Gadgets 360

The Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS) project, led by MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research (MKI), is now a finalist in NASA's latest Probe Explorers programme. This mission, backed by a collaboration between MKI, the University of Maryland, and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, aims to investigate the most profound mysteries of the universe. If approved, AXIS will move forward with a one-year concept study, targeting a potential 2032 launch and a projected $1 billion budget.

Exploring New Frontiers in X-ray Astronomy

With Erin Kara, an MIT astrophysicist and associate professor, as the deputy principal investigator, the AXIS mission is set to revolutionise X-ray astronomy. The satellite's advanced technology will allow it to reveal unseen cosmic event. It will help trace back to the origins of massive black holes and intense galactic events. She believes AXIS is poised to answer longstanding questions that shape modern astrophysics.

Groundbreaking Technological Advances

A core component of AXIS's capabilities is its CCD focal plane, a sophisticated imaging array developed with support from MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Stanford University. With speed 100 times greater than previous instruments, this cutting-edge sensor will capture vast volumes of X-ray data, offering a view of distant, faint objects with unmatched precision. The focal plane will work with AXIS's mirror to detect the smallest details of the X-ray universe, laying the groundwork for future missions.

Building on a Legacy of Success

The AXIS mission draws on MKI's expertise in imaging technology which was previously showcased in major missions like the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Eric Miller, leading the camera team, believes this project will significantly advance both scientific and technological progress, marking a new era in astrophysical research. The AXIS mission is poised to make a lasting impact, laying essential foundations for future explorations of the cosmos.

 

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The Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS) project, led by MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research (MKI), is now a finalist in NASA's latest Probe Explorers programme. This mission, backed by a collaboration between MKI, the University of Maryland, and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, aims to investigate the most profound mysteries of the universe. If approved, AXIS will move forward with a one-year concept study, targeting a potential 2032 launch and a projected $1 billion budget.

Exploring New Frontiers in X-ray Astronomy

With Erin Kara, an MIT astrophysicist and associate professor, as the deputy principal investigator, the AXIS mission is set to revolutionise X-ray astronomy. The satellite's advanced technology will allow it to reveal unseen cosmic event. It will help trace back to the origins of massive black holes and intense galactic events. She believes AXIS is poised to answer longstanding questions that shape modern astrophysics.

Groundbreaking Technological Advances

A core component of AXIS's capabilities is its CCD focal plane, a sophisticated imaging array developed with support from MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Stanford University. With speed 100 times greater than previous instruments, this cutting-edge sensor will capture vast volumes of X-ray data, offering a view of distant, faint objects with unmatched precision. The focal plane will work with AXIS's mirror to detect the smallest details of the X-ray universe, laying the groundwork for future missions.

Building on a Legacy of Success

The AXIS mission draws on MKI's expertise in imaging technology which was previously showcased in major missions like the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Eric Miller, leading the camera team, believes this project will significantly advance both scientific and technological progress, marking a new era in astrophysical research. The AXIS mission is poised to make a lasting impact, laying essential foundations for future explorations of the cosmos.

 

Gadgets 360

Apple on Tuesday launched a refreshed version of the Mac Mini — its compact desktop computer, building upon the unveiling of the 24-inch iMac M4 a day before. The new Mac Mini is offered in two chipset options: M4 and M4 Pro, with the latter being a new introduction. The M4 variant is claimed to deliver up to 1.7 times faster performance than the Mac Mini M1. Meanwhile, the new M4 Pro-powered desktop computer can complete 3D renders up to 2.9 times quicker in Blender.

Mac Mini With M4 Chip Price in India

The price for the the Mac Mini with M4 chip in India starts at Rs. 59,900 for the base model which comes with a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory, and 256GB of onboard SSD storage. This model can be configured with up to 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

Meanwhile, the Mac Mini with the M4 Pro chip costs Rs. 1,49,900 for the 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB of unified memory and 512GB of onboard SSD storage. Apple says users can customise the Mac Mini with up to a 14-core CPU, up to 20-core GPU, up to 64GB of unified memory, and up to 8TB of SSD storage.

There's also an option for adding 10-bit Gigabit Ethernet on both models that costs Rs. 10,000 more. The new Mac Mini can be pre-ordered today from Apple Stores and Apple authorised retailers, with shipping starting on November 8.

Mac Mini With M4 Chip Specifications

Mac Mini with M4 chip features a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, up to 24GB of unified memory, and up to 512GB of onboard SSD storage. Apple says it offers up to 1.8 times CPU and up to 2.2 times GPU performance improvements over the M1 model. At 5x5 inches, the refreshed Mac Mini also comes in a much smaller form factor compared to the previous generation. It is capable of transcribing with on-device artificial intelligence (AI) speech-to-text up to 2 times faster in MacWhisper, as per the company.

Apple also introduced an even more powerful variant of the Mac Mini which is powered by an all-new M4 Pro chipset under the hood. It comprises of up to a 14-core CPU, up to a 20-core GPU, up to 64GB of unified memory and up to 8TB of SSD storage. When compared to the M2 Pro Mac Mini, this model is claimed to render motion graphics to RAM up to 2 times faster in Motion.

Both Mac Mini models come with support for Apple Intelligence — the company's suite of AI features. In terms of connectivity, it includes two USB Type-C ports with USB 3 speeds and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the front. On the back, the Mac Mini M4 gets three Thunderbolt 4 ports while the M4 Pro variant has three Thunderbolt 5 ports. Both models feature Gigabit Ethernet and an HDMI port.

Apple says this is its first carbon-neutral Mac Mini made with 50 percent recycled content overall, including 100 percent recycled aluminium in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled gold plating in all Apple-designed printed circuit boards, and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets.

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Apple on Tuesday launched a refreshed version of the Mac Mini — its compact desktop computer, building upon the unveiling of the 24-inch iMac M4 a day before. The new Mac Mini is offered in two chipset options: M4 and M4 Pro, with the latter being a new introduction. The M4 variant is claimed to deliver up to 1.7 times faster performance than the Mac Mini M1. Meanwhile, the new M4 Pro-powered desktop computer can complete 3D renders up to 2.9 times quicker in Blender.

Mac Mini With M4 Chip Price in India

The price for the the Mac Mini with M4 chip in India starts at Rs. 59,900 for the base model which comes with a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory, and 256GB of onboard SSD storage. This model can be configured with up to 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

Meanwhile, the Mac Mini with the M4 Pro chip costs Rs. 1,49,900 for the 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB of unified memory and 512GB of onboard SSD storage. Apple says users can customise the Mac Mini with up to a 14-core CPU, up to 20-core GPU, up to 64GB of unified memory, and up to 8TB of SSD storage.

There's also an option for adding 10-bit Gigabit Ethernet on both models that costs Rs. 10,000 more. The new Mac Mini can be pre-ordered today from Apple Stores and Apple authorised retailers, with shipping starting on November 8.

Mac Mini With M4 Chip Specifications

Mac Mini with M4 chip features a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, up to 24GB of unified memory, and up to 512GB of onboard SSD storage. Apple says it offers up to 1.8 times CPU and up to 2.2 times GPU performance improvements over the M1 model. At 5x5 inches, the refreshed Mac Mini also comes in a much smaller form factor compared to the previous generation. It is capable of transcribing with on-device artificial intelligence (AI) speech-to-text up to 2 times faster in MacWhisper, as per the company.

Apple also introduced an even more powerful variant of the Mac Mini which is powered by an all-new M4 Pro chipset under the hood. It comprises of up to a 14-core CPU, up to a 20-core GPU, up to 64GB of unified memory and up to 8TB of SSD storage. When compared to the M2 Pro Mac Mini, this model is claimed to render motion graphics to RAM up to 2 times faster in Motion.

Both Mac Mini models come with support for Apple Intelligence — the company's suite of AI features. In terms of connectivity, it includes two USB Type-C ports with USB 3 speeds and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the front. On the back, the Mac Mini M4 gets three Thunderbolt 4 ports while the M4 Pro variant has three Thunderbolt 5 ports. Both models feature Gigabit Ethernet and an HDMI port.

Apple says this is its first carbon-neutral Mac Mini made with 50 percent recycled content overall, including 100 percent recycled aluminium in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled gold plating in all Apple-designed printed circuit boards, and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets.

Gadgets 360

The premium smartphone segment sure is a cut-throat one. This is not because manufacturers offer impressive hardware at this price point but because we often see smartphones from the next tier receive price cuts and tip the scales for devices launched in the sub-Rs. 50,000 segment. The Vivo V40 Pro becomes a victim for two reasons. Firstly, it's priced a bit too high from the get-go. Secondly, it also has to compete with some top-tier premium smartphones like the iQoo 12, which was launched at Rs. 57,999 a year ago but currently retails at Rs. 49,999. Vivo's V40 Pro is priced at Rs. 49,999 for its base 8GB + 256GB variant, while the 12GB + 512GB variant is priced even higher at Rs. 55,999. After using it for a while, I discovered that its price tag is not its only problem.

Vivo V40 Pro Design: Slim and sexy

• Dimensions - 164.36mm x 75.1mm x 7.58mm
• Weight - 192g
• Durability - IP68 dust and water resistance

Vivo's V40 Pro sure looks the part for a premium smartphone. The phone has a typically rounded design with curved-edge glass screens for front and rear panels. Its polycarbonate frame is flattened at the top and bottom with curved sides and rounded corners, making it very comfortable to hold. We received the Ganges Blue finish with a nice bluish colour complimented by a gorgeous texture that looks like a gradient terrain map when viewed at an angle, but altogether is supposed to be inspired by the Ganges River.

