic studies on generative AI primarily focus on its potential benefits, without fully considering other risks associated with the technology, such as the spread of misinformation and loss of human control.
Lareina Yee, a partner at McKinsey and co-author of the report, suggests that generative AI can provide “superpowers” to highly skilled workers by summarising and editing content.
The report also acknowledges the challenges that industry leaders and regulators must address, particularly regarding concerns about misleading and inaccurate content generated by AI tools.
With inputs from agencies
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If you have a budget of Rs 50,000 for a smartphone, you get a lot of good options to choose from. From the latest to a generation old premium phones, the choice keeps getting difficult. Selecting just five handsets from the options available wasn’t an easy task for us either. To compound the problem further, the price of certain more expensive smartphones has dropped under 50K this time. Taking all factors into consideration, here are your top 5 smartphones within a budget of Rs 50,000 this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 50,000 in India
OnePlus 11R 5G
We are quite pleased with the OnePlus 11 series of phones. While the flagship OnePlus 11 5G offers more bells and whistles, the more affordable 11R 5G offers excellent value for money, and also borrows a handful of features from its more premium sibling, which also includes the design. This stylish phone looks just like the 11 5G from the front and back, barring the placement of the front camera and the absence of a Hasselblad logo at the back.
The OnePlus 11R gets a 6.74-inch curved display too with an unusual (higher than Full HD) resolution of 2772 x 1240 pixels. You get a standard Fluid AMOLED display here instead of the more premium LTPO3 variant on the 11. This HDR10+ compliant screen supports 10-bit colour, 120 Hz refresh rate and can get up to 1450 nits bright. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, and you can get its top variant with a generous 16 GB RAM and 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage in this budget.
While it doesn’t have the variety in the camera department present in the OnePlus 11, its 50MP primary camera with OIS is quite impressive, despite the lack of Hasselblad’s colour tuning. The support cast is modest with an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro camera. A 16MP selfie camera handles selfies and video calls well. Its 5000 mAh battery can last for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 100W charger promises to juice it up in less than 30 minutes. The OnePlus 11R 5G runs OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13, and one can expect more OS and security updates in the future.
OnePlus 11R 5G price in India: Rs 44,999 for 16GB RAM/256GB storage
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
The top variant of the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is the first surprise entrant in this list. This Moto flagship too is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and is accompanied by 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. You get a 6.67-inch Full HD+ 10-bit P-OLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1250 nits. This HDR10+ compliant display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The phone launched with Android 12, and an Android 13 update is available for this phone. Like all Motorola phones, you get a near-stock user interface.
The camera department is quite impressive here. You get a 200MP primary camera with OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide shooter and a 12MP telephoto camera for 2X optical zoom. Thus, you have all the key bases covered. You also get a 60MP front camera to cater to the selfie enthusiasts. The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra’s 4610 mAh battery keeps it powered for well over a day of moderate use, and supports 125 Watts wired and 50 Watts wireless fast charging.
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra price in India: Rs 49,999 for 12GB RAM/256GB storage
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G
The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G is currently available under 50K on Amazon India; our second surprise. Samsung’s last-generation flagship phone has a compact design with an IP68 rating for dust and fluid resistance. The phone sports an aluminium frame and has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ at the front and back. It has a 6.1-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10+ compliance and 120 Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy S22 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and you get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in this budget.
The photography department consists of a 50MP primary camera with dual pixel PDAF and OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with Super Steady video support and a 10MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3X optical zoom. The camera performance is excellent as expected, and can record videos in 8K resolution too. A 3700 mAh battery keeps the phone powered for a day of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging as well as 15W wireless charging. It debuted with Android 12 and Samsung’s One UI 4.1; the Android 13 update has started rolling out.
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G price in India: Rs 48,490 for 8GB RAM/128GB storage
Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G
The top variant of Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G can be comfortably purchased in this budget. The phone is packed with great features starting with a 6.73-inch LTPO 2.0 10-bit AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a QHD resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels. The screen is compliant with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision and can get up to 1500 nits bright. It is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, and you get a choice between 8 GB and 12 GB RAM along with 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage well under 50K. The phone launched with Android 12 with MIUI 13, and an Android 13 update with MIUI 14 has started rolling out.
