The Rise of eSports Has Made Gaming Accessi ble and Attractive

The Rise of eSports Has Made Gaming Accessible and Attractive

In an exclusive interview, Paul Collins, the General Manager for MEA at Acer, speaks about the gaming market in the region and future predictions

What sort of market size do we have in the MEA region for gam- ing laptops and gaming PCs?

Looking at the Middle East region, specifically UAE, GCC, Saudi, Egypt and a few export markets, the pure gaming laptop market is 15,000 units a month sold to gamers. It is a little tougher to predict Africa and the gaming desktop market, due to the self-build nature of the environ- ment.

How according to you is the mar- ket segmented between casual gamers, hardcore gamers, and professional gamers?

If we look at the PC user market, not taking mobile users into account, the split would be 70% casual gamers, 25% hardcore and 5% Semi Pro and Pro. The console and mobile market would be predominantly casual gaming.

What is a sweet price-point for gamers in the region when it comes to buying a gaming laptop or a PC?

The fastest moving segment at the moment is for a laptop with a 15- inch screen, an Intel Core i7 chipset and GTX 1650 graphics card. The price-point for these products and configurations is between $900 and $1000.

What will the regional gaming market size and growth rate be like in 2021?

We have seen very good growth over the past months and this will mean a record year in 2020. I expect that the market may grow a further 10 to 15% next year.

What are the key factors driving the regional gaming market?

Mobile has been the largest contrib- utor to the gaming market in the past, and it’s great to see a move from mobile to other platforms in recent years. It appears that COV- ID-19 may also be a factor, as people are seeking more entertainment from home. We also see that team orientated games, such as 1st person shooters are gaining popularity with young adults and the team format is bringing more players into the fold, not to mention the rise of eSports which has made gaming far more accessible and attractive locally.

What are the challenges to market growth?

Speaking as a gaming PC manufacturer, the next generation consoles by Sony and Microsoft, in 2021 will be strong competition. This is still good for the overall market as there seems to be a natural evolution of players from console to PC over time. In general, some localised market uncertainty in our region can also provide short term challenges to business.

What sort of market opportunities and threats do you face as a gaming laptop and PC vendor in the regional gaming market?

The opportunities are endless, as we notice that the market has not followed a natural path. This means that there is an endless stream of new entrants to the market with people shifting from mobile phone gaming to other forms of gaming, females growing interest in gaming, E-Sports, and the entrance of formal gaming leagues in the ME. These opportunities stimulate growth for many years to come. We are also

seeing a massive demand for gaming monitors and accessories such as headsets. Following this there will be demand in the future for 3D, VR, and new tech which will drive the business.

How is innovation driving the growth of the gaming market? Can you share specific innovations from Acer?

In the early years of gaming it was the race for more power and speed with size and weight being sacrificed. Now as power can be delivered in more compact units, the drive to “thin and light” devices is becoming more important. This means that innovations such as AeroBlade and Vortexflow – Acer’s patented cooling systems, are becoming technologies that set us apart from competitors. Low power chips from CPU and GPU manufacturer mean reasonably good battery life as well. Some of our other innovations include the technologies featured in our monitors. There’s LightSense in which the monitor detects the amount of ambient light in the viewing environment and automatically adjusts its brightness settings to maximize viewing comfort. AdaptiveLight automatically adjusts the monitor’s backlights to suit the ambient light in the room, while ProxiSense reminds gamers to take a break after a set amount of time. For gamers, remaining competitive in terms of faster refresh rates and shorter response times is critical and so in line with that, we recently launched new Predator Gaming monitors which include up to 360 Hz refresh rate and a 0.5 ms (G to G) response time.