Vivo's V40 Pro has a very slim profile thanks to its 3D-curved front and rear panels

 

The phone is quite slim since it packs in a high-capacity battery, but that keyhole-shaped camera module stands out. You may like or hate it, but it is raised, has flat sides, and looks out of place like an afterthought. The camera module also packs in the Aura light, a V series standard for the past few years.

Vivo V40 Pro Display: Premium stuff

• Display size - 6.78-inch, 1,260 x 2,800 pixels
• Display type - AMOLED, 120Hz
• Display protection - SCHOTT Xensation α

Vivo goes with a curved edge display for its V40 Pro like with previous models. While it's quite the opposite of the current trend (flat displays), it makes the phone feel premium and gives it a slimmer appearance. Its skinny bezels add to its premium looks, which means that Vivo manages to fit more display into a smaller footprint.

The Vivo V40 Pro has a vibrant 120Hz AMOLED panel

 

The display gets bright outdoors and offers HDR10+ support, meaning you can enjoy supported content on OTT apps. It is not an LTPO display, but Vivo's Smart Switch technology can switch the refresh rate between 60Hz, 90Hz and 120Hz to save battery life. Screen colours appear quite accurate in the Standard colour mode so there's no need to fidget or adjust anything here, even though the software does provide plenty of customisation. The display has an embedded fingerprint reader, which worked flawlessly during the review period.

Vivo V40 Pro Software: Typically, Vivo

• Software - Funtouch OS
• Version - Android 14
• Software commitment - 3 years of OS and 4 years of security updates

We are expecting some bigger changes with Android 15, but Vivo's V40 Pro currently only runs the Android 14 version of Funtouch OS. The software is typically Vivo, which means it runs smoothly without hiccups. It is also loaded to the brim with third-party apps (Snapchat, Amazon, LinkedIn, Netflix, PhonePe, Facebook and Myntra) out of the box. This is followed by spammy notifications from native bloatware like the Internet browser app, which will show you notifications even if you have never launched the app. There are also two file manager apps, two gallery apps, two browsers and even two app stores, which can confuse casual users.

Vivo V-AppStore and Browser apps love to push multiple notifications on a daily basis

 

In terms of features, Vivo's Funtouch OS is mainly about customisation. We are awaiting a few AI features to show up with an upcoming Android 15-based update, but there's no defined date or timeline for when it will arrive.

Vivo V40 Pro Performance: Promising

• Processor - MediaTek Dimensity 9200+
• RAM - 8/12GB
• Storage - 256/512GB

One of the few phones at this price point to pack in the MediaTek Dimensity 9200+, the Vivo V40 Pro turned out to be a solid performer in our benchmark tests, as you can see from the comparison below. It's still not as powerful as the iQoo 12, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, but surprisingly, it goes neck and neck with the Realme GT 6, which has a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC.

Benchmarks	Vivo V40 Pro	iQoo 12	Realme GT 6
AnTuTu v10	15,07,773	19,83,471	14,05,190
PCMark Work 3.0	12,156	13,320	18,828
Geekbench 6 Single	1,830	2,225	1,944
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,191	6,726	4,895
GFXB T-rex	121	143	60
GFXB Manhattan 3.1	121	143	60
GFXB Car Chase	100	127	60
3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Slingshot	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life Unlimited	14,922	Maxed Out	11,325

Gaming, thanks to its good CPU and GPU performance, is impressive. Heating is not an issue when playing heavy 3D games, but only when using the camera app. However, performance does not take a hit thanks to the vapour chamber cooling system.

The V40 Pro does get hot outdoors, but performance does not take much of a hit thanks to its VC cooling system

 

After years of waiting, we finally have stereo speakers! They are balanced and sound sufficiently loud, making the audio experience quite immersive while playing games and watching videos.

Vivo V40 Pro Cameras: Does the job

• Main camera - 50-megapixel (OIS), f/1.88, AF
• Ultrawide camera - 50-megapixel, f/2.0, AF
• Telephoto camera - 50-megapixel, 2x optical, f/1.85, AF
• Selfie camera - 50-megapixel, f/2.0, AF

With four high-resolution cameras onboard, I was expecting excellent performance across the board, given that this smartphone is priced a rupee below the 50,000 mark. But, after trying all of them out, I was a bit disappointed as only the primary camera managed to produce the expected results.

Vivo's weird-looking keyhole-shaped rear camera gets the job done but isn't the best we have seen in this segment

 

To make things worse, the telephoto camera only activates when a subject/object is at least 5 feet away, you can tell that it's active when you notice slightly muted colours and the obvious bump up in sharpness. Anything captured with the 2X mode selected within 5 feet will result in scaled-down photos obtained by the primary camera, and these don't look good with smeared resolved details that look bad even in daylight. In short, you will have to keep a good distance between yourself at the subject to ensure that you activate the telephoto camera to get the best quality.

Vivo V40 Pro ultrawide camera sample. (Tap image to expand)

 

The ultra-wide camera produces decent photos in daylight, but photos lack any resolved detail and tend to have abnormally boosted greens and blue hues. When shooting in low or dim lighting, quality drops even further, and the photos are not usable.

Vivo V40 Pro primary camera sample (Tap image to expand)

 

The primary camera produces vibrant photos with good details in the shadows, but the HDR system works overtime and produces exaggerated skies that will not appear the same as what's really in front of you. No matter which colour setting (Vivid, Textured, ZEISS Natural) you choose, the camera loves to bump up the reds and greens. While the details are quite good in daylight, I noticed a drop in quality when shooting low-light photos. The OIS system somehow could not keep things steady (or sharp), with details appearing a bit smeared and soft.

Vivo V40 Pro's cropped 2X image captured via the primary camera (below) and the actual 2X camera output (above) (Tap images to expand)

 

The telephoto camera (once you learn to trick the camera into using it) produces sharp results, provided there's enough light. Results from the portrait mode are quite good under artificial lighting as well, but it all falls apart under street lighting or dimly lit settings, as the telephoto shooter lacks OIS. The results don't look great when you zoom in low light with smeared textures with some blown out highlights in the areas under bright light.

In terms of video, 4K 60fps video delivers the best quality, as the 4K 30fps footage we captured has some problems with dynamic range and noise, which means the details were far from impressive. The same results are also reproduced when using shooting in 1080p at 30fps. Results in low light come out quite noisy when shooting at 30fps and appear a lot better at 60fps. However, stabilisation is a bit shaky when recording at 60fps, so you will have to keep your hands steady.

Vivo V40 Pro selfie camera samples. Top: daylight, bottom: low-light (Tap images to expand)

 

Selfies pack in good detail in daylight, but the Portrait mode's edge-detection does a passable job. Details take a hit in low light, but the camera produces decent images, provided you don't switch to the Portrait mode, where it loses a lot of resolved detail.

Vivo V40 Pro Battery: Solid

• Battery capacity - 5,500mAh
• Charging rate - 80W
• Wireless charging - No

A 500mAh increase compared to the previous model shows that the Vivo V40 Pro delivers impressively good battery life with day-to-day usage. The phone easily lasted over a full day of heavy usage and still had about 30 percent juice left for the next day. In our standard video loop battery test, the phone managed a solid 21 hours and 10 minutes. Charging the V40 Pro was equally quick, with the device managing a 52 percent charge in 30 minutes, a 93 percent charge in an hour, and completing the process in 1 hour and 3 minutes.

Vivo V40 Pro Verdict

Vivo's V40 Pro does a fine job when it comes to design, performance and battery life but falls short when it comes to camera performance, which is where we expected it to exceed expectations. It offers some much needed upgrades like a stereo speaker and an IP68 rating, but these are features that many would expect as a standard at this price point.

With sub-Rs. 60,000 smartphones commonly making their way into the sub-Rs. 50,000 segment, the beastly iQoo 12 (Review) (from Rs. 49,999) easily beats the Vivo V40 Pro on all fronts. Google's Pixel 8a (Review) (Rs. 39,999) may not be a gaming machine, but it easily offers the best in segment AI features and very capable still cameras, while both the Xiaomi 14 Civi (Review) and the Realme GT 6 (Review) offer equally good performance at Rs. 10,000 less, making the Vivo V40 Pro hard to recommend.

 

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The premium smartphone segment sure is a cut-throat one. This is not because manufacturers offer impressive hardware at this price point but because we often see smartphones from the next tier receive price cuts and tip the scales for devices launched in the sub-Rs. 50,000 segment. The Vivo V40 Pro becomes a victim for two reasons. Firstly, it's priced a bit too high from the get-go. Secondly, it also has to compete with some top-tier premium smartphones like the iQoo 12, which was launched at Rs. 57,999 a year ago but currently retails at Rs. 49,999. Vivo's V40 Pro is priced at Rs. 49,999 for its base 8GB + 256GB variant, while the 12GB + 512GB variant is priced even higher at Rs. 55,999. After using it for a while, I discovered that its price tag is not its only problem.

Vivo V40 Pro Design: Slim and sexy

• Dimensions - 164.36mm x 75.1mm x 7.58mm
• Weight - 192g
• Durability - IP68 dust and water resistance

Vivo's V40 Pro sure looks the part for a premium smartphone. The phone has a typically rounded design with curved-edge glass screens for front and rear panels. Its polycarbonate frame is flattened at the top and bottom with curved sides and rounded corners, making it very comfortable to hold. We received the Ganges Blue finish with a nice bluish colour complimented by a gorgeous texture that looks like a gradient terrain map when viewed at an angle, but altogether is supposed to be inspired by the Ganges River.

