Vik
February 15, 2018
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Xiaomi Launches Redmi Note 5 & Redmi Note 5 Pro with 18:9 5.99-Inch LCDs

Xiaomi on Wednesday introduced its new Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro smartphones in India. The key difference between the new phablets and their predecessors is a large 5.99” display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, but there are many other improvements too, including new design, camera, software and so on. The Redmi Note 5 will continue to employ the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, but the Redmi Note 5 Pro will use a more powerful Snapdragon 636. The Redmi Note 5 will be priced below $200, whereas the Redmi Note 5 Pro will address audiences demanding higher performance/improved features and will therefore cost more than $200.

New Display & Look

Displays with an 18:9 aspect ratio introduced to the mass market by the LG G6 and the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ last year will become more widespread on higher-end, mainstream and specialized smartphones this year. The new Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro handsets from Xiaomi are outfitted with large 5.99” IPS displays featuring a 1080×2160 resolution and covered by Corning Gorilla Glass for protection.

The larger screens naturally have an impact on overall design of the new smartphones, so it is not surprising that the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro look significantly different than their predecessors. Both phones come in an aluminum unibody chassis with rounded edges and antenna separated from the rest of the back cover using polycarbonate strips that look like metal. When compared to the Redmi Note 4, the tapered back covers of the Redmi Note 5/Note 5 Pro seem to have even more rounded edges and a slightly different texture. Xiaomi says that the new shape is more comfortable to use, but keep in mind that all physical features of all mobile gadgets are very individual.

In addition to new design, Xiaomi will also offer a broader choice of colors with the new phablets. The Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro will be available in matte black, matte blue, matte gold and matte rose gold colors in India. The color lineup might be different in other countries, but it is hard to make guesses about what exactly the manufacturer will offer at this point.

Under the Hood

Now, let’s take a look under the hood. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, the same model was used for the Redmi Note 4. The chip has eight ARM Cortex-A53 general-purpose cores, the Adreno 506 graphics processor as well as Qualcomm’s X9 LTE modem, its performance and capabilities are well known, so there is nothing new here. It is a bit strange to see one SoC be inside both Redmi Note 4 and Redmi Note 5, but perhaps Xiaomi decided to stick to the chip due to cost reasons in a bid to price the RM5 competitively.

By contrast, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 636 featuring Kryo 260 CPU (four semi-custom ARM Cortex A73 cores at 1.8 GHz and four semi-custom ARM Cortex-A53 cores at 1.6 GHz), the Adreno 509 GPU, an LPDDR4X memory controller as well as Qualcomm’s X12 LTE modem. Since A73 cores are among the highest-performing mobile CPU cores today, the Redmi Note 5 Pro will offer significantly higher peak general-purpose performance than the Redmi Note 5. Meanwhile, the S636 will also maintain similar energy efficiency in power saving mode (when compared to the S625) since low-power A53 derivatives are still there; besides, both SoCs are made using Samsung’s 14LPP process technology and therefore their voltages and other physical characteristics are similar.

When it comes to DRAM and storage configurations, Xiaomi will offer various versions of the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro — there will be models with 3 GB of memory and 32 GB of NAND flash (the entry-level Note 5), variants with 4 GB of DRAM and 64 GB of storage as well as 6 GB of LPDDR4X with 64 GB of NAND (the flagship Note 5 Pro model). The new Redmi Note 5 smartphones have microSD slots that support cards of up to 128 GB, so it is easy to upgrade internal storage of the new devices (but keep in mind that you are going to need microSD cards with A1 or A2 badges to install software on them).

As for operating system, the new Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro will ship with the Android Nougat version 7.1.2 with the MIUI 9 on top.

Imaging: New Sensors, Improved Software and LED Flash for Selfies

In addition to different SoCs, the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro have vastly different imaging capabilities. The Redmi Note 5 is outfitted with a 12 MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture and a dual-tone LED flash on the back as well as a 5 MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture and a LED flash on the front. Xiaomi claims that the new back-facing camera works better in low light conditions and also has an improved white balance, but one has to test the handset to verify such claims.