Cloud Computing vs. Edge Computing: Rethinking Healthcare Infrastructure

Written by Damian Jaume, President, Dynabook Europe GmbH

Cloud computing isn’t exactly a new concept in the healthcare industry. Its benefits have become increasingly well-known across the sector and, without it, we wouldn’t have many health-related services that both healthcare professionals and patients now rely on. It’s no surprise then that the European healthcare cloud computing market is expected to be worth around $55 billion (AED202 billion) by 2025. However, it is during the current Covid-19 crisis that cloud computing in healthcare has really come into its own. Some people also believe that edge computing will eventually replace traditional cloud computing, howev- er, this isn’t true. Both technologies have important and recognisable roles within a healthcare IT ecosys- tem. Having said this, there are use cases where edge computing has ad- vantages over traditional centralised cloud infrastructure, especially during this unprecedented increase in re- mote medicine, including overcoming latency issues, operational strain and security. So, what do these benefits look like?

Lightening the Network Load

The main differentiating factor between cloud computing and edge computing is how and where data processing takes place. With cloud, data is stored and processed in a central location (usually a data centre), whereas edge computing refers to data processing nearer the source. We already live in a data-rich world with new technologies creating vast amounts of data that is generated close to the user or at the edge of the network. Today, sophisticated IoT-powered medical devices and equipment, wearables, and the masses of health data available for gathering new insights into disease prevention and treatment all make the healthcare industry a data-heavy sector. Remote medicine, which has seen an increase even before the Covid-19 pandemic, only also adds to this as more and more patients, healthcare professionals and researchers try to access data and services across a wider geography, away from central hospitals at more localised areas within the community. Edge computing allows healthcare companies and trusts to resolve this challenge as processing data at the edge reduces dependence on cen- tralised cloud servers. In conjunction with edge data centres, edge com- puting can tackle more localised data compute, processing, and analysis, increasing network efficiency and responsiveness, freeing up the cloud to be used for more general-purpose business needs.

Lowering Latency

The nature of the cloud means that information is relayed back to the data centre, processed, and then sent back to the edge of the network where the device is. This can take time for data to travel back and forth and can cause lag or latency. In many use cases, where the need to process data is not time-sensitive, the cloud offers plenty processing power, storage, and large-scale data analysis. However, in some cases, especially in IoT data transmission and emergency medical scenarios, such latency can be life-threatening. For instance, hospital services need real-time patent information from ambulance teams. If there is a delay on this, they might not have the correct knowledge needed to save lives when the patient arrives.

Securing Healthcare Data

As remote medicine rises, there is an increase in personal data being accessed remotely, which naturally raises security concerns. Healthcare data, in particular, is a lucrative target for cyber criminals and increased incidences of remote access give them greater opportunity to misuse sensitive information. With edge computing, data is filtered and processed locally, rather than sending it to a central data centre. Reducing the distance of data transfer and instances between devices and the cloud, means better security. COVID-19 has undoubtedly altered an already evolving healthcare landscape. The cloud has allowed for data to be shared across organ- isations securely. However, edge computing provides an accessible, practical, and deployable solution that can help to ease bandwidth, increase network speeds, and tackle data security challenges. Choosing edge or cloud computing isn’t an either/or proposition, both technologies have different purposes and uses and will continue to have important roles for the foreseeable future. As telemedicine becomes the new norm for patients and healthcare workers alike, it is predictable that network infrastructure of the future will be a hybrid of the two.

Ensuring Continuity of Our Operations and That of Our Customers and Partners

Anurag Agrawal, the Managing Director of Canon Middle East and Turkey, speaks about the measures his company has taken to ensure safety of its employees, and more

During this COVID-19 crisis, what measures have you undertaken to continue your own business without disruption?

This is exceptional period for all of us, and humanity has been chal- lenged like never before. But the most important lesson for us, apart from the need to follow all safety protocols, is to look ahead with optimism, and to prepare ourselves for the new normal. At Canon Middle East, the first steps we took following the corona- virus outbreak was to put in place stringent safety and preventive measures to ensure the well-being of our team members, partners, suppliers and customers. We followed – and continue to abide by – the guidelines set by the authorities. Alongside the precautionary measures and the efficient ways of working we put in place, we also ensure that our internal and external communications is authentic, positive and transparent. We have ramped up our internal communications not only as a tool to engage with our team members but also to keep them motivated and inspired.

What measures and initiatives have been taken to provide uninterrupted service to customers?