Vivo's V40 Pro has a very slim profile thanks to its 3D-curved front and rear panels

 

The phone is quite slim since it packs in a high-capacity battery, but that keyhole-shaped camera module stands out. You may like or hate it, but it is raised, has flat sides, and looks out of place like an afterthought. The camera module also packs in the Aura light, a V series standard for the past few years.

Vivo V40 Pro Display: Premium stuff

• Display size - 6.78-inch, 1,260 x 2,800 pixels
• Display type - AMOLED, 120Hz
• Display protection - SCHOTT Xensation α

Vivo goes with a curved edge display for its V40 Pro like with previous models. While it's quite the opposite of the current trend (flat displays), it makes the phone feel premium and gives it a slimmer appearance. Its skinny bezels add to its premium looks, which means that Vivo manages to fit more display into a smaller footprint.

The Vivo V40 Pro has a vibrant 120Hz AMOLED panel

 

The display gets bright outdoors and offers HDR10+ support, meaning you can enjoy supported content on OTT apps. It is not an LTPO display, but Vivo's Smart Switch technology can switch the refresh rate between 60Hz, 90Hz and 120Hz to save battery life. Screen colours appear quite accurate in the Standard colour mode so there's no need to fidget or adjust anything here, even though the software does provide plenty of customisation. The display has an embedded fingerprint reader, which worked flawlessly during the review period.

Vivo V40 Pro Software: Typically, Vivo

• Software - Funtouch OS
• Version - Android 14
• Software commitment - 3 years of OS and 4 years of security updates

We are expecting some bigger changes with Android 15, but Vivo's V40 Pro currently only runs the Android 14 version of Funtouch OS. The software is typically Vivo, which means it runs smoothly without hiccups. It is also loaded to the brim with third-party apps (Snapchat, Amazon, LinkedIn, Netflix, PhonePe, Facebook and Myntra) out of the box. This is followed by spammy notifications from native bloatware like the Internet browser app, which will show you notifications even if you have never launched the app. There are also two file manager apps, two gallery apps, two browsers and even two app stores, which can confuse casual users.

Vivo V-AppStore and Browser apps love to push multiple notifications on a daily basis

 

In terms of features, Vivo's Funtouch OS is mainly about customisation. We are awaiting a few AI features to show up with an upcoming Android 15-based update, but there's no defined date or timeline for when it will arrive.

Vivo V40 Pro Performance: Promising

• Processor - MediaTek Dimensity 9200+
• RAM - 8/12GB
• Storage - 256/512GB

One of the few phones at this price point to pack in the MediaTek Dimensity 9200+, the Vivo V40 Pro turned out to be a solid performer in our benchmark tests, as you can see from the comparison below. It's still not as powerful as the iQoo 12, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, but surprisingly, it goes neck and neck with the Realme GT 6, which has a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC.

Benchmarks	Vivo V40 Pro	iQoo 12	Realme GT 6
AnTuTu v10	15,07,773	19,83,471	14,05,190
PCMark Work 3.0	12,156	13,320	18,828
Geekbench 6 Single	1,830	2,225	1,944
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,191	6,726	4,895
GFXB T-rex	121	143	60
GFXB Manhattan 3.1	121	143	60
GFXB Car Chase	100	127	60
3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Slingshot	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life Unlimited	14,922	Maxed Out	11,325

Gaming, thanks to its good CPU and GPU performance, is impressive. Heating is not an issue when playing heavy 3D games, but only when using the camera app. However, performance does not take a hit thanks to the vapour chamber cooling system.

The V40 Pro does get hot outdoors, but performance does not take much of a hit thanks to its VC cooling system

 

After years of waiting, we finally have stereo speakers! They are balanced and sound sufficiently loud, making the audio experience quite immersive while playing games and watching videos.

Vivo V40 Pro Cameras: Does the job

• Main camera - 50-megapixel (OIS), f/1.88, AF
• Ultrawide camera - 50-megapixel, f/2.0, AF
• Telephoto camera - 50-megapixel, 2x optical, f/1.85, AF
• Selfie camera - 50-megapixel, f/2.0, AF

With four high-resolution cameras onboard, I was expecting excellent performance across the board, given that this smartphone is priced a rupee below the 50,000 mark. But, after trying all of them out, I was a bit disappointed as only the primary camera managed to produce the expected results.

Vivo's weird-looking keyhole-shaped rear camera gets the job done but isn't the best we have seen in this segment

 

To make things worse, the telephoto camera only activates when a subject/object is at least 5 feet away, you can tell that it's active when you notice slightly muted colours and the obvious bump up in sharpness. Anything captured with the 2X mode selected within 5 feet will result in scaled-down photos obtained by the primary camera, and these don't look good with smeared resolved details that look bad even in daylight. In short, you will have to keep a good distance between yourself at the subject to ensure that you activate the telephoto camera to get the best quality.

Vivo V40 Pro ultrawide camera sample. (Tap image to expand)

 

The ultra-wide camera produces decent photos in daylight, but photos lack any resolved detail and tend to have abnormally boosted greens and blue hues. When shooting in low or dim lighting, quality drops even further, and the photos are not usable.

Vivo V40 Pro primary camera sample (Tap image to expand)

 

The primary camera produces vibrant photos with good details in the shadows, but the HDR system works overtime and produces exaggerated skies that will not appear the same as what's really in front of you. No matter which colour setting (Vivid, Textured, ZEISS Natural) you choose, the camera loves to bump up the reds and greens. While the details are quite good in daylight, I noticed a drop in quality when shooting low-light photos. The OIS system somehow could not keep things steady (or sharp), with details appearing a bit smeared and soft.

Vivo V40 Pro's cropped 2X image captured via the primary camera (below) and the actual 2X camera output (above) (Tap images to expand)

 

The telephoto camera (once you learn to trick the camera into using it) produces sharp results, provided there's enough light. Results from the portrait mode are quite good under artificial lighting as well, but it all falls apart under street lighting or dimly lit settings, as the telephoto shooter lacks OIS. The results don't look great when you zoom in low light with smeared textures with some blown out highlights in the areas under bright light.

In terms of video, 4K 60fps video delivers the best quality, as the 4K 30fps footage we captured has some problems with dynamic range and noise, which means the details were far from impressive. The same results are also reproduced when using shooting in 1080p at 30fps. Results in low light come out quite noisy when shooting at 30fps and appear a lot better at 60fps. However, stabilisation is a bit shaky when recording at 60fps, so you will have to keep your hands steady.

Vivo V40 Pro selfie camera samples. Top: daylight, bottom: low-light (Tap images to expand)

 

Selfies pack in good detail in daylight, but the Portrait mode's edge-detection does a passable job. Details take a hit in low light, but the camera produces decent images, provided you don't switch to the Portrait mode, where it loses a lot of resolved detail.

Vivo V40 Pro Battery: Solid

• Battery capacity - 5,500mAh
• Charging rate - 80W
• Wireless charging - No

A 500mAh increase compared to the previous model shows that the Vivo V40 Pro delivers impressively good battery life with day-to-day usage. The phone easily lasted over a full day of heavy usage and still had about 30 percent juice left for the next day. In our standard video loop battery test, the phone managed a solid 21 hours and 10 minutes. Charging the V40 Pro was equally quick, with the device managing a 52 percent charge in 30 minutes, a 93 percent charge in an hour, and completing the process in 1 hour and 3 minutes.

Vivo V40 Pro Verdict

Vivo's V40 Pro does a fine job when it comes to design, performance and battery life but falls short when it comes to camera performance, which is where we expected it to exceed expectations. It offers some much needed upgrades like a stereo speaker and an IP68 rating, but these are features that many would expect as a standard at this price point.

With sub-Rs. 60,000 smartphones commonly making their way into the sub-Rs. 50,000 segment, the beastly iQoo 12 (Review) (from Rs. 49,999) easily beats the Vivo V40 Pro on all fronts. Google's Pixel 8a (Review) (Rs. 39,999) may not be a gaming machine, but it easily offers the best in segment AI features and very capable still cameras, while both the Xiaomi 14 Civi (Review) and the Realme GT 6 (Review) offer equally good performance at Rs. 10,000 less, making the Vivo V40 Pro hard to recommend.

 

Gadgets 360

TVS Motor company reportedly is planning to expand its electric two-wheeler portfolio in India this year and early next year. The brand is reported to launch a new electric scooter this year and another model by March 2025. The company's Chief Executive discussed their Electric Vehicle (EV) plans during an investor call, which confirmed this development. The company is currently offering the iQube in a number of different versions which has been very successful in India. TVS has also introduced the X sports electric scooter. However, due to some technical issues, the brand did not commenced the deliveries of the product. The TVS X was a visually appealing product that could have helped the corporation attract a lot more customers to the showrooms.

According to a report by Bikewale, the brand is reportedly developing a variety of electric scooters. Moreover, the brand is also working on an electric motorcycle. The upcoming bike might come with an affordable price tag. The report further highlights that the brand might be preparing to launch an electric version of Jupiter. Moreover, the brand could also launch an EV for the B2B segment, which might be known as XL Electric. 

The brand recently trademarked two names for its electric vehicle, namely E-XL and XL EV. The report further claims that the company might unveil the electric vehicle at the 2025 Bharat Expo, followed by an official launch by March 2025. 

