Monthly Archives: January 2022

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Review: The Next Fan Edition

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The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the new and improved smartphone made to best its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G. It comes with a better display, better performance, and a better camera package. With all the new features, can it compete with the current smartphone greats? Is it that good of a smartphone? Let’s find out more from this review of the Samsung S21 FE 5G smartphone. 

    

 

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

Main and rear view of the Graphite Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.

 

Specifics

Display 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1080 x 2400p
CPU 8-core, Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5G) – Version 1 | 8-core, Exynos 2100 (5nm) – Version 2
GPU Adreno 660 – Version 1 | Mali-G78 MP14 – Version 2
OS/Software Android 12, One UI 4
Storage/RAM 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB |  256GB 8GB
Camera Rear: 12 MP (wide) f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS | 12 MP (ultrawide), f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚, 1/3.0″, 1.12µm | 8 MP (telephoto), f/2.4, 76mm, 1/4.5″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom | VIDEO: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS

Selfie: 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74″, 0.8µm | VIDEO: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
Battery 4500mAh; Fast charging 25W, 50% in 30 min (advertised), Fast wireless charging 15W, Reverse wireless charging, USB Power Delivery 3.0.
Misc Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC; Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified).

 

Reason to Buy

  • Excellent screen quality & colour accuracy
  • Superb performance
  • Great design
  • Water resistance
  • Great battery life
  • Good quality speakers 
  • Excellent camera
  • OS with great features

Reason to Avoid

  • Expensive smartphone
  • No phone charger
  • No dynamic refresh rate
  • No headphone jack
  • No microSD slot
  • Shorter battery life than predecessor

Get it Now!

 

 

Overview

 

 

Samsung has released another great Galaxy smartphone called the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G. Compared to the S20 FE 5G, it comes with a 6.4-inch display, a Snapdragon 5G or Exynos 5G processor (depending on which region), and an option to get one of three models that range from 128GB to 256GB internal storage, or the 6GB to 8GB of RAM.

The design matches the current Samsung Galaxy S21/S21 Plus models with a triple camera lens at the rear and a selfie camera in front. It comes with a 4500 mAh battery that supports fast, wireless, and reverse wireless charging. Next are the colours. There are four colors to choose from White, Graphite, Lavender, and Olive.

Overall, this is the new S21 FE smartphone. It has great new features for us to see and explore below. To see my review of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G smartphone, click here. For those who don’t know, the FE means the ‘Fan Edition’.  

 

 

What’s to Like

Excellent screen quality & colour accuracy

The Samsung S21 FE comes with a smaller 6.4-inch dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1080p screen resolution. The screen looks great. With sharp, clear, and accurate colours, it’s able to show 1080p pictures and videos very well.

 

Main and rear view of the White Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

Scrolling between apps, the OS interface, and webpages feels smooth with no signs of slowing down or lag. Overall, the S21 FE comes with an excellent-looking display.

 

Superb performance

The performance is one of the best features of the S21 FE. The international version comes with a Snapdragon SD888 5G chip, which is one of the best in performance. It’s an 8-core chip and includes an Adreno 660 graphics GPU. 

You get to choose between three versions: 6GB of RAM with 128GB storage; 8GB of RAM with 128GB storage, and 8GB of RAM with 256GB storage. Sadly, there’s no microSD to expand storage. Overall, if you get the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, you will have no issues with performance. 

 

Great design

If you look at the overall design of the S21 FE, it looks very similar to the Samsung S21 and S21 Plus models. So don’t too get excited.

 

Graphite, White, Lavender and Olive colours of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

The design colours look awesome. The colours available are White, Graphite, Lavender, and Olive. Overall, Great design.

 

Great battery life

The S21 FE includes a 4500mAh battery that supports fast charge, reverse charge, and wireless charge.  Upon testing with a 25W charger, I managed to get a 50% full charge in 30 minutes. That’s fast charging. Note that it’s not included upon purchase.

With the battery life, if you’re using the S21 FE moderately, i.e. for making and receiving calls, you’re looking at up to four days of battery life. With that said, the S21 FE has got good battery power, comes with numerous charging capabilities, and is capable of lasting you a lot of days.     

