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mercredi 17 août 2022

Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) vs OnePlus Nord N200: Which one should you buy?

The Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) and OnePlus Nord N200 are two of the most affordable smartphones from their respective companies. But this is where the similarities end. They’re not in the same tier, and there’s a substantial price gap between them. Although the iPhone SE 3 is the most affordable offering from Apple, its pricing puts it squarely in the premium mid-range territory. The OnePlus Nord N200, on the other hand, is a budget-friendly smartphone that costs $200. Can the OnePlus Nord N200 put up a solid fight against the device that costs twice its price? We find out in this iPhone SE 3 (2022) Vs OnePlus Nord N200 face-off.

Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) vs OnePlus Nord N200: Specifications

Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) OnePlus Nord N200
Build
  • Aluminum frame
  • Glass back
  • IP67 water/dust resistance
  • Plastic body
  • No IP rating
Dimensions and Weight
  • 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm
  • 144g
  • 163.1 x 74.9 x 8.3mm
  • 189g
Display
  • 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD
  • 1334 x 750p
  • True Tone technology
  • Haptic Touch support
  • 625 nits max brightness
  • 6.49-inch LCD
  • Full HD+
  • 90Hz screen refresh rate
  • Hole-punch display
SoC
  • Apple A15 Bionic
    • Hexa core
    • 2x Avalanche cores @ 3.22GHz
    • 4x Blizzard cores @ 1.82GHz

 

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G:
    • 2x ARM Cortex-A76 performance cores @ 2.0GHz
    • 6x ARM Cortex-A55 efficiency cores @ 1.8GHz
    • 8nm
  • Adreno 619 GPU
RAM and Storage
  • 4GB RAM
  • 64GB/128GB/256GB internal storage
  • No microSD card slot
  • 4GB RAM
  • 64GB internal storage
  • MicroSD card slot
Battery and Charging
  • 2,018mAh
  • 20W wired fast charging
  • Nor charger inside the box
  • 7.5W Qi wireless charging
  • 5,000 mAh battery
  • 18W fast charger (inside the box)
  • No wireless charging
Security Touch ID Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Rear Camera(s)
  • Primary: 12MP, f/1.8
  • Primary: 13MP primary shooter
  • Secondary: 2MP macro
  • Tertiary: 2MP bokeh
Front Camera(s)
  • 7MP, f/2.2
  • 16MP
Ports
  • Lightning port
  • No headphone jack
  • USB-C
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
Connectivity
  • Sub6/mmWave 5G
  • 4G LTE
  • Wi-Fi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • 5G
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • Type-C port
  • WiFi 802.11.b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
Software
  • iOS 15
Price Starting at $429 $199.99

Design & Display

Both phones are worlds apart when it comes to design. The iPhone SE 3, although more expensive, looks dated in comparison to the OnePlus Nord N200. The iPhone has the same design as the iPhone 6, which came out in 2014. There are thick bezels above and below the display and even a physical home button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner.

iPhone SE 2022 T-Mobile OnePlus Nord N200 featured image

The OnePlus Nord N200 dons a more modern and eye-catching design borrowed from the OnePlus 9 family. It’s taller and wider than Apple’s offering and has very slim bezels all around with an impressive 83.7% screen-to-body ratio to the iPhone SE’s 65.4% screen-to-body ratio.

However, in terms of in-hand feel, we’ll have to give it to the iPhone SE 2022. It’s made out of premium material, featuring Gorilla Glass on the front and back and an aluminum frame (don’t forget to grab a case). The OnePlus Nord N200 is an all-plastic build, which is what you would expect from any sub $200 phone.

Another win for the iPhone SE 2022 is the IP67 rating, making it water and dust-proof. It can withstand water splashes, raindrops, and even immersion in fresh water with a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. The OnePlus Nord N200 doesn’t offer this peace of mind as it has no IP rating.

The iPhone packs a 4.7-inch display with HD resolution, a ridiculously small panel in a world where 6.5 to 6.8-inch displays have become the new normal and anything below 6.1-inches is considered
small. While it’s not the best panel for streaming media and scrolling through Instagram or TikTok feeds, it’s perfect for one-handed usage.