Although EV adoption has not yet reached double digits, automakers believe there is a lot more room for growth in this market. Up until August, TVS was the second-biggest producer in India's electric two-wheeler sector, after Ola Electric. With 19,128 vehicles rolling out of the Chakan facility in September, Bajaj Auto surpassed TVS for second place, while TVS manufactured 18,099 units.

 

 

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TVS Motor company reportedly is planning to expand its electric two-wheeler portfolio in India this year and early next year. The brand is reported to launch a new electric scooter this year and another model by March 2025. The company's Chief Executive discussed their Electric Vehicle (EV) plans during an investor call, which confirmed this development. The company is currently offering the iQube in a number of different versions which has been very successful in India. TVS has also introduced the X sports electric scooter. However, due to some technical issues, the brand did not commenced the deliveries of the product. The TVS X was a visually appealing product that could have helped the corporation attract a lot more customers to the showrooms.

According to a report by Bikewale, the brand is reportedly developing a variety of electric scooters. Moreover, the brand is also working on an electric motorcycle. The upcoming bike might come with an affordable price tag. The report further highlights that the brand might be preparing to launch an electric version of Jupiter. Moreover, the brand could also launch an EV for the B2B segment, which might be known as XL Electric. 

The brand recently trademarked two names for its electric vehicle, namely E-XL and XL EV. The report further claims that the company might unveil the electric vehicle at the 2025 Bharat Expo, followed by an official launch by March 2025. 

Although EV adoption has not yet reached double digits, automakers believe there is a lot more room for growth in this market. Up until August, TVS was the second-biggest producer in India's electric two-wheeler sector, after Ola Electric. With 19,128 vehicles rolling out of the Chakan facility in September, Bajaj Auto surpassed TVS for second place, while TVS manufactured 18,099 units.

 

 

Gadgets 360

A 17,000-year-old infant skeleton, found in Italy's Grotta delle Mura cave, is providing new insights into human populations during the Ice Age. Discovered in 1998, the remains were recently analyzed for DNA, allowing scientists to reconstruct aspects of the infant's appearance, ancestry, and health. The DNA results suggest that the child likely had dark skin, blue eyes, and curly hair—a combination found in other ancient European hunter-gatherers. The genetic profile connects the infant to an ancient population known as the Villabruna cluster, which lived in Europe after the Last Glacial Maximum.

This group represents an early lineage of modern Europeans, suggesting that the boy's community may have been among the earliest ancestors of later European populations.

Inherited Heart Condition Revealed

The DNA analysis also indicates that the infant may have had a genetic heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart muscle to thicken. In infants, this condition can lead to congestive heart failure. This potentially explains the boy's early death at an age between seven months and one and a half years.

Teeth Analysis Reflects Health and Stress

Examination of the infant's teeth provided clues about his brief life and his mother's health. Multiple growth lines on the teeth suggest that both mother and child may have faced physiological stress, likely from malnutrition or illness, during and shortly after pregnancy. Further analysis showed that the mother remained close to her community during pregnancy, likely indicating a localized lifestyle within the Puglia region.

Preservation and Genetic Study

The child's remains was preserved in the cool environment of Grotta delle Mura. This allowed scientists to recover around 75 percent of his genome. Preservation of ancient remains in warm climates is rare, making this genetic information particularly valuable for studying early human populations.

Implications for Understanding Ice Age Populations

This research sheds light on the adaptation and migration of ancient human populations during a period of significant environmental change. Through genetic insights into the child's traits and health, scientists can better understand the lives of early Europeans and their responses to Ice Age conditions.

 

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A 17,000-year-old infant skeleton, found in Italy's Grotta delle Mura cave, is providing new insights into human populations during the Ice Age. Discovered in 1998, the remains were recently analyzed for DNA, allowing scientists to reconstruct aspects of the infant's appearance, ancestry, and health. The DNA results suggest that the child likely had dark skin, blue eyes, and curly hair—a combination found in other ancient European hunter-gatherers. The genetic profile connects the infant to an ancient population known as the Villabruna cluster, which lived in Europe after the Last Glacial Maximum.

This group represents an early lineage of modern Europeans, suggesting that the boy's community may have been among the earliest ancestors of later European populations.

Inherited Heart Condition Revealed

The DNA analysis also indicates that the infant may have had a genetic heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart muscle to thicken. In infants, this condition can lead to congestive heart failure. This potentially explains the boy's early death at an age between seven months and one and a half years.

Teeth Analysis Reflects Health and Stress

Examination of the infant's teeth provided clues about his brief life and his mother's health. Multiple growth lines on the teeth suggest that both mother and child may have faced physiological stress, likely from malnutrition or illness, during and shortly after pregnancy. Further analysis showed that the mother remained close to her community during pregnancy, likely indicating a localized lifestyle within the Puglia region.

Preservation and Genetic Study

The child's remains was preserved in the cool environment of Grotta delle Mura. This allowed scientists to recover around 75 percent of his genome. Preservation of ancient remains in warm climates is rare, making this genetic information particularly valuable for studying early human populations.

Implications for Understanding Ice Age Populations

This research sheds light on the adaptation and migration of ancient human populations during a period of significant environmental change. Through genetic insights into the child's traits and health, scientists can better understand the lives of early Europeans and their responses to Ice Age conditions.

 

Gadgets 360

As per reports, Japanese car manufacturers Toyota and Suzuki are collaborating to launch a new compact electric vehicle (EV), which is expected to hit the global markets next year. The two Japanese automobile giants have signed an agreement to share technologies and models with each other globally. Codenamed ‘bZ' (Beyond Zero), this crossover is dubbed as the compact version of the Toyota bZ4X, which is available in the international market.

Suzuki and Toyota aims to form a partnership which will lead to developing compact vehicles. Their partnership has resulted in successful models which are available in the Indian and European market.
The partnership is part of a effort by Toyota to improve its EV lineup. The company has been continuously working towards improving and expanding its Electric Vehicle catalogue. When launched, bZ will be Toyota's budget friendly EV till date, thus attempting to attract a large pool of customers especially in markets prefers Electric cars.

Upcoming EV Expected Features and Specifications

Toyota's e-TNGA platform will serve as the cornerstone for the bZ. Thus, guaranteeing a strong performance and efficiency base. It can be noted that the Japanese Carmaker is also developing a new SUV. This will be a marketed below the Fortuner in the price range and will be sharing its platform with bZ.

Bz is expected to have an impressive range of over 300 kilometers when fully charged. This will make it suitable for commuting in Urban roads. The overall length is expected to be 3700mm, width 1700mm and a height of 1530mm. The wheelbase is expected to be around 2450mm. This Ev will have a power output of approximately 118bhp and 294Nm, thus making it an ideal and efficient choice for driving in the city.

This can be seen as great initiative between the two companies as both Toyota and Suzuki share a substantial market share in the automobile market. This partnership will especially help Toyota, which has been hesitant about entering the EV market to grab the consumer's attention in the global market.
This collaboration will see a direct rival in Tata Punch EV and the upcoming Hyundai Inster.

 

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As per reports, Japanese car manufacturers Toyota and Suzuki are collaborating to launch a new compact electric vehicle (EV), which is expected to hit the global markets next year. The two Japanese automobile giants have signed an agreement to share technologies and models with each other globally. Codenamed ‘bZ' (Beyond Zero), this crossover is dubbed as the compact version of the Toyota bZ4X, which is available in the international market.

Suzuki and Toyota aims to form a partnership which will lead to developing compact vehicles. Their partnership has resulted in successful models which are available in the Indian and European market.
The partnership is part of a effort by Toyota to improve its EV lineup. The company has been continuously working towards improving and expanding its Electric Vehicle catalogue. When launched, bZ will be Toyota's budget friendly EV till date, thus attempting to attract a large pool of customers especially in markets prefers Electric cars.

Upcoming EV Expected Features and Specifications

Toyota's e-TNGA platform will serve as the cornerstone for the bZ. Thus, guaranteeing a strong performance and efficiency base. It can be noted that the Japanese Carmaker is also developing a new SUV. This will be a marketed below the Fortuner in the price range and will be sharing its platform with bZ.

Bz is expected to have an impressive range of over 300 kilometers when fully charged. This will make it suitable for commuting in Urban roads. The overall length is expected to be 3700mm, width 1700mm and a height of 1530mm. The wheelbase is expected to be around 2450mm. This Ev will have a power output of approximately 118bhp and 294Nm, thus making it an ideal and efficient choice for driving in the city.

This can be seen as great initiative between the two companies as both Toyota and Suzuki share a substantial market share in the automobile market. This partnership will especially help Toyota, which has been hesitant about entering the EV market to grab the consumer's attention in the global market.
This collaboration will see a direct rival in Tata Punch EV and the upcoming Hyundai Inster.

 

Mithun Chakraborty says Bengal's throne will be BJP's after 2026 assembly polls; Amit Shah slams Mamata

Actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty predicts a BJP victory in West Bengal's 2026 elections. He aims for one crore memberships in the upcoming drive. Amit Shah condemned the state govt for women's safety issues and corruption, asserting that a BJP government is essential for change.

from mint - politics Actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty predicts a BJP victory in West Bengal's 2026 elections. He aims for one crore memberships in the upcoming drive. Amit Shah condemned the state govt for women's safety issues and corruption, asserting that a BJP government is essential for change.