 

Excellent camera

The S21 FE comes with a triple camera sensor at the rear of the phone, which consists of 12MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide), and 8MP (telephoto) camera sensors. With videos, you can record up to 4K videos at 60 frames per second.

 

Rearview of the Lavender Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

With the front camera, it comes with a single 32MP (wide) sensor and also takes up to 4K videos at 60 frames per second. The main camera takes excellent quality pictures, even in ultrawide mode, zoomed up to 3x optical, and in night mode. The detail is excellent, with great contrasts, taking all the detail, and a fair degree of sharpness. Taking selfies with the S21 FE comes out great with good colours and sharpness. 

 

Other features

Great sound output, thanks to the two speakers on the top behind the screen and at the bottom with a bit of a kick in the bass. The loudspeaker comes out clear but lacks in loudness. Overall, it’s not that loud, nor is it powerful, but the S21 delivers good sound.  

 

 

What’s not to Like

 

Expensive smartphone

Expect to pay close to US$700 for the S21 FE smartphone. That really is a high price. 

 

No phone charger

Nowadays if you buy a smartphone, especially a top range, expect not to find a phone charger in the box. You going to have to purchase one separately. 

 

No dynamic refresh rate

It’s great that the S21 FE comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, as it improves the overall phone experience, but with every app, you use it sticks to the same refresh rate. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it ends up shortening the phone’s battery life. 

 

No headphone jack, no microSD slot

Wireless accessories are the way to go nowadays. If you want to listen to music or connect hands-free, then you will have to get a Bluetooth headset or earbuds. If you want more storage space, rather get a better phone than the S21 FE like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. It was more expensive though. 

 

Shorter battery life

Other reviews say the S21 FE will last close to four days of battery life, whereas the S20 FE will last over four and a half days of battery life. Note that they both have a 4500mAh battery, under moderate usage, and with both displays set at 120Hz refresh rate. 

Overall, the battery life is not bad for the S21 FE, it’s just that for a newer model you’d expect a better phone with longer battery life. Unless you switch the refresh rate to 60Hz. That will prolong the battery life of the phone.    

 

Verdict 

I recommend the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G smartphone for the following reasons. Firstly, the smooth scrolling and fast performance is excellent. Next, the camera package delivers awesome pictures and video. Thirdly, the good long battery life. And lastly, screen quality and design. 

 

Front and side view of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

 

Yes, it may be expensive, but it’s a powerful smartphone capable, reliable, durable with water resistance and protective glass, and fun to have. If price is a factor, rather wait until it comes down, or you can check out the Galaxy S20 FE  or other Samsung Galaxy smartphones.   

If you have any questions, comments, or personal opinions about the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G or any Samsung Galaxy smartphone in general, you can add them here below, and I will respond to them as soon as possible. So if you like the S21 FE, why not click here to find out more and see what’s more in store for you? 

 

2022 Acer Chromebook Spin 311 Review: Budget Chromebook

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The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is not like any Chromebook, it’s also a flexible 2-in-1 wonder. It works and functions as both a laptop and a tablet. So you will quickly get familiar with it. Another reason is that it’s cheap, portable, quite durable and adaptive, and user-friendly. But will this budget Acer Chromebook meet your everyday needs? Let’s find out from the review of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311.    

 

Acer Chromebook Spin 311

The main view of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 3H plus stylus

 

2022 Acer Chromebook Spin 311 3H | DISPLAY: 11.6-inches HD IPS, 1366 x 768, 2-in-1 Touchscreen | CPU: MediaTek MT8183C, 2.00GHz, 8-core | STORAGE: 64GB eMMC | RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X | OS: Chrome OS | GPU: ARM Mail-G72 MP3 Integrated | INPUT: 1 x USB Type-C ports USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps) Display Port over USB Type-C & USB Charging, 1 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack (headphone/speaker) | OTHER: Webcam, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, weighs 2.65 lbs (1.2 kg)

REASONS TO BUY

  • Budget 2-in-1 Chromebook
  • Portable & durable
  • Great for web browsing, emails & video streaming
  • Long battery life
  • Includes access to cloud storage
  • Includes USB-type C & USB 2.0 ports
  • Responsive keyboard & touchpad
  • Includes stylus pen

REASONS TO AVOID

  • Mediocre storage
  • Mediocre performance
  • Comes with a small, low res HD screen
  • Few input ports
  • No backlit keyboard

Click to Buy Now!