The panel also supports DCI-P3 wide color gamut, meaning it can display a greater range of colors with better saturation and vibrancy. It also supports True Tone enhancement, which allows the display to change the white balance based on ambient lighting for a more comfortable viewing experience.

The OnePlus Nord N200 packs a larger 6.5-inch LCD with Full HD+ resolution compared to the iPhone SE’s measly HD (750 x 1,334) resolution. Higher resolution means the Nord 200’s display packs more pixels per inch (405 PPI) than the iPhone SE 3 (326 PPI). The OnePlus Nord N200 also offers a 90Hz refresh rate which translates to a smoother and more fluid scrolling experience in the real world. Meanwhile, the iPhone SE 3 panel maxes out at 60Hz.

So while the iPhone SE 3 has a more refined display in terms of color reproduction and accuracy, it loses out to the OnePlus Nord N200 panel in terms of size, resolution, and refresh rate. Simply put, the OnePlus Nord N200 has a superior display that’s sharper than the iPhone SE 3 and delivers much more real screen estate.


Cameras

This is an easy win for the iPhone SE (2022). Although it only has a single rear camera, it completely blows the OnePlus Nord N200’s triple rear camera system out of the water, be it daylight performance or challenging nighttime photography.

The iPhone packs a 12MP f/1.8 sensor with optical image stabilization and PDAF. The OnePlus Nord N200, on the other hand, packs a triple camera array featuring a 13MP primary shooter, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor.

The 12MP shooter is the same one that Apple used in the iPhone 8 and the iPhone SE 2022. However, thanks to improved image processing and new computational photography tech enabled by the A15 Bionic chip, the iPhone SE 3 outputs really impressive photos. The iPhone SE 3 also delivers great video performance and can shoot at 4K/60fps. Meanwhile, the Nord N200 tops out at 1080p.

iPhone SE 3 (2022) photo samples

iPhone SE 3, main camera iPhone SE 3, main camera iPhone SE, main camera iphone SE smaple iPhone SE sample iPhone SE 3, main camera

Performance, Battery Life & Software

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the iPhone SE 3 is leagues ahead of the OnePlus Nord N200 in the performance department. The iPhone SE packs the same A15 Bionic chip that powers the flagship iPhone 13 lineup, making it one of the fastest phones under $500.

The OnePlus Nord N200 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Thanks to the 90Hz display and OxygenOS’s software optimizations, the Nord N200 should perform just fine in day-to-day tasks, but obviously, it can’t hold a candle to the sheer raw power of the iPhone SE 3.

Both phones pack 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The iPhone SE 3 has more storage options and can be configured with 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB storage. The Nord N200 only comes in a single 64GB variant but supports microSD card expansion.

Poor battery life has always remained a big pain point for the iPhone SE lineup, and the new 2022 model is no different. Due to the small size, Apple could only fit a tiny battery inside the iPhone SE 3. If you’re a heavy user, you’ll struggle to get through the day on a full charge. And not to mention, the charging speed is also quite slow compared to what Android competition has to offer, topping out at just 18W.

The OnePlus Nord N200 is miles better in this regard. It packs a large 5,000mAh cell that will easily last you a full day, even with heavy usage. However, its charging speed is nothing to write home about and is on par with the iPhone SE. But at least OnePlus gives you a charger inside the box — you’ll have to buy a charger for the iPhone SE 3 separately.

The iPhone SE 3 ships with iOS 15 and is guaranteed to receive iOS 16 on day 1 of the public release. And if Apple’s track record is anything to go by, it will probably receive software updates for several years.

The OnePlus Nord N200 runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 out of the box. While it will probably receive OxygenOS 12 with Android 12, there will likely be no more OS updates beyond that, as entry-level Android phones usually only get one major OS update.


Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) Vs OnePlus Nord N200: Which one should you buy?

The iPhone SE 3 and OnePlus Nord N200 are two very different smartphones targeted at wildly different audiences. It’s not really an apple-to-apple comparison (pun intended). The iPhone SE 3 (2022) is one of the few smartphones we can truly call compact. If you want the power of a true flagship in size this small, the iPhone SE 2022 is the best in the business (offers and discounts make the deal even sweeter).

    Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022)
    The iPhone SE 3 offers a flagship level performance in a compact package.