By contrast, the Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with a ‘dual’ camera on the back that is comprised of a Sony IMX 486 12 MP (f/2.2, 1.25 μm) sensor, a 5 MP (f/2.0, 1.12 μm) depth sensor from Samsung and a dual-tone LED flash. The camera supports electronic image stabilization, phase detection autofocus as well as a variety of capabilities enabled by a depth sensor. Xiaomi says that the Redmi Note 5 Pro rear camera software features machine learning-based enhancements for more accurate edge detection by using semantic segmentation. On the front, the phone has a Sony IMX376 20 MP (f/2.0, 1/2.8”) sensor with a 4500K LED flash. This camera is also outfitted with the same ML-based software for edge detection, but since it does not have a depth sensor, the algorithm probably works a bit differently here. To further improve quality of selfies made by the front camera, Xiaomi also furnished its Redmi Note 5 Pro smartphone with its Beautify 4.0 software enhancement that supports multiple filters to remove various face imperfections. It is noteworthy that the camera software with Beautify 4.0 enhancements was tuned with India in mind and it remains to be seen whether the company introduces region- and/or country-specific camera enhancements in different parts of the world.

Connectivity, Battery, Security

Connectivity is a mixed bag for the Redmi Note 5. The smartphones support 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 and a microUSB 2.0 port for charging. Both 802.11n and microUSB look a tad outdated for 2018 smartphones. Capping Wi-Fi to 802.11n is something that Xiaomi did to the S625-based Redmi Note 4, so it is not completely surprising that the company did the same to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. Perhaps, Xiaomi will rethink its Wi-Fi support for the Redmi Note 5 aimed at different markets, but only time will tell (frankly, it is something unlikely to happen). Connectivity of the Redmi Note 5 Pro was improved considerably compared to the RN4/RN5. The handset supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, but it still uses microUSB 2.0 port for charging.

As for WWAN connectivity, the Snapdragon 625 and 636 support LTE, WCDMA, CDMA and GSM, but since this was an India-specific announcement, Xiaomi revealed bands fthat are relevant for this country and particular models. In any case, the best thing one can get out of the S625/X9 is 300 Mbps DL and 150 Mbps UL, whereas the S636/X12 supports up to 600 Mbps DL and 150 Mbps UL. Exact capabilities of particular smartphones depend on what manufacturers decide to support.

Next up is biometric security, which is a standard capability nowadays. The Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro are equipped with fingerprint readers, but the latter will also support Face Unlock feature after it gets an OTA update in late March. According to Xiaomi, its face recognition mechanism works faster than its fingerprint reader, but at present the company does not go beyond that.

Both new smartphones from Xiaomi are equipped with a 4000 mAh battery that enables them to last for at least a day of active usage (based on the manufacturer’s clams). The company is known for using high-capacity batteries in its handsets, so the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro are not exceptions.

Xiaomi Note 5 and Note 5 Pro Smartphones
	Redmi Note 5 3 GB/32 GB	Redmi Note 5 4 GB/64 GB	Redmi Note 5 Pro 4 GB/64 GB	Redmi Note 5 Pro 6 GB/64 GB
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 8 × ARM Cortex-A53 at 2 GHz Adreno 506 at 624 MHz		Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 4 × custom ARM Cortex-A73 at 1.8 GHz 4 × custom ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.6 GHz Adreno 509
RAM	3 GB LPDDR3	4 GB LPDDR3	4 GB LPDDR4X	6 GB LPDDR4X
Storage	32 GB + microSD	64 GB + microSD
Display	5.99″ 2160×1080 (403 ppi) 450 nits brightness 1000:1 contrast ratio 84% NTSC color gamut
Network	4G: LTE FDD 1/3/5, LTE TDD 40/41 3G: WCDMA 1/2/5/8 2G: 2/3/5/8
LTE	Down: 300 Mb/s Up: 150 Mb/s		Down: 600 Mb/s Up: 150 Mb/s
Fingerprint	Yes
Dimensions	158.5 × 75.5 × 8.1 mm 6.24 × 2.97 × 0.32 inches
Weight	~180 grams
Rear Camera	12 MP (f/2.2 aperture) dual-tone LED flash		12 MP (f/2.2, 1.25 μm) Sony IMX 486 sensor 5 MP (f/2.0, 1.12 μm) Samsung depth sensor Dual-tone LED flash
Front Camera	5 MP (f/2.0 aperture) LED flash		Sony IMX376 20 MP (f/2.0, 1/2.8”) sensor 4500K LED flash
Battery	4000 mAh
OS	Google Android 7.1.2 with MIUI 9
Connectivity	802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, microUSB 2.0, 3.5mm TRRS		802.11 b/g/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5 microUSB 2.0, 3.5mm TRRS
Navigation	GPS + GLONASS
SIM Size	Nano SIM + micro SD/Dual Nano SIM
Colors	Black, Gold, Blue, Rose Gold
Launch Countries	India
Price	Rs. 9,999 $156	Rs. 11,999 $187	Rs. 13,999 $219	Rs. 16,999 $265

