News

New Redmi 4 lineup completes Xiaomi’s stellar year

Published

November 7, 2016

Marvin Velasco

Xiaomi has been absolutely killing it this year with releases such as the bezel-hating Mi Mix, dual-camera-touting Mi 5s Plus, and visually stunning Mi Note 2. However, these are all premium products, so the China-based company made it a point to launch a trio of budget-friendly offerings before the year ends.

Here’s what we have in order of most to least expensive: the Redmi 4 Prime, Redmi 4, and Redmi 4A. Priced at CNY 899 ($133), CNY 699 ($104), and CNY 499 ($74), you can’t expect anything out of the ordinary, but they sure are affordable.

Redmi 4 Prime

Let’s begin with the top-level Redmi 4 Prime. The all-metal variant feels kind of like a midrange device for what it offers. You get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, which can handle everyday tasks with ease, plus a decent amount of memory and internal storage at 3GB and 32GB, respectively.

Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime

What it holds back on is screen size; it’s only 5 inches in diameter, but has more than enough pixels packed into it at 1920 x 1080. There’s also a 13-megapixel shooter above the fingerprint scanner at the back, and a 5-megapixel front camera for selfies. A thick 4100mAh battery keeps the lights on.

Xiaomi plastered its iPhone-like MIUI 8 interface over Android 6.0 Marshmallow on the Redmi 4 Prime, as well as on the other two phones. Gold, silver, and gray are the available colors, and they can be purchased beginning today.

Redmi 4

The 5-inch middle model of the pack looks nearly identical to the Prime version, except its LED flash is located to the right of the rear camera and isn’t as fancy as the dual-tone unit of the more-capable variant.

Xiaomi Redmi 4 (left) and Redmi 4 Prime (right)

As expected, everything is toned down to lower the price. The processor is a less powerful, yet still decent Snapdragon 430, and both the memory and screen resolution have been reduced to 2GB and 1280 x 720 pixels, respectively.

While the battery capacity remains at 4100mAh, the built-in storage is limited to 16GB, so you’d have to rely on a microSD card to squeeze in more files. The three offered colors are the same, and are available as of November 7, as well.

Redmi 4A

Despite being the cheapest of the lot, the Redmi 4A is still a good deal, thanks in part to its full-metal body and similar hardware configuration to the regular Redmi 4 — the same 5-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and same pair of cameras.

Xiaomi Redmi 4A

What it lacks is a fingerprint sensor, and both the processor and battery capacity take a hit; you only get a Snapdragon 425 chipset and 3120mAh battery here. The bonus is you have a choice between more attractive gold and rose gold colors, and the latest MIUI with Marshmallow is still on board.

Availability comes a little later — November 11, to be exact.

Limited shipping, for now

Like most Xiaomi smartphones, these three Redmi 4 handsets are exclusive to China at the moment. But unlike their more expensive siblings, they should experience international shipping like past generations of the Redmi line.

We predict India seeing the next launch, while the rest of Asia will have to rely on gray market shops before Xiaomi decides to expand further.

[irp posts=”7235″ name=”Mi Mix is Xiaomi’s ceramic concept of the future”]

Source: Xiaomi, (2)

Related Topics:Redmi 4 Redmi 4 Prime Redmi 4A Xiaomi

News

TECNO’s SPARK 50 Pro is the latest budget smartphone battery beast

Just two months after the SPARK 50 5G

Published

June 16, 2026

Vincenz

One after another, TECNO launches the SPARK 50 Pro with a beastly battery within. That’s just days after the grand launch of the POVA 8 5G in India.

Built to last

The icing of the cake has got to be the battery of the SPARK 50 Pro. However, the battery capacity will differ depending on where you live.

There’s a 5600mAh dual-cell version and a slightly larger single-cell model hitting the 6000mAh mark.

Still, despite that battery capacity, it measures just 7.8mm thin.

If you’re worried about battery longevity, the SPARK 50 Pro can still last more than 80% of their original battery capacity — even after 1900+ charging cycles in six years.

Charging support is faster at 60W, better than what TECNO’s 45W speeds in their most recent smartphones.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Beneath that battery lies MediaTek’s Helio G100 Ultimate SoC. When it comes to memory, it allows up to 24GB extended thanks to Memory Fusion 4.0.

Up front, there’s a 6.78-inch 120Hz display paired with DTS-supported dual stereo speakers.

Finally, the SPARK 50 Pro also boasts SGS Five-Star durability certification alongside IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance — making it one of the budget-friendly devices to have such durability rating.

More than meets the eye

Unlike the base SPARK 50 5G, the SPARK 50 Pro is powered by a 50MP Sony LYTIA 600 (or LYT-600) main camera. The said sensor promises improved low-light performance compared to typical cameras in its category.