‘Mumbai passengers ignored': Shiv Sena (UBT) slams Rail Min over Bandra terminus stampede; calls him ‘Prabhari for BJP’

A stampede at Bandra railway station in Mumbai injured nine people as passengers rushed to board a Gorakhpur-bound train. Sanjay Raut, Aaditya Thackeray blamed Ashwini Vaishnaw for safety lapses during the festive rush, while the Western Railway urges caution against boarding moving trains.

from mint - politics A stampede at Bandra railway station in Mumbai injured nine people as passengers rushed to board a Gorakhpur-bound train. Sanjay Raut, Aaditya Thackeray blamed Ashwini Vaishnaw for safety lapses during the festive rush, while the Western Railway urges caution against boarding moving trains.

Gadgets 360

Skullcandy EcoBuds are claimed to be sustainable true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones. According to the company, they are made with “65 percent certified recycled plastics and 57 percent fewer heavy metals, " resulting in a 50 percent lower carbon footprint than similar products in the market. Off the bat — impressive claims. Who doesn't want to be a part of an attempt to make the world a cleaner place? The number may be slightly more initially than you would think because the cost of environmentally friendly earphones here is battery, lithium batteries to be specific.

The storage dock of the Skullcandy EcoBuds does not have battery support. This means that when the earphones are placed in the magnetic case, they merely fulfil storage purposes. They do not juice up like other TWS earphones usually do in charging cases. They are compatible with reverse charging via an integrated USB Type-C cable. You can plug it into any USB Type-C port, including the one on your phone, and it will power up the earphones. Is this novelty, alongside sustainability, worth Rs. 3,999? Let's find out.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Design and Features: Feathery Light and Functional

• Size (with case) - 102 x 60 x 30mm
• Weight (with case) - 40g
• Water and dust resistance - IPX4
• Colour - Glacier

The Skullcandy EcoBuds come with a traditional in-ear design and three gel tip sizes — small, medium and large. The medium ones fit me the best. They offer a decent fit but are not the most comfortable for long-duration uses. The touch sensors on each earbud are easy to locate because they are marked by engraved company logos. The charging connectors of the earphones are placed on the inside of the stems.

The storage dock comes with a short inbuilt USB Type-C cable

 

The earphones come with a magnetic storage dock, which has a built-in USB Type-C cable that folds back in case it is not in use. This lightens the blow of the missing battery, in my opinion. I imagine I would not be best pleased if I had to look for or carry an additional loose cable with me all around. Although the earbuds are held in place by magnets, the case does not have a cover. Therefore, avoid making the mistake I made of putting them in a tote bag with several other items. In transit, one of the earphones had dislodged from the case, and I panicked briefly before it dropped out of the umbrella folds. Aside from this, the earphones and the case are compact, lightweight, and easy to carry.

The Skullcandy EcoBuds are available in a single Glacier colourway, where both earphones and storage docks appear in a blue and white marbled pattern. The integrated USB Type-C cable is white with sand-like speckles. The earphones have an IPX4 rating for splash resistance. With the case, they measure 102 x 60 x 30mm in size and weigh 40g.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Specifications and Controls: Too Simple?

• Driver - 6mm
• Gesture controls - Yes
• Companion app - No

The Skullcandy EcoBuds carry 6mm drivers, according to the product's Amazon listing. We will discuss their sound quality in a bit, but for this section, we will focus on the control experience. Like many other TWS earphones, the EcoBuds support capacitative touch controls, but unlike several competitors, they do not come with a companion app. This impacted me on two levels. Firstly, you can only shuffle between the three preset EQ modes — music, bass and podcast, and not customise the equalisation. Even if I let this slide because I am not looking for a studio-grade experience from these earphones, the lack of an app also means that all controls are based on gestures, which is the second thing. There are a few gestures you will need to remember, so let's get to it.

The charging connectors are placed on the side of the stems

 

A single tap on either earbud controls playback and calls, while a longer press regulates the volume (left for down, right for up). A double tap on either earpiece advances to the next track, while a triple tap returns to the previous track. A quadruple tap on the right earbud toggles through the EQ modes. A quadruple tap on the left earbud activates the assistant for the paired device. A six-second hold disconnects the paired device, while two taps and a one-second hold switch off the headphones.

Yes, it is as tedious to remember as it was to read (and write), but I mainly dealt with the play/pause and volume controls, which were simple and direct enough. The slightly bothersome action for the first few uses was shuffling between the EQ modes, but it eventually grew on me.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Performance and Battery Life: Chaotic Neutral

• Fast Charging - Yes (claimed 10 minutes for up to 2 hours)
• Bluetooth - Bluetooth 5.2

How do the Skullcandy EcoBuds sound? Better than I expected. With 6mm drivers, my hopes for the audio experience were set pretty low. The violation of those expectations was welcome. Comprehensively, they offer a clear and bright sound experience. The podcast mode focuses on the vocals over any other details. True to its name, the bass boost mode highlights the bass, while the music mode offers a more balanced audio of the three.

The charging cable neatly folds back into the dock when not in use

 

The sound is not outright muddied at any level, although the higher notes tend to crack up at 70 percent volume or above. For instance, you can hear the distortions with the high notes in Nirvana's About A Girl. For the larger part, the sounds are clear but lack details that you would get with larger drivers. From tracks like Gooey by Glass Animals to Ramble On by Led Zeppelin (the latter in the bass mode), you get a good enough audio output to keep you engaged while you are on a cleaning binge or walking to the local market.

Even though the Skullcandy Ecobuds do not support active noise cancellation (ANC), the company claims that the earphones come with a “noise-isolating fit.” Technically, the claim is not completely untrue. It does isolate some noise, but not a significant amount. If you are used to ANC earphones and headphones, especially in public places, the switch to the EcoBuds may unsettle you a bit. However, the lack of ANC did not alter my experience much since I mostly used them casually (read: to disassociate) and not to take calls or focus on work.

The Skullcandy EcoBuds support Bluetooth 5.2 and connect seamlessly with the paired device each time they are taken off the case. You can choose to use both earbuds or just one. The audio syncs up well even if you add the second earbuds mid-track. The mic performance is not very good, but functional. It picks up environmental noise alongside your voice. The whirring of the fan can muffle your voice when you are using these earphones. If you are in a crowded place or even outdoors, you might want to use your phone audio to answer calls.

The earphones come in plastic-free, recyclable packaging

 

In a market where several leading brands across the board are competing with TWS earphones that offer 30 to 40 hours or more total battery life, Skullcandy EcoBuds come with about 8 hours of playback time. Which, if compared with other popular TWS earphones and just the earphones, is a decent average. On paper, the lack of battery in the storage dock seems too jarring. Before using them, I could not stop the premonition of being stranded in the metro without functioning earphones. However, I faced no such challenges. On just 10 minutes of charge, they offer almost two hours of playback. If you can charge the earphones for a full hour, you can get around eight hours of usage out of them. I clocked eight hours and 13 minutes of playback in one charging cycle.

Charging the earphones is pretty straightforward. You pull the USB Type-C cable out from the back of the storage dock and plug it into a USB Type-C port. In my case, I mostly charged them using my phone, and in an hour, they would charge fully. This is efficient in more ways than one. You do not have to carry a separate charger around (yes, in most cases, the case would suffice, but when in Rome!), and it does not drain the phone's battery significantly either. The compact size of the earphones also allows you to continue your phone usage as usual. You can also use a power bank to charge them, or even your laptop, tablet, or any device with a USB Type-C port.

That said, I have to accept that the lack of a charging case was perceivably bothersome for the first couple of days, if not practically so. It grew on me pretty quickly, though. Charging on the go is still very much possible, and it is one less gadget you have to worry about plugging in before bed.

The compact design of the earphones and the dock make them easy to carry

 

Skullcandy EcoBuds: Verdict

The Skullcandy EcoBuds are good TWS earphones. They have stable connectivity, clear sound, and offer the claimed battery life. The sustainability aspect of the product also adds brownie points to your consciousness as a citizen of the world (how much ever it is worth). Are these earphones worth Rs. 3,999, though? Yes and no. The answer depends on your preferences. Would you put better sound detail and 40-something hours of total battery life ahead of your conscience? In my opinion, these should work fine for casual listeners.

If you are planning to buy your only pair of daily use earphones, however, and not a supplementary on-the-go wearable, you will find other options that come with better fit, more features, charging cases (albeit unsustainable) and companion apps within this price range.

You can get the Realme Buds Air 6 (Review) Rs. 3,299 for an almost 40-hour total battery life. At the same price, you can opt for the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro (Review) for a better fit and balanced sound experience.

For just Rs. 300 more, you can invest in the CMF Buds Pro 2, which offers up to 50dB ANC, up to 43 hours of total battery life and ChatGPT-integrated features via the Nothing X app.

The lack of a charging case is not a deal breaker for me. Even the audio quality is good for casual listening. In this competitive price range, many other features can make the sound experience more enjoyable. Surely, there could someday be a middle ground between being an audiophile and an environmentally conscious person, but maybe, as Dean Martin says, “Today is not the day.”

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Skullcandy EcoBuds are claimed to be sustainable true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones. According to the company, they are made with “65 percent certified recycled plastics and 57 percent fewer heavy metals, " resulting in a 50 percent lower carbon footprint than similar products in the market. Off the bat — impressive claims. Who doesn't want to be a part of an attempt to make the world a cleaner place? The number may be slightly more initially than you would think because the cost of environmentally friendly earphones here is battery, lithium batteries to be specific.