Our focus, more than ever, is on ensuring continuity of operations for us as well as our customers and partners. This means having to deploy our resources judiciously, ensuring that any customer pain-point is addressed instantly – and any challenges they may face addressed proactively. For example, we have increased the number of engineers in our remote technical support team; they are equipped to deal with the issues our customers may face. Additionally, we ramped up our e-commerce services and secured next-day delivery of products and supplies such as printers, inks and papers; this further eased the transition of our customers to the home working environment.

Which top industry verticals and markets have you seen the maxi- mum traction?

While the COVID-19 has impacted all sectors of the economy, there are a few that were particularly hard-hit, such as travel, tourism and hospitality. On the other hand, several government departments and the education and healthcare sectors have continued to operate albeit in new ways – and therein, newer demand patterns – such as a more structured and reliant digital network to facilitate work- and learn-from home. In our industry, there has been a noticeable increase in demand for document scanners, home printers, ink toners and paper arising from the customers need to stay connected and have seamless workplace functions even where they live because more people now work from home as well as school their children from home. Homes have become a space as well where we try to push our frontiers of knowledge and skills exploring new ways of working and new pursuits of hobbies. As more people built a stronger online presence,

we have seen demand for vlogging equipment increase. With malls and stores now reopened and welcom- ing visitors, we are optimistic about seeing positive traction in demand for our products from in-store cus- tomers soon.

Have you put in place any contin- gency plans if this crisis persists or gets escalated?

As with most organisations, we embarked on a well-structured crisis response and evaluated contingen- cies for immediate/possible cost savings, even before entering the ‘recover’ and ‘rebuild’ phases. We also focused on streamlining our systems and further enhancing our digital transformation initiatives. We are working on plans – for the near-term and medium-term – that will ensure we collectively come out stronger in the new normal.

What sort of business and financial impact do you expect for your business as a result of COVID-19?

This crisis will no doubt have an effect on all businesses. We are doing our best during this time to support our customers and the communities we operate in. We do not want to speculate on the business and financial impact; on the contrary, we want to see how we can add value to our customers and partners even as we all navigate the crisis. That is why we have strengthened our external communication strategies – such as through the Frontiers of Innovation series mentioned earlier, to engage with all our partners, and enable us all to think ahead and prepare for the new normal.

3/5

AED 839 & AED 229 Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus and Ring Chime Pro

Ring is a brand that is well in the home security market for years now. The company churns out one quality product after the other at regular intervals. And the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is no stranger. This one is a battery-powered doorbell that offers advanced security features. This includes motion detection, a near motion zone, and pre-roll technology. It captures footage in 1080p fun HD and offers two-way talk. It also supports Dual-Band Connectivity at 2.4GHz & 5GHz. You also get Night Vision and the doorbell works with Alexa. The product fits into the palm of your hands with the lens on the top and the doorbell button below it. It comes with two face plates - in Satin Nickel and Venetian Bronze. The product is powered by a Rechargeable, Quick-Release Battery Pack, which is included in the package. It can also be hardwired to an existing doorbell system or transformer for continuous charging. A single charge of the battery can last about 6 months. In order to setup the device, all you need to do is scan the unique QR code behind the device. This will trigger the browser to download the Ring app. Once the Ring app is downloaded, you need to register the device for creating an account on Ring which can be used as a common account to manage all Ring devices. Once that is done, follow the instructions in the app to install the battery and so on. Now establish a connection between your router and the Ring app. After this is done, mount and secure the Video Doorbell 3 Plus on your door with the provided screws and the wall mount. The package comes with two wall mounts - one is an angled wall mount and the other is a regular wall mount. You can choose to use the wall mount as per your choice. Now click the faceplate into place. You can use the app to control the video doorbell and watch recorded content and live view. Now, let’s talk about the Chime Pro. This is device that extends your wifi signal to boost the network for all your Ring Video Doorbells and Cams. You also get a built-in automatic nightlight for added peace of mind. And it is also a Chime - so you receive a Chime tone when someone presses your Video Doorbell or a motion is detected. For the sound, you can choose between Classic and Seasonal Tones. It also supports Dual Band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Connectivity. And comes with Adjustable Volume and allows you to Snooze Alerts. So this device comes handy when there is a longer distance between your router and the doorbell. So in this scenario, the Chime Pro acts as a wi-fi booster for your Ring products on the network. If you are looking for a dependable home security system, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is worth considering. It is now available at a price tag of AED 839. The Ring Chime Pro meanwhile is available at AED 229.