The rear camera department has three 50MP cameras with the primary module offering OIS, the ultrawide providing you with 115 degrees FOV and a telephoto camera for 2X optical zoom. The 32MP front camera handles selfies and video calls quite well. The Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G also boasts of features like a quad-speaker system tuned by Harman Kardon and superfast charging. Its 4600 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 120W charger claims to charge it fully in just 18 minutes. The phone also supports 50W fast wireless charging.
Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 43,990 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage; Rs 46,790 for 12GB RAM/256GB storage
iQOO 9 Pro 5G
Last but by no means the least, we have another fully loaded flagship device that used to sell for more than 50K not long ago. Like several phones in this list, the iQOO 9 Pro 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and you get 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage to go with it. You also get a 12 GB RAM variant, but it is not worth spending extra 5K on. The phone has a sharp 10-bit 6.78-inch HDR10+ compliant AMOLED display with a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels and 120 Hz refresh rate. The phone now runs Android 13 with FunTouch OS 13.
The rear camera department here is quite versatile too. You get a 50MP primary camera with Gimbal OIS, accompanied by another 50MP ultra-wide camera with auto-focus and 150-degrees FOV. There’s also a 16MP telephoto camera with OIS that provides 2.5X optical zoom. A 16MP front camera takes care of selfies and video calls. The iQOO 9 Pro 5G’s 4700 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge it fully in just 20 minutes. This phone too supports 50W fast wireless charging.
iQOO 9 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 44,999 for 8GB RAM/256GB storage
Pros
– Excellent Battery life
– Premium-looking sleek design
– Impressive main camera
– Vibrant Super AMOLED, 120Hz display
– Samsung’s software update policy
Cons
– 25W charging, with no charging brick in the box
– The back panel gets very smudgy and is a properly fingerprint magnet
– A ton of bloatware and ads
– Missing 3.5mm headphone jack, a common feature in the segment
Price: Rs 29,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant
Rating: 4/5
Samsung has launched yet another device in the already saturated mid-range smartphone segment in India, the Galaxy F54. This device comes just months after the launch of the Galaxy A34, and the Galaxy A54, almost on its heels. It seems that Samsung has adopted a strategy to completely saturate the Indian smartphone market with various series of devices that focus on a specific aspect or the other.
With the Galaxy A54, it seems that the focus is on the cameras and the looks of the device.
Having said that, the Galaxy F54 delivers a pretty solid and rounded user experience with its versatile features. Its camera system works well in most conditions, it has a huge battery that effectively lasts for a complete day, and it performs admirably in everyday tasks, ensuring seamless functionality. Plus, it has a premium, almost retro look to it. The design is by and large similar to what we have seen from Samsung’s devices this year. All in all, this is a device that many people will consider.
So where does the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G stand? Is it a solid choice for its price, or is it a device that will be ignored, especially when you consider that you literally have N number of options to go for, especially at this price point?
Samsung Galaxy F54 5G review: The design
The Samsung Galaxy F54 follows the same design language that we have seen in other Samsung devices from this year, which started with their premium flagship S23 series.
Needless to say, in terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy F54 5G looks pretty premium. It is when you pick up the device and feel the materials that were used that you get the sense that it actually is a mid-level budget smartphone.
Our test device was a lovely looking silver-coloured one, with an iridescent finish. The rear panel of the Galaxy F54 5G is made using polycarbonate, which has a glossy finish. The silver colour variant looks a lot like the older flagships from Samsung that had the iridescent finish – it changes colours and takes up a mix of pretty, cool, looking hues from a rainbow.
The downside, however, is the fact that more than any other Samsung device that we have tested this year, the Galaxy F54’s back panel is the biggest fingerprint magnet. It is very susceptible to fingerprints and grease marks. This takes away a lot of the premium appeal of the look. You will need to carry a microfibre cloth in your pocket and wipe the device every 15-20 minutes if like me you too are irked out by grease marks on your phone.
The frame or the railing is made of plastic too and is silver in colour. Because it is curved, it makes holding the device much easier.
Other than the silver colour, which Samsung is calling Stardust Silver you have the option to go for the dark blue, or Meteor Blue option. While the Stardust Silver looks more premium, the blue colour feels easier to live with, although that too catches fingerprints very easily.
On the front of the display, we get to see a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel. The display has a glass panel on the front, but we are not sure if it is a Corning Gorilla glass or something else.