The storage dock of the Skullcandy EcoBuds does not have battery support. This means that when the earphones are placed in the magnetic case, they merely fulfil storage purposes. They do not juice up like other TWS earphones usually do in charging cases. They are compatible with reverse charging via an integrated USB Type-C cable. You can plug it into any USB Type-C port, including the one on your phone, and it will power up the earphones. Is this novelty, alongside sustainability, worth Rs. 3,999? Let's find out.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Design and Features: Feathery Light and Functional

• Size (with case) - 102 x 60 x 30mm
• Weight (with case) - 40g
• Water and dust resistance - IPX4
• Colour - Glacier

The Skullcandy EcoBuds come with a traditional in-ear design and three gel tip sizes — small, medium and large. The medium ones fit me the best. They offer a decent fit but are not the most comfortable for long-duration uses. The touch sensors on each earbud are easy to locate because they are marked by engraved company logos. The charging connectors of the earphones are placed on the inside of the stems.

The storage dock comes with a short inbuilt USB Type-C cable

 

The earphones come with a magnetic storage dock, which has a built-in USB Type-C cable that folds back in case it is not in use. This lightens the blow of the missing battery, in my opinion. I imagine I would not be best pleased if I had to look for or carry an additional loose cable with me all around. Although the earbuds are held in place by magnets, the case does not have a cover. Therefore, avoid making the mistake I made of putting them in a tote bag with several other items. In transit, one of the earphones had dislodged from the case, and I panicked briefly before it dropped out of the umbrella folds. Aside from this, the earphones and the case are compact, lightweight, and easy to carry.

The Skullcandy EcoBuds are available in a single Glacier colourway, where both earphones and storage docks appear in a blue and white marbled pattern. The integrated USB Type-C cable is white with sand-like speckles. The earphones have an IPX4 rating for splash resistance. With the case, they measure 102 x 60 x 30mm in size and weigh 40g.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Specifications and Controls: Too Simple?

• Driver - 6mm
• Gesture controls - Yes
• Companion app - No

The Skullcandy EcoBuds carry 6mm drivers, according to the product's Amazon listing. We will discuss their sound quality in a bit, but for this section, we will focus on the control experience. Like many other TWS earphones, the EcoBuds support capacitative touch controls, but unlike several competitors, they do not come with a companion app. This impacted me on two levels. Firstly, you can only shuffle between the three preset EQ modes — music, bass and podcast, and not customise the equalisation. Even if I let this slide because I am not looking for a studio-grade experience from these earphones, the lack of an app also means that all controls are based on gestures, which is the second thing. There are a few gestures you will need to remember, so let's get to it.

The charging connectors are placed on the side of the stems

 

A single tap on either earbud controls playback and calls, while a longer press regulates the volume (left for down, right for up). A double tap on either earpiece advances to the next track, while a triple tap returns to the previous track. A quadruple tap on the right earbud toggles through the EQ modes. A quadruple tap on the left earbud activates the assistant for the paired device. A six-second hold disconnects the paired device, while two taps and a one-second hold switch off the headphones.

Yes, it is as tedious to remember as it was to read (and write), but I mainly dealt with the play/pause and volume controls, which were simple and direct enough. The slightly bothersome action for the first few uses was shuffling between the EQ modes, but it eventually grew on me.

Skullcandy EcoBuds Performance and Battery Life: Chaotic Neutral

• Fast Charging - Yes (claimed 10 minutes for up to 2 hours)
• Bluetooth - Bluetooth 5.2

How do the Skullcandy EcoBuds sound? Better than I expected. With 6mm drivers, my hopes for the audio experience were set pretty low. The violation of those expectations was welcome. Comprehensively, they offer a clear and bright sound experience. The podcast mode focuses on the vocals over any other details. True to its name, the bass boost mode highlights the bass, while the music mode offers a more balanced audio of the three.

The charging cable neatly folds back into the dock when not in use

 

The sound is not outright muddied at any level, although the higher notes tend to crack up at 70 percent volume or above. For instance, you can hear the distortions with the high notes in Nirvana's About A Girl. For the larger part, the sounds are clear but lack details that you would get with larger drivers. From tracks like Gooey by Glass Animals to Ramble On by Led Zeppelin (the latter in the bass mode), you get a good enough audio output to keep you engaged while you are on a cleaning binge or walking to the local market.

Even though the Skullcandy Ecobuds do not support active noise cancellation (ANC), the company claims that the earphones come with a “noise-isolating fit.” Technically, the claim is not completely untrue. It does isolate some noise, but not a significant amount. If you are used to ANC earphones and headphones, especially in public places, the switch to the EcoBuds may unsettle you a bit. However, the lack of ANC did not alter my experience much since I mostly used them casually (read: to disassociate) and not to take calls or focus on work.

The Skullcandy EcoBuds support Bluetooth 5.2 and connect seamlessly with the paired device each time they are taken off the case. You can choose to use both earbuds or just one. The audio syncs up well even if you add the second earbuds mid-track. The mic performance is not very good, but functional. It picks up environmental noise alongside your voice. The whirring of the fan can muffle your voice when you are using these earphones. If you are in a crowded place or even outdoors, you might want to use your phone audio to answer calls.

The earphones come in plastic-free, recyclable packaging

 

In a market where several leading brands across the board are competing with TWS earphones that offer 30 to 40 hours or more total battery life, Skullcandy EcoBuds come with about 8 hours of playback time. Which, if compared with other popular TWS earphones and just the earphones, is a decent average. On paper, the lack of battery in the storage dock seems too jarring. Before using them, I could not stop the premonition of being stranded in the metro without functioning earphones. However, I faced no such challenges. On just 10 minutes of charge, they offer almost two hours of playback. If you can charge the earphones for a full hour, you can get around eight hours of usage out of them. I clocked eight hours and 13 minutes of playback in one charging cycle.

Charging the earphones is pretty straightforward. You pull the USB Type-C cable out from the back of the storage dock and plug it into a USB Type-C port. In my case, I mostly charged them using my phone, and in an hour, they would charge fully. This is efficient in more ways than one. You do not have to carry a separate charger around (yes, in most cases, the case would suffice, but when in Rome!), and it does not drain the phone's battery significantly either. The compact size of the earphones also allows you to continue your phone usage as usual. You can also use a power bank to charge them, or even your laptop, tablet, or any device with a USB Type-C port.

That said, I have to accept that the lack of a charging case was perceivably bothersome for the first couple of days, if not practically so. It grew on me pretty quickly, though. Charging on the go is still very much possible, and it is one less gadget you have to worry about plugging in before bed.

The compact design of the earphones and the dock make them easy to carry

 

Skullcandy EcoBuds: Verdict

The Skullcandy EcoBuds are good TWS earphones. They have stable connectivity, clear sound, and offer the claimed battery life. The sustainability aspect of the product also adds brownie points to your consciousness as a citizen of the world (how much ever it is worth). Are these earphones worth Rs. 3,999, though? Yes and no. The answer depends on your preferences. Would you put better sound detail and 40-something hours of total battery life ahead of your conscience? In my opinion, these should work fine for casual listeners.

If you are planning to buy your only pair of daily use earphones, however, and not a supplementary on-the-go wearable, you will find other options that come with better fit, more features, charging cases (albeit unsustainable) and companion apps within this price range.

You can get the Realme Buds Air 6 (Review) Rs. 3,299 for an almost 40-hour total battery life. At the same price, you can opt for the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro (Review) for a better fit and balanced sound experience.

For just Rs. 300 more, you can invest in the CMF Buds Pro 2, which offers up to 50dB ANC, up to 43 hours of total battery life and ChatGPT-integrated features via the Nothing X app.

The lack of a charging case is not a deal breaker for me. Even the audio quality is good for casual listening. In this competitive price range, many other features can make the sound experience more enjoyable. Surely, there could someday be a middle ground between being an audiophile and an environmentally conscious person, but maybe, as Dean Martin says, “Today is not the day.”

'If MVA won't keep us in alliance...': Akhilesh Yadav's 'no sacrifice' call ahead of Maharashtra election

‘No place for sacrifice in…’: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on party's tussle with MVA over seat-sharing formula

from mint - politics ‘No place for sacrifice in…’: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on party's tussle with MVA over seat-sharing formula

Gadgets 360

Infinix should stop using the Zero moniker for their phones because, honestly, their phones are not what they used to be. The new Infinix Zero 40 5G is not a zero. The phone, at a starting price of Rs. 27,999, offers a lot of features. Infinix also claims that the Zero 40 5G is the first phone in its segment to offer 4K 60fps video recording on both front and rear cameras and to feature a 50-megapixel ultrawide rear camera. It's also the first Infinix phone to launch with Infinix AI.

The company heavily emphasises the phone's video recording features, stabilisation, and its potential as an ideal device for vlogging—I've never heard the word "vlog" mentioned so many times in a product briefing. So, is the Infinix Zero 40 5G any good? Do all of these segment-firsts make it a hero? You'll have to read the full review to find out.

Infinix Zero 40 Design: Stylish

• Dimensions - 164.31x74.47x7.9mm
• Weight - 195g
• Colours - Moving Titanium, Violet Garden, Rock Black

Infinix has done a very good job in terms of design. The phone features curved sides and flat top and bottom edges, making it comfortable to hold and easy to use one-handed. The phone is available in three colour options, and we got the Violet Garden variant. The rear panel has a two-tone finish and the word ‘Zero' etched at the bottom right corner. It's a nice phone to look at, especially in the Violet colour option.