Preview: ASUS ROG Strix B550-E Gaming Motherboard

The ASUS ROG Strix B550 Gaming series motherboards It supports 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes from the CPU, WiFi 6 offer a feature-set usually found in the higher-end ROG Strix (802.11ax), 2.5Gb LAN, 14+2 teamed power stages, front X570 Gaming series, including the latest PCIe 4.0. With robust and rear USB 3.2 Type-C support with even a dedicated Audio power delivery and effective cooling, ROG Strix B550 Gaming Type-C port. Gigabit LAN has been around for decades and is well-equipped to handle 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs. we are finally starting to see more boards with 2.5G, 5G and Boasting futuristic aesthetics and intuitive ROG software, motherboard has Intel I225-V 2.5Gb ethernet ports on them ROG Strix B550-E Gaming gives you a head start on your and they are quite fast. dream gaming build. The ASUS ROG STRIX B550-E Gaming Motherboard is built around a solid foundation. The mother The ASUS ROG STRIX B550 series motherboards with Wi-Fi boards uses hefty power delivery solutions, sporting a 14+2 6 use the Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2×2 (max speed 2.4 Gbps) design stage. solution that also supports Bluetooth 5.1. Fans of RGB lighting will be glad to know that the ROG emThe ROG Strix B550-E Gaming motherboard is also blem on the motherboard glows on the I/O shroud. You also PCIe 4.0-ready and provides the latest connectivity options for get another small strip on the PCH heatsink, highlighting the supersmooth networking and blisteringly fast file transfers. STRIX branding. The overall design is quite simple, and is defiAudio enhancements give you a massive advantage, allowing nitely much easier to work. you to pick up on the subtlest of cues for a completely immerIn addition to the power-based core, ASUS provides a couple SupremeFX S1220A codec and offers USB-C audio capability. of M.2 connectors, high-speed wireless networking from a WiFi 6 adapter, and Intel 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet. You also get the In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Strix B550-E Gaming mothusual set of ROG STRIX features, including widespread AURA erboard offers a nice spread of features. The AI noise cancelRGB support, SupremeFX audio, and value-added features lation feature will aid gamers with a distraction-free gaming such as AI Mic. experience, and the power delivery system is definitely more The motherboard supports future AMD Ryzen 4000 series 10G LAN ports on them. The ROG Strix B550-E Gaming sive gaming experience. In terms of audio, ASUS is using the than capable of handling all the Ryzen 3000 processors. processors that use the Zen 3 architecture. The ASUS ROG You also get boatloads of features such as WiFi 6, 2.5G EthSTRIX B550-E Gaming is the flagship B550 series board for ernet, SLI support, and a whopping 14+2 power stage power AMD and is packed with boatload of features. delivery system, all of which are stuff which you won’t usually find on more affordable boards.

4/5

AED 17999 ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (GX550)