 

Overview

So what is this Acer Chromebook? Well, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a 2-in-1 laptop, that functions as both a laptop and a tablet. It comes with an 11.6-inch touchscreen display, including a keyboard and touchpad. You can open it up to 360 degrees and use the touchscreen as a tablet. The hinges attached are pretty firm and keep the Chromebook screen from flipping backward. 

It also includes a MediaTek CPU, with 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. And lastly, it comes Chrome OS operating system, and up to 15 hours of battery life, as advertised. Overall, these are typical specs you will find in most budget laptops and Chromebooks. Expect to get it at an affordable price under the US$300 range. Let’s see what makes this laptop tick.     

 

What’s to Like

So what makes the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 so special? Firstly, the Chromebook weighs 2.65 pounds (1.2 kg). It’s really lightweight and portable so you can carry it whenever and go where ever you, please. 

 

Tent-fold view of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 3H

 

Next. It’s a very nice tool to use for basic computer functions such as internet browsing, and video streaming, and great for daily working activities. Thirdly. The Acer Chromebook comes at an affordable price. Yep. Right now it costs less than US$250. Good price for a budget Chromebook. Next. It has fewer input ports but a good mix of USB 2 and USB-C ports. It comes with a strong silver plastic build, strong hinges, and protective glass for the screen, which makes it more durable.  

Lastly. It was advertised that, with the Acer Chromebook, you can get up to 15 hours of battery life. Upon testing, I can say it doesn’t really hit that mark, but I was satisfied when it lasted for about 12. Not bad for battery life.

 

What’s not to Like

As much as this Chromebook comes with good perks, here are a few things you need to know. Firstly, it comes with a small, low-resolution HD display and thick screen bezels. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s just not as good as a 1080p screen. It still offers good-quality views. 

 

Keyboard & touchpad view of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 3H

 

Next. The MediaTek CPU inside is not a powerful processing chip, but it manages to get the job done. As long as you don’t open a lot of apps at once, you will not have performance issues or deal with system crashes.

Next. I know 64GB of internal storage is not much, but alternatively, you can access cloud storage online, giving you even more gigs to store files and media. Just make sure you have a good internet connection.  Lastly. The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 does come with a comfortable and responsive keyboard and mouse pad, but no backlit keyboard here.     

Verdict

If you’re in the market for a basic Chromebook, the Acer Spin 311 is a great choice. It offers excellent value for money, and will likely appeal to any users who are looking for an affordable 2-in-1 portable computer that can be used for web browsing and other everyday tasks.

Overall, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a great value for its price tag. If you are looking for a sturdy 2-in-1 notebook to use primarily for email, web browsing, and some light video streaming, this could be the perfect laptop for you. If you want to do more with it (such as editing spreadsheets, high-quality video streaming, or photo editing), then you may need to consider upgrading the RAM or choosing a more expensive model with better specs. 

however, if you’re looking for a cheap Chromebook that can handle all your essential needs, then this is the one for you. Internal storage is low but if you have a good internet connection you can easily access your files and documents in cloud storage. 

So if you want a new budget release or a laptop for your teens to use at school or college, then this is the perfect laptop for them too. Trust me. It’s a great buy. Click here to find out more and to buy the Chromebook. Thanks for checking out my review of this awesome Acer Chromebook 311.

If you have any questions or comments, then kindly leave them below. All that is left for me to say is to click here to find out more or to purchase the Chromebook. If it’s what you looking for, don’t waste time. Get it. Try it. You won’t regret it. 

 

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl Review

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Hello, Pokemon fans. Welcome to the Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Review. This video game is available right now for the Nintendo Switch/OLED console and the Switch Lite handheld. With new colorful 3D graphics, familiar turn-based, and new gameplay features, is this next installment one of the best Pokemon games of 2021? Let’s check out the review. 