The display also has a centred punch-hole cutout that houses the front-facing camera. We are actually glad that Samsung went for a cutout punch-hole instead of using a teardrop design for the front-facing cameras as the hole-punch cutout gives the device a premium-looking feel from the front,
While the device does feature some bezels, they are very thin by Samsung’s standards. Moreover, these bezels maintain equal proportions across all sides of the device, resulting in a balanced and harmonious look. Notably, the chin of the device does not draw attention and blends seamlessly with the overall aesthetic, ensuring a cohesive and visually pleasing look.
On the right edge of the device, you will find the power button, which also doubles up as the fingerprint scanner and the volume rockers. The left side houses the SIM tray which uses a hybrid style, allowing you to either insert two SIM cards or one SIM and a microSD card.
Moving to the bottom of the device, there is a USB Type-C port, a speaker grille which houses the mono speaker, and a microphone, enabling connectivity and audio output. Lastly, on the top, there is a secondary microphone for capturing audio and for noise cancellation purposes.
The three rear cameras are arranged linearly towards the left, along with the LED flash. There’s no camera island as such that houses the camera. Instead it is just sitting on the rear panel. Each camera has a metal deco ring which only adds to the premium appeal of the device.
All in all, the Galaxy F54 looks very premium, barring its tendency to become smudgy and fingerprint cover mess from the back. And giving credit where credit is due, Samsung has taken care of some aspects of sustainability. The SIM tray and the buttons are made of recycled plastic. They also claim that no hazardous material has been used in the device, and that the device ships in a box that mostly uses recycled paper.
Samsung Galaxy F54 5G review: The display
The Galaxy F54 5G boasts a pretty impressive display that surpasses the usual expectations that people have from devices at this price point. It even fulfills most of the criteria one would anticipate from a high-end, nearly flagship-level device that would cost way more.
Featuring a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Plus panel, the display has a maximum refresh rate of 120 hertz and a maximum brightness of 950 nits. The resolution is set at 1080 x 2400 pixels, presenting a 20:9 aspect ratio. Additionally, the display is HDR10+ certified, ensuring enhanced dynamic range.
The Galaxy F54’s display has all the qualities of a typical Samsung display – vivid colours, sharp visuals, and something that offers an enjoyable viewing experience. The colour reproduction is fantastic and vibrant, providing aesthetic satisfaction. Although the black levels may not be as intense as those observed in higher-end Samsung devices, they still achieve satisfactory darkness. Both gaming and content consumption benefit from razor-sharp clarity.
Overall, the F54’s display sets a high standard for reliability in a smartphone within its price range and may even outperform some more expensive alternatives.
Samsung Galaxy F54 5G review: The camera
The Samsung Galaxy F54 5G has three cameras on the back and one on the front. The main camera has a 108MP sensor and an f1.8 lens, as well as a much better, more comprehensive, and enhanced OIS and VDIS or Video Digital Image Stabilization.
Following that is an ultrawide 8MP camera with an f2.2 lens, followed by a 2MP macro camera with an f2.4 lens. At the front, there is a 32MP selfie camera that performs admirably.
Daylight shots from the 108MP sensor are pretty good, and the camera captures a good amount of detail, creating well-exposed photos with good dynamic range and detailing.
Samsung tends to apply a warmer tone and vibrant colours to their photos, aiming for a visually pleasing effect rather than natural colours. This approach enhances the appeal of the shots, especially for sharing on social media platforms.
The 8MP ultrawide angle camera offers a wide field of view and captures detailed and clear shots during daylight hours. However, its performance diminishes in low-light conditions, which is expected. On the other hand, the 2MP camera doesn’t contribute any significant advantages and serves a rather basic purpose.
The Galaxy F54 produces impressive results when capturing images at night as well. However, there are some instances when Samsung’s software processes things a little too much once you’re out of ambient lighting.
The selfies taken with the Galaxy F54 exhibit an impressive level of attention to detail. Although there may be occasional oversharpening, it doesn’t really bother most times. The camera accurately reproduces skin tones, ensuring a natural appearance. Like other Samsung smartphones, the front-facing camera tends to slightly overexpose faces especially when it is a little dark.
In terms of video recording capabilities, the Galaxy F54 offers some versatile options. It supports 4K video recording at 30 fps on both the front, rear and ultra-wide cameras. The rear camera can also shoot videos at 1080p and 60 fps. Both the ultra-wide and main cameras have basic normal stabilization, while the main camera further benefits from improved optical image stabilization (OIS). The video digital image stabilization (VDIS) has also been enhanced, contributing to better video stability. Furthermore, the device features a dedicated Super Steady mode, which utilizes the ultra-wide camera to capture highly stable 1080p at 30fps footage.