There are lots of gaming laptops available on the market and many of them look similar in terms of design. And it’s been a long time since we were impressed with a laptop’s look and feel. The ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 GX550 gaming laptop takes everything to a whole new level. The unique feature of this laptop is that it integrates two displays in an ultra slim form factor without sacrificing on the performance. As soon as you lift the lid of the laptop, you will see the secondary screen called Screenpad Plus, rise up as well. The 14.09-inch Screenpad Plus serves two purposes. It significantly increases the cooling capabilities of the laptop, revealing a large air intake for deep airflow. The Screenpad Plus also serves as a touchscreen secondary display for multi-tasking, for gamers and content crea- tors. The 15.6-inch 4K primary display is bright and vivid, making it suitable for work and play. The display is also factory calibrated and PANTONE Validated to guarantee color accuracy and it comes with a refresh rate of 60Hz. There’s no webcam built into the system. So Asus bundles an Asus Eye web camera as part of the package. Under the hood, the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is powered by an Intel 10th Gen Core i9 processor. You also get a whopping 32GB of DDR4 memory and 2TB of blaz- ing fast SSD storage space. The graphics is handled by NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER. This GPU comes with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. The laptop comes with a wide range of ports including 1 USB-C, one DisplayPort, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, one HDMI, one mic-in, one headphone and one LAN port. While the battery of the laptop is rated at 90 Wh, you get two power adapters. One is a 240W adapter, while the other is a 65W adapter. It also comes with a Backlit chiclet keyboard with a 1.4 mm key travel. You also get a dedicated key for the Armoury Crate which allows you to change the settings of the fan, and other elements such as AuraSync RGB lighting. As a content creator, usually you need to toggle between multiple open windows when editing a video for example. You may need to check multiple folders for music, video files, images and so on. With the ScreenPad Plus, you can arrange the folders on it, side by side, while the main display contains the video editing suite. Or if your video editing software allows you to detach el- ements such as the toolbox or the timeline, you can easily drag and place them on the Screenpad plus for a faster workflow. Of course, thanks to the latest 10th Gen Intel Core i processor, 32GB of RAM, and NVIDIA graphics, editing and rendering of video files become quicker. If you are into a job such as writing or editing, the screen- pad Plus makes that process even easier. You can place the reference material in the screenpad plus and scroll through it using its touchscreen, while writing or editing your article. Due to its robust specs, your gaming sessions become effortless For a price of AED 17,999 the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 GX550 is recommended for both professional gamers and content creators. This is because it offers top notch specs, powerhouse performance, and effortless multi-tasking with a secondary display.

AED 1800 LG Sound Bar SN7CY

3/5

LG launched a series of new sound bars a few months ago, powered by Meridian Audio, the British hi-fi specialists. The new models launched offer better bass performance, which the company claims boosts low frequencies and widens the soundstage. We received the new LG Sound Bar SN7CY for review. So, read on to find out how it performed. The SN7CY is a sound bar that offers a minimalist aesthetic design. Under the hood, the sound bar comes with a five-speaker array, thus offering 3.0.2 channels. The left and right channels are made up of one 52 x 99mm woofer and a 20mm silk dome tweeter. The centre channel of the sound bar is a 2-inch full-range woofer, while the up-firing speakers use 2.5-inch woofers. There are also two 48 x 180mm passive radiators that make up the bass response. The SN7CY also features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to take the overall audio experience to a whole new level. In terms of the output, the sound bar offers 160W of RMS and it also supports High Res Audio. In terms of connectivity, you get both Bluetooth and HDMI, and you also get AI Sound Pro which offers adaptive audio for every content you watch. The sound bar weighs 3.74-kgs and is suitable for TVs with screen sizes of 40-inches and above. In terms of ports, you get one Optical, one HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 2.3) In and Out, and one USB. As mentioned before, you also also get wireless connectivity through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Inside the box, you get the sound bar along with the wall mount brackets, user manual, a remote control, two AAA batteries, and the warranty card. High-res audio is covered up to 24-bit/96kHz, and there’s also AAC/AAC+ compatibility for streaming. Plug in a USB and there’s support for FLAC (up to 192kHz) AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA and OGG (up to 48kHz). In terms of sound quality, the overall experience was a mix. While the passive radiators offer a modest bass performance with the content being played, it lacks the depth and detail to properly describe low-end frequencies. We played most of the content using the Standard mode and everything felt good. While the overall clarity of the sound is good, you always feel there is something missing. For an approximate price of AED 1800, the LG Sound Bar SN7CY sounds like an expensive affair, when there are far better soundbars available on the market at a lower cost.