However, beyond the fast processor, the iPhone SE doesn’t have much going for it. Its tiny display isn’t great for Netflix binging, and its battery struggles to last a full day. And while there are some neat camera features such as Smart HDR 4 and Deep Fusion, the iPhone 8-era camera sensor is starting to show its age and will struggle to compete against something like the Google Pixel 6a.

    OnePlus Nord N200 5G
    The OnePlus Nord N200 is one of the best cheap Android phones in the market, packing a 90Hz display and a large 5,000mAh battery.

The OnePlus Nord N200 is a no-brainer if you’re tight on budget. It offers solid specs for $200 and it’s one of the best value-for-money smartphones in the US.

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mardi 16 août 2022

Source indicates that Sony might be working on its own PC launcher

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered was recently released on PC and digging through the files, references to a “PlayStation PC Launcher” were found. While nothing is confirmed at this point, it could indicate that Sony is planning to release a standalone launcher on PC sometime in the future.

Video Game Chronicle, who has verified the PC files and references to the PlayStation PC Launcher, previously reported that there could also be the possibility that Sony will introduce and integrate PlayStation Network support into its PC games. The source was able to confirm that there are references to “PSNAccountLinked” and “PSNLinkingEntitlements” in Spider-Man Remastered. Furthermore, it states that this could eventually allow users to cross-buy games for the PS5 and PC.

Currently, a PlayStation Network account is not required when playing on a PC. Also save data from a console can’t be transferred to PC. While the PC versions of PlayStation games do offer achievements, they do not sync with trophies on the PlayStation Network. This could all change in the future, making things more convenient for PlayStation and PC owners.

Sony has been more open in recent years, publishing some of its console exclusive titles on PC. Competition from the likes of Microsoft has forced the company into adopting a different kind of business model. The company has offered up some of its most coveted PlayStation titles to PC gamers like God of War, Days Gone, and Horizon Zero Dawn. Currently, Sony makes these games available through digital retailers, most notably, Steam and Epic Games.

Marvel’s Spider-Man was originally released on the PlayStation 4 in 2018. The game would be released two years later on PlayStation 5  as Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered. Since its inception, the title has sold over 30 million units, and although Sony is making quite a bit, it currently shares some of that profit with PC distribution services like Steam, which takes 30 percent, and Epic Games which takes 12 percent. It will be interesting to see how Sony proceeds, as there is no denying that there is huge monetary potential by releasing its games on PC.


Source: Video Game Chronicle 

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Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 have a headphone jack?

Samsung has introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the latest iteration of its flagship foldable phone with numerous improvements, including a more durable screen, a more compact hinge, and slimmer bezels all around. If you want a foldable smartphone, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series has been the only valid choice for many. But there’s one thing many will probably wonder about, and that’s whether the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a headphone jack.

The answer, unsurprisingly, is no, there is no headphone jack on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. We’re in 2022, and this is the expectation you should have for the majority of flagship smartphones. Companies are trying to save space inside their smartphones, and removing the headphone jack has become increasingly common since Apple did it with the iPhone 7.

Instead, you can try to use USB Type-C headphones, or buy a USB Type-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter for the Galaxy Z Fold 4, if you really want to use wired headphones. Of course, what Samsung probably wants you to do instead is buy wireless headphones or earbuds, such as the new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which were introduced alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Bluetooth headphones will work with any modern phone, and you’ll probably need them for most phones, seeing as the headphone jack is rarely seen on any flagship phone these days.

    Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
    The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is flagship foldable, now with a wider display, a more compact hinge, and a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. There's no headphone jack, though.

If you choose to go that route, there are a couple of options for you below. There, you can also find a link to buy Samsung’s latest foldable, but you can check out the best deals you can get on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 as well. You may also want to protect such an expensive phone, so we have a round-up of the best cases you can buy for it. And if you don’t have a charger, you should know that the phone doesn’t include one, so you may want to check out the best chargers for it, too.

    Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
    The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer high-quality sound with Hi-Fi 24-bit Audio and the new Samsung seamless codec (SSC). They also have a smaller design and support ANC.