 

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and

Pokemon Shining Pearl

 

Get Brilliant Diamond Now!

Get Shining Pearl Now!

 

REASON TO BUY

  • Colorful visuals, animations & texture
  • Great overall 3D graphics
  • New gameplay features
  • Great audio & sound effects
  • 40+ hours of gameplay

REASON NOT TO BUY

  • Lots of written dialogue
  • Fewer pokemon

 

Overview

 

 

Get ready for another Pokemon adventure with two new installments, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl. It’s actually a remake of the 2006 release Pokemon Diamond/Pokemon Pearl on the Nintendo DS. You play a young pokemon trainer who travels throughout the Sinnoh region, fighting other pokemon trainers, gym leaders, and other wild pokemon.

You start out with your own pokemon, then you collect more throughout the world, whilst getting them stronger to fight stronger trainers until you reach the elite four, then you become the Pokemon champion. Compared to the older version, it’s a gorgeous game with beautiful 3D graphics, colorful texture excellent visuals, and great overall gameplay.

There are two versions you can buy. Both with the same visuals, most pokemon, and gameplay. But with one or two different pokemon, which you can get from trading online. So It doesn’t really matter which one to buy really. Overall. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl are great pokemon games, with colorful 3D graphics, and great gameplay, and include new gaming features and mechanics. 

 

What’s to Like

 

So why should you get a copy of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl? Let’s see here below. Firstly, the game comes with colorful textures and 3D graphics. The original game included 2D sprites and models in a 2D top-down perspective.

Now it’s been modernized with 3D models and sprites, with a nice zoom-in camera when facing other pokemon trainers, great overall animations, and colorful content and visuals. Next are the new gaming features and mechanics. There’s a quick button press to catch pokemon during battles. There’s an underground area where you can explore, and find rare pokemon and rare items.

If you have to save files from other Pokemon games, you can get rare pokemon by talking to NPCs. You can even change Pokemon on the go from your boxes without having to go to a Pokemon Center. There’s so much more for you to discover in both of these games.

 

Pokemon battle with your starter fire-type Pokemon, Chimchar.

 

Thirdly, the games come with an excellent great musical score, including good sound effects and great background music. There’s still no voice acting from NPCs as all speech is dialogue, but the Pokemon still maintain their cries even the Pokemon favorite, Pikachu.

Then lastly, the two games include 40+ hours of gameplay, even long after you’ve completed the main story. There are much stronger and rare pokemon to find, and a separate area for you to explore. Just know that you will spend a lot of hours playing this game. 

 

What’s not to Like

 

As much as the two new games come with great features, there are a few things that you should take before you get the game. Firstly, this is a remake so all the gaming mechanics from the original 2006 release are included. For instance, you still need to find Pokemon in tall grass, except in the underground area. There’s no voice acting so dialogue is written in text. The games still use the top-down view of the original. 

 

One of the many different towns and cities to explore.

 

Next is the two games both come with a shorter pokemon roster. Upon playing the game I was having trouble finding fire-type pokemon as they are very few. So if you want to, choose the fire-type pokemon when you start for an easier gaming experience.

 

Verdict

 

Overall, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl are excellent remakes of the original 2006 versions, of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Gamefreak has succeeded in preserving the original gaming mechanics, whilst giving both games a modern look, and new gaming features. 

 

Pokemon battle with Shinx.

 

Even though there are fewer Pokemon to find, the two games are great to play and enjoyable for all ages. If you like the older Pokemon games and want one with a modern look to it, then I recommend you get one of these games. 

If you played and liked Pokemon Sword and Shield, you may not really like these two games reviewed here. Rather wait for the newer Pokemon Arceus coming out early in 2022. Thank you for checking out my review of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl. If you like this review, please leave a comment here below.

Click on the buttons provided to see how you can get yourself one of these awesome pokemon remakes of 2021. So what are you waiting for? If you want to go on another Pokemon adventure, then get yourself a copy of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond or Pokemon Shining Pearl.