3/5

AED 4499

Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-54)

When it comes to PC gaming, Acer is definitely a brand that comes to mind, with its top notch Predator Series churning out one insane gaming device after the other. The company also offers affordable gaming laptops through its Nitro Series. And today we are reviewing the Nitro 5 (AN515-54). The Acer Nitro 5 comes packed in a black shell with maroon accents all around. When you switch on the gaming laptop, the red LED backlit keyboard lights up giving it an overall raging look and feel. The WASD keys on the keyboard are highlighted by a red border to make them stand out. So are the arrow keys and the NITROSENSE key which is identified by an [N] key. With NITROSENSE, you can monitor and manage your laptop in realtime, which covers fan speeds, temperatures, per consumption, GeForce Experience, Acer TrueHarmony, Keyboard settings, backlight settings and more. The overall design and the build quality is very good. On the right edge, you get the power port, two LEDs (power and charging), USB port and the audio jack. On the left edge, you get the Kensington lock, LAN port, HDMI, USB-C, and two USB 3.0 ports. Under the hood, the Acer Nitro 5 is powered by an Intel Core i7-9750H processor, running at a clock speed of 2.6GHz. You also get NVIDIA GeForce TX 1650 4GB graphics card for all your gaming and other graphics-intensive job requirements. Acer also throws in 16GB of RAM and 1TB of HDD storage. The Acer Nitro 5 comes with a 15-inch Full HD IPS display that offers an excellent 80% screen-to-body ratio. Since the laptop also comes with Gigabit Wi-Fi 5 with 2×2 MU-MIMO technology, live streaming of your gaming sessions become a cakewalk. The Nitro 5 also comes with dual fans, and Acer includes the CoolBoost technology and a dual exhaust port designed to keep it cool during extended gaming sessions. According to Acer, its CoolBoost tech increases the fan speed by 10% and CPU and GPU cooling by 9% compared to auto mode. This keeps things cool during an intense gaming session. During our gaming sessions, we did not encounter any lags or stutters. Everything felt as smooth as a hot knife through a block of butter. In our battery tests, the Acer Nitro 5 was able to provide a battery life of about three hours, before the laptop gave up the ghost. For a starting price of AED 4499, the Acer Nitro 5 is aimed at those looking for a budget-friendly gaming laptop to start off. The Acer Nitro 5 is a mid-range gaming laptop that offers good overall performance at an affordable price tag.

4/5

AED 1799 Huawei Nova 7 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S20

In recent years, we have seen the rapid growth of the mid-tier segment as part of a wider trend with consumers demanding more premium featured devices at affordable prices. This is par- ticularly evident among young tech-savvy consumers who want to have the best smartphones with advanced features, which are stylish while also at an attractive price point. The new HUAWEI nova 7 5G is a 5G smartphone and future ready. Compare that to the Samsung Galaxy S20, which is a 4G smartphone. And as you are aware 5G is three times faster than 4G. Now, when choosing a camera smartphone, you need to consider all given scenarios - be it indoors, outdoors, lowlight or even bright settings. The Samsung Galaxy S20 comes with a triple camera configuration. This includes a 12MP Ultra Wide Camera, 12MP Wide-angle Camera and a 64MP Telephoto camera. On the other hand, the HUAWEI nova 7 5G comes with a 64MP Hi-res AI Quad Camera system. This includes of a 64MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, an 8MP telephoto camera with up to 20x digital zoom and a 2MP Macro camera for taking photos from as close as 4 cms. In terms of selfies, the Samsung Galaxy S20 has a 10MP selfie camera. Compare that to the HUAWEI nova 7 5G, which sports a 32MP Hi-res AI Selfie Camera. The Selfie camera supports Super Night Selfie 3.0 mode that optimises skin tone and texture. It also supports noise control and reflection removal - so you will end up with incredible images even under low-light conditions. And if you are a vlogger, the selfie camera on the nova 7 5G supports 4k video recording with EIS to ensure Ultra Steady Selfie Videos. One of the interesting features of the nova 7 5G is the “Dual View” mode. Both the smartphones offer in-screen fingerprint sensors, it is a cool feature on nova 7 given it’s price range. The Samsung Galaxy S20 comes with a 128GB of internal storage and an 8GB RAM. The HUAWEI nova 7 5G has an 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage capacity. Under the hood, the nova 7 5G is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 985 processor. To test it, we ran 20 apps on both phones. The nova 7 5G opened the apps much faster. And when you play games on the nova 7 5G the games loaded without any lags or stutters. In terms of software, the nova 7 5G runs on EMUI 10.1, which is based on Android 10 OS. You also get HAUWEI’s app marketplace called AppGallery pre-installed on the device. HUAWEI’s AppGallery lists most of the apps which can be easily downloaded on to your device. And, there’s also a Petal Search Widget which connected you to a million apps, thus making searching for and downloading your favourite apps very simple. Apart from a wide selection of local and top apps, you also get quality entertainment through HUAWEI Video, HUAWEI Music and HUAWEI Reader. In terms of battery charging, the nova 7 5G charges super-fast with its 40- watt SuperCharger. The Samsung S20 meanwhile charges using a 25-watt charger. As a verdict, we can say that Huawei places great importance on mid-tier smartphones and it is a true flagship device as it is Huawei’s first mid-tier handset to support 5G technology and has everything a young consumer needs in today’s digital world including high-resolution quad cameras with cool features like dual side video mode, powerful 5G chipsets as well as being premium designed with 3D curved glass. This combination of strong performance and must-have features also makes it appealing to a wide audience.