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Alienware announces new gaming monitors with up to 360Hz refresh rate

Dell’s Alienware brand has announced a pair of new gaming monitors, the Alienware 25 and Alienware 27. Of the two, the Alienware 27 is more aimed toward higher-end gaming, while the Alienware 25 is a bit more mainstream while focusing on competitive e-sports gaming. Neither of these is extremely high-end, though, like the 480Hz display Alienware is using on some laptops now.

In addition to the sharp Quad HD resolution, the Alienware 27 comes with a 240Hz refresh rate by default, though it can be overclocked to 280Hz. It supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and it’s Nvidia G-Sync compatible, in addition to also officially supporting VESA Adaptive Sync. It’s a Nano IPS panel with a 1ms response time, and it also comes with 95% coverage of DCI-P3, making it suitable for content creation as well as gaming. There’s even a Creator Mode in the monitor’s OSD, which you can enable to get better color accuracy and uniformity for content creation. Beyond that, the display supports DisplayHDR 600 as well.

Rear view of the Alienware 27 monitor with the headphone stand deplyed and holding a pair of headphones

Aside from the panel itself, the monitor comes with Alienware’s Legend 2.0 design language, featuring 360-degree ventilation, improved cable management, and RGB lighting. The stand support tilt, swivel, height, and pivot adjustments, too.

As for the Alienware 25, it’s more of a mid-range offering, with Full HD resolution and a 360Hz refresh rate. It comes with AMD FreeSync Premium support and VESA Adaptive Sync certification, plus it has a response time as low as 0.5ms, so it’s ideal for competitive fast-paced titles. The monitor covers 99% of the sRGB color gamut as well.

Angled front view of the Alienware 25 monitor

Design-wise, the Alienware 25 has a different, hexagonal stand that takes up less desk space, and while it lacks RGB lighting, it still has a similar design language to the Alienware 27. It also supports tilt, height, swivel, and pivot adjustment, so you’re not missing out on those. There’s a retractable headphone stand, too, which the Alienware 27 also has.

Of the two monitors, the Alienware 25 will launch first in the US, with a release date set for September 7th for $449.99 USD (or $569.99 CAD in Canada). The Alienware 27 is set to launch on October 6th for $649.99 USD ($829.99 CAD).

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Do you need to buy Ring Protect for your doorbells and cameras?

If you’re looking to beef up your home security, Amazon’s Ring brand offers a solid range of smart security cameras, video doorbells, and security systems. However, to get the most out of your Ring products, you’ll need to get Ring Protect, a subscription plan that unlocks extra features and capabilities for your security cameras and video doorbells.

Buying a Ring Protect plan isn’t a requirement for using your Ring products. Rather it’s an optional upgrade that provides extra protection and perks for a fixed monthly or yearly fee. If you’re wondering whether you really need to buy a Ring Protect plan, here’s everything you need to know.

What benefits do you get with Ring Protect?

Ring Video Doorbell Wired

As mentioned above, you can use your Ring security camera or video doorbell without any subscription. Without Ring Protect, you can still view video footage with Live View, motion-activated notifications, two-way talk, and Theft Protection. However, you won’t be able to record videos or access old history. For that, you’ll need a Ring Protect plan.

There are three plans you can choose from:

  • Ring Protect Basic: This is the cheapest plan and unlocks all essential features, including a video recording history of the last 180 days, the ability to download and share recorded videos, custom motion notifications, and Snapshot Capture. The Basic plan only covers one device and costs $3.99 monthly or $39.99 yearly. You can buy an individual subscription for two devices and still pay less than the Plus plan.
  • Ring Protect Plus: You should consider the Plus plan if you have more than three Ring devices. It covers all Ring devices in your household, and there’s no upper cap on how many devices you can enroll. You can pay $10 monthly or $100 for the annual subscription. The benefits are the same as the Basic plan. You get access to video recordings, Person Alert, Snapshot Capture, etc. The only extra perk the Plus plan adds that’s missing on the Basic tier is extended warranties for your devices. But it’s still much better value if you have a lot of Ring devices.
  • Ring Protect Pro: This is the most comprehensive plan for those who are deeply invested in the Ring ecosystem and want the best protection. In addition to all benefits that the Plus plan provides, Ring Protect Pro adds features like 24/7 professional monitoring for your Ring Alarm security system, backup cellular internet to keep your devices online in the event of a Wi-Fi outage, Alexa Guard Plus, and the ability to locally process videos and Smart Alerts and store them on a microSD card. The Pro plan is a bit more expensive at $20 a month or $200 a year.