The company is also bringing its TECNO’s very-own FlashSnap capabilities found in higher CAMON series. This feature offers shutter speeds of up to 1/10,000 of a second to better capture fast-moving subjects like pets, sports, or action shots.

Speaking of, TECNO’s Universal Tone technology also returns, aiming to produce more natural-looking skin tones across different environments.

Several AI-powered editing tools are included as well. That includes AI Eraser 2.0 and AI Extender for photos, AI Noise Cancellation for clearer calls, as well as AI Health Assistant. Even Ella as your AI Assistant was not left behind.

For off the grid communication, FreeLink 2.0 exists when needed.

Pricing and Availability

The TECNO SPARK 50 Pro comes in five color choices: Ink Black, Titanium Grey, Midnight Blue, Dynamic Orange, and Cloud White.

TECNO has yet to announce official pricing and regional availability.

News

Nothing is coming to over 500 Best Buy stores in the United States

Also available online

Published

June 15, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

As the newest kid on the block, Nothing hasn’t made it terribly easy to grab one of their phones. But that’s all part of the allure. After all, fashion shouldn’t be easy.

Thankfully, all that difficulty isn’t forever. Nothing, together with all its phones and accessories, are coming to over 500 Best Buys across the United States.

It’s been a long time coming. Last year, Nothing expanded first in Canada as part of its push to spread across the North American continent. Now, after all the wait, the brand is finally available in one of the other North American country’s biggest retailers for tech.

From coast to coast, fans of the fashionable brand can grab the Phone (4a) Pro, the Headphone (a), the Phone (3), and the Ear (3) at their nearest Best Buy branch. Alternatively, they can also order any of these devices online through BestBuy.com.

It’s been a quiet year for Nothing. Though the brand successfully launched the Phone (4a) Pro series earlier this year, it has no plans to launch a follow-up to last year’s Phone (3) yet, leaving the flagship market hanging by another year. That said, there’s still much to love about the brand this year, from its heavily notable designs to its capable specs.

India

TECNO’s POVA 8 5G is both futuristic and future-ready

8000mAh battery, Sony LYTIA 600 camera, Alive Matrix display, and more

Published

June 11, 2026

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Four months after the POVA Curve 2 5G, TECNO adds the POVA 8 5G to their performance-focused arsenal.

Futuristic vibe

TECNO’s POVA 8 5G continues the series’ signature sci-fi-inspired design language. The latest smartphone features sharp geometric elements and a semi-transparent rear panel.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

One of its standout features is none other than the new Alive Matrix Display. It’s a customizable light panel on the back that can display 49 pre-loaded lighting effects for incoming calls, notifications, charging status, gaming sessions, and more. Prospective users can also personalize scenarios to match their style and could actually store many more customized effects aside from the pre-loaded ones.

Beside that LED display lies the 50MP main rear camera based on Sony’s LYTIA 600 (or LYT-600) sensor. The said sensor offers improved light capture for brighter and more detailed photos. It also supports 2x lossless zoom. Up front, you’ll get a 13MP front-facing shooter.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Powering the device is MediaTek’s Dimensity 7100 SoC. That’s paired together with TECNO’s in-house G1 Signal Enhancement Chip and SE1 Wi-Fi Enhancement Chip — making it a triple chipset smartphone.

TECNO says these chips help improve connectivity in challenging environments such as elevators and basements while boosting Wi-Fi reception.

The phone also features a 144Hz display with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification and military-grade durability.

Last but definitely not the least, its 8000mAh battery that can last as much as two days. For some measure, TECNO says the phone can last up to 85+ hours of music playback, 29+ hours of YouTube streaming, 26+ hours of WhatsApp, or 14+ hours of playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).

Future-ready

Aside from the beastly battery packed inside, TECNO is also bringing several practical AI tools to the POVA 8 5G.

Among them is AI YouTube Summary. This turns lengthy videos into concise notes with key points and timestamps. The device also features AI-powered noise cancellation that helps isolate the speaker’s voice during calls, recordings, and meetings.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

For photography, AI LightMaster 2.0 can remove unwanted reflections, lens flare, and shadows. The phone also supports uploading Live Photos directly to Instagram as Boomerang.

In select markets, users can even access AI Health features that estimate metrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and respiration through facial scanning technology.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Further solidifying its future readiness, TECNO promises two major Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates.

The company is also bundling three years of FREE 256GB cloud storage for POVA 8 5G users. Eligible markets can also receive a 3-month Google AI Plus trial which includes 2TB of cloud storage.

Pricing and Availability

The TECNO POVA 8 5G debuts first in India and is available in 16-Bit White, Terminal Green, and Plasma Orange colorways.

Specific pricing and availability in global markets are yet to follow along these four color choices: Arc White, Graphite Black, Echo Green, and Helios Orange.