4/5 HUAWEI Freebuds 3i

AED 399

HUAWEI’s Freebuds 3i comes packed in a white rectangular box. Once you open up the box, first you will see the wireless charging case which has the earbuds inside it. These are in-ear active noise cancelling Bluetooth earphones. The charging case has a white piano finish. Digging further in, you get two more boxes. One of the boxes includes extra silicone eartips in different sizes and the USB type C charging cable. The other box includes a QR code card which lets you download the Hauwei AI Life app. You also get the quick start guide, safety information, and the warran- ty information. The charging case weighs 51-gms and comes with a USB Type C port. There’s also a button next to the charging port which can be used to pair the earbuds with your phone. There are two LED indicators on the charging case. One is near the slit on the front that lets you open up the charging case. This LED indicator lets you check when the battery is charging and fully charged. Once you open the charging case, you will find another LED indicator that indicates the battery life left in the earbuds. It also flashes when it gets into the pairing mode for Bluetooth connectivity. On a single charge, the Freebuds 3i offers 3.5 hours of play- back time. When you run out of juice, you can use the charg- ing case to charge your Freebuds 3i. The battery inside the charging case can provide up to 14.5 hours of battery life. The Freebuds 3i earbuds come with an in-ear design and comes with three built-in microphones. The earbuds offer active noise cancellation up to 32dB. Since the earbuds come with different sizes of silicone eartips such as extra small, small, medium and large, finding a right and snug fit isn’t an issue. The earbuds weigh only 5.4g so wearing them for a longer period is not an issue. The HUAWEI FreeBuds 3i features a compact body design and comes packed with a 10mm dynamic driver. Since it uses a stem design as opposed to a pod-shaped design, the microphone is placed much closer to you mouth to pick up your voice more accurately. The earbuds support smart touch control for interaction. By holding your finger on the earphone, you can turn the active noise reduction on or off. Double tap to play and pause mu- sic or answer the phone. The smart sensor will automatically stop the music when you take off the earphones continue to play music when you put them back on and switch to stand- by mode when you place it in the charging case. Pairing is quite simple - after the first pairing, the earbuds will automatically pair up with your device, and notify you. Now since we have downloaded the HUAWEI AI Life app, it can also be used to pair the FreeBuds 3i with your phone. This app offers lots of options - You can check the earphones’ battery status, change settings, update the firmware and lots more. During our review period, the active noise cancellation feature worked very well. The smart touch controls made it easier to use the earbuds. On testing the earbuds with different genre of music, we found that we could identify the bass, treble and mids distinctly. This is good, especially when you compare the audio quality with similar range of earbuds. For a price of AED 399, the Huawei Freebuds 3i is a smart choice. It offers excellent build quality and finish, a snug fit and overall good sound quality.