You can check out some camera samples of the Galaxy F54 5G here.
Samsung Galaxy F54 5G review: The performance, software experience and UI
The Galaxy F54 5G is equipped with Samsung’s Exynos 1380 SoC, which utilizes the 5nm manufacturing process, along with a Mali-G68 GPU. In day-to-day usage, the device operates smoothly, but it can become slightly warm to the touch during sustained heavy tasks like gaming. Also, The Exynos 1380 isn’t a gaming SoC and neither is Samsung marketing the Galaxy F54 as a gaming device.
Our device was equipped with 256 GB of internal UFS 2.2 storage and 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Samsung’s RAM Plus feature allows for the virtual expansion of the RAM by an additional 8GB. Additionally, the device includes a dedicated microSDXC slot that supports cards up to 1TB in capacity.
The F54 performs well in benchmark tests and daily usage. While it handles multitasking smoothly, some issues may arise during gaming. Games like Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty Mobile run effortlessly at medium settings, consistently achieving 60fps. However, after approximately half an hour of gameplay, the device becomes noticeably warm, though not to an alarming extent.
In terms of connectivity, the Samsung Galaxy F54 supports WiFi, and Bluetooth 5.3, and features a USB Type-C 2.0 port. The device has just one speaker, the one at the bottom. We also don’t get a 3.5mm jack. You do get support for Dolby Atmos.
There is some pretty significant bloatware, including apps from Samsung’s ecosystem. However, the Samsung Galaxy Widget is particularly egregious as it keeps on serving some ad or the other. Although it can be disabled it has to be done by going deep inside the menu. This is especially frustrating considering we also have Glance, another atrocious piece of bloatware.
The Samsung Galaxy F54 comes with the OneUI 5 operating system, which is based on Android 13. Despite being a mid-range smartphone, the Galaxy F54 incorporates some of the best features available in Samsung’s One UI. There are some notable features including AI-based Photo Remaster and Eraser which allows users to remove shadows, reflections and other unwanted aberrations and objects from photos.
Like all their other devices, Samsung will be giving the Samsung Galaxy F54 4 major Android OS updates and 5 years of security updates.
Samsung Galaxy F54 5G review: The battery life
The Galaxy F54 excels in terms of battery life, thanks to its powerful 6,000mAh battery. In our testing, the device lasted close to 2 days with light usage and a full day with heavy usage. The battery optimization is impressive, allowing the device to maintain its battery life even with a heavy UI and multiple background processes running. As a result, the device does not drain its battery quickly and provides reliable battery performance.
At 70 per cent brightness, you can easily get more than 10-12 hours of screen time and more than 22 hours of usage time. Our regular usage consisted of texting, calling, a few photography sessions, accessing the internet, playing a few video games, checking emails, holding office conference calls, and of course, binge-watching some videos etc.
We wish Samsung works on their fast charging for the more budget segment of their lineup. 25W charging just doesn’t cut it anymore. Usually, it took us about 2 hours to get the device charged from zero to 100 per cent, using a 65W third-party charging brick. When using an official 25W Samsung charging brick, the charging time gets cut down significantly somehow. However, we reckon not many people would have a 25W charging brick from Samsung lying around, which, BTW, costs about Rs 1,999.
Samsung Galaxy F54 5G review: The verdict
The Samsung Galaxy F54 5G is a reliable mid-level smartphone that lives up to its promises. It boasts an impressive set of cameras and performs well, despite the presence of the Exynos SoC, which may raise eyebrows in this price range.
However, the market at this price point is highly competitive, with several brands offering devices that boast slightly better specifications on paper. Realme, Poco, and other brands are strong contenders in this segment.
What sets Samsung apart from the competition is its reliable after-sales service, which is difficult to surpass. Additionally, Samsung has committed to providing four major Android updates and five years of security updates, ensuring long-term software support.
At Rs 29,999, the Galaxy F54 may initially seem slightly overpriced. However, there are areas where the premium price is justified. That being said, if the Galaxy F54 were priced more competitively and didn’t directly enter the territory of its current competitors, it would be much easier to recommend without any reservations. Nonetheless, the Galaxy F54 remains a solid choice for those seeking a capable and premium-looking device.