The curved edges make the phone slimmer than it actually is

 

The back is dominated by a large circular camera module, accented with a focus ring-like design. The curved edges make the phone feel slimmer than it really is. The left side is clean, while the power and volume buttons are placed on the right. At the bottom, you'll find the USB Type-C port, a loudspeaker, a microphone, and a SIM card tray. The top houses an IR blaster, another microphone, and a speaker grille. Infinix has also provided an IP54 rating for added protection, which is a nice touch.

Infinix Zero 40 Display: Big with a little bit of curve

• Size and type - 6.78-inch, full-HD+, Curved AMOLED
• Refresh rate - Up to 144Hz
• Protection - Corning Gorilla Glass 5

The Infinix Zero 40 5G features a curved display with slim, uniform bezels, resulting in an impressive 93.4 percent screen-to-body ratio. The panel is of the LTPS variety, which means that although it offers a 144Hz refresh rate, it cannot go all the way down to 1Hz. You can, however, choose between auto, 60, 120, and 144Hz. The display also offers a 360Hz touch sampling rate and 2,304Hz PWM frequency.

Running the screen at 144Hz will drain the battery much faster

 

In terms of colour, you get a 10-bit panel with 100 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. There are also two colour modes available on the phone – Original and Bright-coloured. I'd recommend sticking to the former. You also get TUV Rheinland Eye Care certification and an Eye care mode. As for brightness, the phone gets plenty bright indoors (1,300 nits peak), but it can be a bit dull under direct sunlight.

For watching movies, gaming, and any kind of content consumption, the screen is great. It's big, colourful, bright (indoors), and offers a super fast refresh rate. There's also Widevine L1 certification so that you can use all your streaming services.

Infinix has included an in-display fingerprint scanner on the phone. Despite being placed lower down on the screen, it worked accurately and was fast.

Infinix Zero 40 Software: AI this and AI that

• OS - Android 14
• UI - XOS 14.5
• Latest security patch - August 5, 2024

The phone runs Android 14-based XOS 14.5 out of the box. As expected, it includes a fair amount of pre-installed apps, but fortunately, most can be uninstalled. The user interface is fairly clean, with smooth animations.

Infinix has also included an edge control feature that lets you take advantage of the curved screen and quickly access your favourite apps. There's an IR Control option in the Quick setting and within the Welife app to control other devices using its infrared blaster. The phone boasts a "Works with GoPro" certification, but all it means is that you can control a GoPro action camera using the GoPro Quik app—a feature that virtually any smartphone is capable of.

The AI eraser does a decent job

 

The Zero 40 5G has many AI features as part of the Infinix AI suite. You get an AI Eraser in the Gallery app that works pretty well for removing objects from photos, though its performance can be inconsistent. Sometimes, I could remove an object with a single attempt, but other times, it took multiple tries to achieve the desired result.

Other AI-powered features include Smart Cut-out, which allows you to cut out objects from photos easily, and AI Vlog, which can automatically create a vlog using up to 20 clips from your gallery. Additionally, Smart Search lets you find pictures in the Gallery app by simply typing a text description.

There's an AI Wallpaper Generator that creates images based on your photos or text input, though I couldn't test this feature due to a recurring "server is being upgraded" error. The Infinix Folax voice assistant is also built-in and capable of answering questions, translating text, controlling basic phone functions, and more.

Some of the AI features didn't work

 

While it's nice to have all the above-mentioned AI features, Infinix has a lot of work to do, as some of them, including the wallpaper generator, refused to work for me.

In terms of software support, Infinix has promised 2 years of Android OS updates and 3 years of security patches.

Infinix Zero 40 Performance: Good enough

• Chipset - MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate
• RAM - 12GB LPDDR5x
• Storage - Up to 512GB UFS 3.1

The MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate chipset is quite capable and easily handles day-to-day tasks. Multitasking is a breeze,e too. It even fares well in gaming and doesn't produce a lot of heat when under heavy use. The phone has 12GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage. There is also a virtual RAM expansion feature, and you get a microSD card slot to add more storage.

The phone is good for gaming

 

Regular performance is pretty good, and I didn't really face any lag while running multiple apps, using the camera, or performing various day-to-day tasks. We ran our usual set of benchmarks on the phone, and it performed similarly to other phones in the segment.

Benchmark	Infinix Zero 40	Nothing Phone 2a Plus	Motorola Edge 50 Pro	iQOO Z9s Pro
Geekbench 6 Single	1096	1204	1142	1136
Geekbench 6 Multi	3601	2658	3124	3091
AnTuTu v10	956927	762,955	818,387	814328
PCMark Work 3.0	15466	12663	13,730	10460
3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Slingshot	Maxed Out	7243	8393	8255
3DM Wild Life	6362	4779	5394	5287
3DM Wild Life Unlimited	6454	5038	5457	5428
GFXBench T-Rex	144	60	116	119
GFXBench Manhattan 3.1	92	58	61	74
GFXBench Car Chase	52	35	32	40

Gaming on the phone is fun, thanks mainly to the large screen with 144Hz refresh rate. I ran BGMI, Asphalt Legends Unite, and Genshin Impact on the phone and was able to play all of them without much lag. In BGMI and Asphalt Legends Unit, I was able to play with the highest available graphics. However, with Genshin Impact, I couldn't play with the highest settings, and I also found that the phone would heat up after just 15-20 minutes. I also noticed this heating when using the rear camera for 4K video recording.

The phone does heat up when running heavy games

 

The Infinix Zero 40 5G delivers good call quality and audio performance. It features a dual stereo speaker setup with "Sound by JBL," along with support for DTS Hi-RES Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless. Calls came through clearly, both through the microphone and ear speaker. The dual speakers provide good stereo separation and are loud and clear but fall short in bass.

Infinix Zero 40 Cameras: Decent

• Rear main - 108-megapixel wide, OIS
• Secondary - 50-megapixel ultra-wide, 120-degree FoV
• Front - 50-megapixel wide

Infinix is heavily marketing the Zero 40 5G video recording capabilities and even calling it a vlogging phone. As per the brand, it's the first phone in the segment to offer 4k 60fps recording on the primary, ultra-wide, and front camera.

The phone supports 4K 60fps recording across three cameras

 

In my testing, while you get 4K 60fps across all three cameras, there's no stabilisation supported in this mode. However, the video performance is just about average. While there are good levels of detail in 4K resolution on all three supported cameras, the dynamic range, colours, focus shifting, and stabilisation are average. There are two levels of stabilisation available on the phone – Ultra Steady and Ultra Steady Pro. If you're shooting using 4K resolution on any of the cameras, you can only use Ultra Steady at 30fps. And the stabilisation here isn't excellent. The Ultra Steady Pro does offer slightly better stabilisation, but it only works in 1080p. However, no Ultra Steady Pro stabilisation is available on the front camera in any resolution. You also get some Vlog filters on the front camera in the video, but they're passable and don't shoot in 4K.

Now, let's talk about still photography. The photos taken in daylight conditions offer good details across both main and ultrawide cameras. Even HDR performance is pretty good for a phone at this price point. You will find colour inaccuracies between the two cameras though, and there's also some over-saturation going on.

Top to bottom: 3 x Main Camera; 3 x Ultrawide [Tap to Expand]

 

Photos taken using the primary rear camera in lowlight conditions bring in some noise, but it's definitely usable. Ultrawide camera performance in the dark is average at best, has more noise than the main, and is once again plagued by colour inaccuracy.

Top to Bottom: 2 x Main camera; 2 x Ultrawide

 

There's also a 3x mode, but it's only a zoomed-in crop, and is mostly a miss. Portrait photos are average, with the bokeh looking fake most of the time.

Infinix Zero 40 Battery: Average

• Capacity - 5,000mAh
• Fast charging - 45W wired, 20W wireless
• Charger - Included, MagCase

Infinix has equipped the Zero 40 5G with a sizable 5,000mAh battery, but it's average in terms of battery life. While it lasted over a day with regular use, it underperformed in our HD video loop test. With the brightness at 50 percent and the refresh rate set to 144Hz, the battery drained in just about 14 hours. However, you can extend the battery life by enabling adaptive brightness and switching the refresh rate to 120Hz.

You get a MagCase in the box

 

Charging the phone is fast, thanks to the included 45W charger. A full charge from 0 to 100 percent took about 1 hour and 10 minutes, which is decent. The phone also supports wireless charging at 20W.

Infinix Zero 40 Verdict

The Infinix Zero 40 5G is a good choice if you're on the lookout for a mid-range phone that offers good design, a good set of cameras that you'll mostly use in the day, good gaming performance, decent battery life, and a nice big curved display with fast refresh rate. If you're looking for a phone for vlogging, this is not the one.

In terms of alternatives in the same price range, you can try the Motorola Edge 50 Pro (Review), iQOO Z9s Pro (Review), or the Nothing Phone 2a Plus (Review). All of these have their own advantages and disadvantages, so we'd recommend reading the reviews before making a decision.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/Y493Vb2

Infinix should stop using the Zero moniker for their phones because, honestly, their phones are not what they used to be. The new Infinix Zero 40 5G is not a zero. The phone, at a starting price of Rs. 27,999, offers a lot of features. Infinix also claims that the Zero 40 5G is the first phone in its segment to offer 4K 60fps video recording on both front and rear cameras and to feature a 50-megapixel ultrawide rear camera. It's also the first Infinix phone to launch with Infinix AI.

The company heavily emphasises the phone's video recording features, stabilisation, and its potential as an ideal device for vlogging—I've never heard the word "vlog" mentioned so many times in a product briefing. So, is the Infinix Zero 40 5G any good? Do all of these segment-firsts make it a hero? You'll have to read the full review to find out.