Bottom line

    Ring Video Doorbell
    The Ring Video Doorbell offers 1080p video streaming, motion-detected real-time notifications, night vision, and a built-in rechargable battery.

To summarize, you don’t need Ring Protect to use your Ring devices. But considering Ring’s affordable pricing and the extra protection you get, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get a Ring Protect plan. Even if you don’t care for features like Snapshot Capture and Person Alert, the protection plan is worth it alone for video recording. In case of a break-in or burglary, you can hand the video recording as hard evidence to police and authorities and help them with the investigation. Ring has no option for local storage, so it’s almost an essential feature to have.

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lundi 15 août 2022

What satellite navigation systems does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 support?

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 represents the best of what Samsung has to offer in the clamshell-style foldable space. For $1,000, you essentially get a phone that’s more refined than last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 in more ways than one. Not only do you get better internals, but Samsung has also made some improvements when it comes to durability. There’s a lot to like about this particular phone and we definitely think it deserves a spot in our collection of the best foldable phones. If you plan on getting your hands on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, you must be wondering — what GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) does it support? Well, you’ve come to the right place, and here’s everything you need to know about the Galaxy Z Flip 4 GPS support.

GPS support on the Galaxy Z Flip 4

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 supports the following GNSS technologies:  A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BeiDou. GPS, for the uninitiated, stands for Global Positioning System which locates your phone’s coordinates on the map. And we all know how important digital maps these days are thanks to the advent of popular apps and services. As you may or may not know, a lot of the popular apps and services that you use on a day-to-day basis use GPS to locate one’s device on the map. We’re talking about apps like Google Maps, Uber, Lyft, delivery apps, and others. A lot of them would seize to exist without GPS.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 supports almost all the major GNSS technologies just like a lot of other popular flagships on the market do. It can take advantage of all those technologies to help you navigate and share your precise location with apps and services provided you’ve granted the necessary permissions.

    Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
    The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 supports A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BeiDou GNSS technologies.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4, as we mentioned earlier, is a great clamshell foldable phone, and there’s a lot to like about it. If you’re interested in buying it then be sure to select the link mentioned inside the box above to get the best price for it online. Alternatively, you also check out our round-up of the best Galaxy Z Flip 4 deals to see if you can save some money on your purchase to buy the best chargers or other accessories for it.

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YouTube could offer video streaming subscriptions by the end of the year

YouTube has been working on a new streaming strategy codenamed the “channel store.” According to sources, the “channel store” will be an online store for streaming services. The firm has been working on the project for at least 18 months and has contacted entertainment companies to gauge interest in participation. If everything goes to plan, the new store could launch sometime this fall.

Currently, YouTube has its Premium service and also YouTube TV. The latter offers users access to live TV channels and the ability to record shows. It also offers the ability to add on services like HBO Max, Starz, Epix, and more. How the new service would differ from YouTube TV’s current offering is that YouTube users would be able to purchase and watch services directly through the YouTube app. Naturally, this would involve revenue sharing amongst companies, but it could be a good move to gain more subscribers even though it means giving a small percentage to YouTube. While this might be a weird option for larger established services, it makes sense considering that YouTube has a massive user base, with over two billion monthly logged-in users.
Another added benefit is that YouTube could push ads, trailers, and free movies to users, and if they want to subscribe, they can pay for the service through YouTube. This strategy is nothing new, with many companies offering their services on other platforms. But the partnership can be hit or miss. For example, HBO Max made its service available on Amazon Prime. HBO Max decided to pull its service, even if it meant losing nearly five million subscribers. Despite disagreements, partnerships can be powerful.
While bundling through a competing service is one way, some companies have also started to bundle their own services. Disney is a prime example, offering Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu as a bundle. The company recently announced plans to raise prices starting in August. Disney will also release a new ad-supported tier later this year. HBO Max and Discovery Plus announced plans to combine and form a new streaming service, which will debut next year. These kinds of joint services help to keep customers longer and make it less likely that they will leave. If YouTube can pull this off, it will become the ultimate hub for entertainment.

Source: The Wall Street Journal 

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