Infinix Zero 40 Design: Stylish

• Dimensions - 164.31x74.47x7.9mm
• Weight - 195g
• Colours - Moving Titanium, Violet Garden, Rock Black

Infinix has done a very good job in terms of design. The phone features curved sides and flat top and bottom edges, making it comfortable to hold and easy to use one-handed. The phone is available in three colour options, and we got the Violet Garden variant. The rear panel has a two-tone finish and the word ‘Zero' etched at the bottom right corner. It's a nice phone to look at, especially in the Violet colour option.

The curved edges make the phone slimmer than it actually is

 

The back is dominated by a large circular camera module, accented with a focus ring-like design. The curved edges make the phone feel slimmer than it really is. The left side is clean, while the power and volume buttons are placed on the right. At the bottom, you'll find the USB Type-C port, a loudspeaker, a microphone, and a SIM card tray. The top houses an IR blaster, another microphone, and a speaker grille. Infinix has also provided an IP54 rating for added protection, which is a nice touch.

Infinix Zero 40 Display: Big with a little bit of curve

• Size and type - 6.78-inch, full-HD+, Curved AMOLED
• Refresh rate - Up to 144Hz
• Protection - Corning Gorilla Glass 5

The Infinix Zero 40 5G features a curved display with slim, uniform bezels, resulting in an impressive 93.4 percent screen-to-body ratio. The panel is of the LTPS variety, which means that although it offers a 144Hz refresh rate, it cannot go all the way down to 1Hz. You can, however, choose between auto, 60, 120, and 144Hz. The display also offers a 360Hz touch sampling rate and 2,304Hz PWM frequency.

Running the screen at 144Hz will drain the battery much faster

 

In terms of colour, you get a 10-bit panel with 100 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. There are also two colour modes available on the phone – Original and Bright-coloured. I'd recommend sticking to the former. You also get TUV Rheinland Eye Care certification and an Eye care mode. As for brightness, the phone gets plenty bright indoors (1,300 nits peak), but it can be a bit dull under direct sunlight.

For watching movies, gaming, and any kind of content consumption, the screen is great. It's big, colourful, bright (indoors), and offers a super fast refresh rate. There's also Widevine L1 certification so that you can use all your streaming services.

Infinix has included an in-display fingerprint scanner on the phone. Despite being placed lower down on the screen, it worked accurately and was fast.

Infinix Zero 40 Software: AI this and AI that

• OS - Android 14
• UI - XOS 14.5
• Latest security patch - August 5, 2024

The phone runs Android 14-based XOS 14.5 out of the box. As expected, it includes a fair amount of pre-installed apps, but fortunately, most can be uninstalled. The user interface is fairly clean, with smooth animations.

Infinix has also included an edge control feature that lets you take advantage of the curved screen and quickly access your favourite apps. There's an IR Control option in the Quick setting and within the Welife app to control other devices using its infrared blaster. The phone boasts a "Works with GoPro" certification, but all it means is that you can control a GoPro action camera using the GoPro Quik app—a feature that virtually any smartphone is capable of.

The AI eraser does a decent job

 

The Zero 40 5G has many AI features as part of the Infinix AI suite. You get an AI Eraser in the Gallery app that works pretty well for removing objects from photos, though its performance can be inconsistent. Sometimes, I could remove an object with a single attempt, but other times, it took multiple tries to achieve the desired result.

Other AI-powered features include Smart Cut-out, which allows you to cut out objects from photos easily, and AI Vlog, which can automatically create a vlog using up to 20 clips from your gallery. Additionally, Smart Search lets you find pictures in the Gallery app by simply typing a text description.

There's an AI Wallpaper Generator that creates images based on your photos or text input, though I couldn't test this feature due to a recurring "server is being upgraded" error. The Infinix Folax voice assistant is also built-in and capable of answering questions, translating text, controlling basic phone functions, and more.

Some of the AI features didn't work

 

While it's nice to have all the above-mentioned AI features, Infinix has a lot of work to do, as some of them, including the wallpaper generator, refused to work for me.

In terms of software support, Infinix has promised 2 years of Android OS updates and 3 years of security patches.

Infinix Zero 40 Performance: Good enough

• Chipset - MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate
• RAM - 12GB LPDDR5x
• Storage - Up to 512GB UFS 3.1

The MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate chipset is quite capable and easily handles day-to-day tasks. Multitasking is a breeze,e too. It even fares well in gaming and doesn't produce a lot of heat when under heavy use. The phone has 12GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage. There is also a virtual RAM expansion feature, and you get a microSD card slot to add more storage.

The phone is good for gaming

 

Regular performance is pretty good, and I didn't really face any lag while running multiple apps, using the camera, or performing various day-to-day tasks. We ran our usual set of benchmarks on the phone, and it performed similarly to other phones in the segment.

Benchmark	Infinix Zero 40	Nothing Phone 2a Plus	Motorola Edge 50 Pro	iQOO Z9s Pro
Geekbench 6 Single	1096	1204	1142	1136
Geekbench 6 Multi	3601	2658	3124	3091
AnTuTu v10	956927	762,955	818,387	814328
PCMark Work 3.0	15466	12663	13,730	10460
3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Slingshot	Maxed Out	7243	8393	8255
3DM Wild Life	6362	4779	5394	5287
3DM Wild Life Unlimited	6454	5038	5457	5428
GFXBench T-Rex	144	60	116	119
GFXBench Manhattan 3.1	92	58	61	74
GFXBench Car Chase	52	35	32	40

Gaming on the phone is fun, thanks mainly to the large screen with 144Hz refresh rate. I ran BGMI, Asphalt Legends Unite, and Genshin Impact on the phone and was able to play all of them without much lag. In BGMI and Asphalt Legends Unit, I was able to play with the highest available graphics. However, with Genshin Impact, I couldn't play with the highest settings, and I also found that the phone would heat up after just 15-20 minutes. I also noticed this heating when using the rear camera for 4K video recording.

The phone does heat up when running heavy games

 

The Infinix Zero 40 5G delivers good call quality and audio performance. It features a dual stereo speaker setup with "Sound by JBL," along with support for DTS Hi-RES Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless. Calls came through clearly, both through the microphone and ear speaker. The dual speakers provide good stereo separation and are loud and clear but fall short in bass.

Infinix Zero 40 Cameras: Decent

• Rear main - 108-megapixel wide, OIS
• Secondary - 50-megapixel ultra-wide, 120-degree FoV
• Front - 50-megapixel wide

Infinix is heavily marketing the Zero 40 5G video recording capabilities and even calling it a vlogging phone. As per the brand, it's the first phone in the segment to offer 4k 60fps recording on the primary, ultra-wide, and front camera.

The phone supports 4K 60fps recording across three cameras

 

In my testing, while you get 4K 60fps across all three cameras, there's no stabilisation supported in this mode. However, the video performance is just about average. While there are good levels of detail in 4K resolution on all three supported cameras, the dynamic range, colours, focus shifting, and stabilisation are average. There are two levels of stabilisation available on the phone – Ultra Steady and Ultra Steady Pro. If you're shooting using 4K resolution on any of the cameras, you can only use Ultra Steady at 30fps. And the stabilisation here isn't excellent. The Ultra Steady Pro does offer slightly better stabilisation, but it only works in 1080p. However, no Ultra Steady Pro stabilisation is available on the front camera in any resolution. You also get some Vlog filters on the front camera in the video, but they're passable and don't shoot in 4K.

Now, let's talk about still photography. The photos taken in daylight conditions offer good details across both main and ultrawide cameras. Even HDR performance is pretty good for a phone at this price point. You will find colour inaccuracies between the two cameras though, and there's also some over-saturation going on.

Top to bottom: 3 x Main Camera; 3 x Ultrawide [Tap to Expand]

 

Photos taken using the primary rear camera in lowlight conditions bring in some noise, but it's definitely usable. Ultrawide camera performance in the dark is average at best, has more noise than the main, and is once again plagued by colour inaccuracy.

Top to Bottom: 2 x Main camera; 2 x Ultrawide

 

There's also a 3x mode, but it's only a zoomed-in crop, and is mostly a miss. Portrait photos are average, with the bokeh looking fake most of the time.

Infinix Zero 40 Battery: Average

• Capacity - 5,000mAh
• Fast charging - 45W wired, 20W wireless
• Charger - Included, MagCase

Infinix has equipped the Zero 40 5G with a sizable 5,000mAh battery, but it's average in terms of battery life. While it lasted over a day with regular use, it underperformed in our HD video loop test. With the brightness at 50 percent and the refresh rate set to 144Hz, the battery drained in just about 14 hours. However, you can extend the battery life by enabling adaptive brightness and switching the refresh rate to 120Hz.

You get a MagCase in the box

 

Charging the phone is fast, thanks to the included 45W charger. A full charge from 0 to 100 percent took about 1 hour and 10 minutes, which is decent. The phone also supports wireless charging at 20W.

Infinix Zero 40 Verdict

The Infinix Zero 40 5G is a good choice if you're on the lookout for a mid-range phone that offers good design, a good set of cameras that you'll mostly use in the day, good gaming performance, decent battery life, and a nice big curved display with fast refresh rate. If you're looking for a phone for vlogging, this is not the one.

In terms of alternatives in the same price range, you can try the Motorola Edge 50 Pro (Review), iQOO Z9s Pro (Review), or the Nothing Phone 2a Plus (Review). All of these have their own advantages and disadvantages, so we'd recommend reading the reviews before making a decision.