Price & Availability

Xiaomi will start selling its new Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro smartphones in India this month and will gradually expand their availability to other markets in the coming months and quarters. The Redmi Note 5 will retail starting from Rs. 9,999 ($156) for the 3 GB + 32 GB version and Rs. 11,999 ($187) for the 4 GB + 64 GB variant. The Redmi Note 5 Pro will naturally be more expensive: the flagship model with 6 GB of LPDDR4X and 64 GB of NAND will cost Rs. 16,999 ($265), whereas a SKU with 4 GB of DRAM and 64 GB of storage will be priced at Rs. 13,999 ($219).

HP Expands DaaS Offerings: Apple Devices, HP VR Solutions, and Tech Café Market

Today, HP announced a new set of Device as a Service (DaaS) offerings for customers and channel partners. Notably, this includes the reveal of DaaS offerings for Apple devices, where HP will provide support for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple equipment. Along with expansion through Apple products, HP is also expanding their DaaS services to cover their own VR solutions. This includes the Z4 Workstation and the HP Windows Mixed Reality VR headset. HP aims to cover major customer pain points by unifying diverse fleets of different device types and OSes and free up IT resources.

HP DaaS program for Apple will cover dozens of SKU and include multiple versions of each device. Apple coverage includes accidental damage protection as well as next day onsite repair or replacement which can minimize downtime for the user increasing productivity. Part of this plan includes specialized endpoint management. These HP experts are able to deploy applications, provision Wi-Fi access, and set and enforce security policies taking a load off internal IT resources. They are also able to find and protect data on devices that may have been lost or stolen. HP also offers optional services covering the entire device lifecycle from design and planning, as well as configuration and deployment services.

HP is also expanding its real-time hardware analytics and proactive device management capabilities. The analytics are able to capture data including health monitoring (device to component level), security status reports as well analytics and reports for IT planning. Monitoring points such as CPU and Memory utilization, temperatures, battery and HDD life, Windows BSOD and software errors, and security policy compliance are some of the items which are monitored and analyzed. Some of the data can be used to proactively fix or update devices when a trend is recognized. HP says they have nearly 40 Million devices reporting non-PII (Personally Identifiable Information) into their analytics. HP is able to use this data to be able to spot trends and more quickly resolve issues with data collected from both the client level and the entire ‘data lake’ as HP called it.

In addition to expanding the available devices and how they are managed, HP also introduced the Tech Cafe Market Enhanced. The Tech Café is an end-to-end smart vending and storage solution able to provide end-users immediate access to accessories and peripherals. A 24/7 locker for device swaps is available for quick exchange of devices for repair or new deployment. End users are able to easily access accessories or new devices directly from the lockers without a dedicated IT resource saving time and improving customer experience. HP can also manage ordering, stock replenishment, and reporting for the clients again with an aim to free up IT resources.

HP’s DaaS update continues to point the service in the direction of a complete end-to-end solution for commercial environments who would like to reduce expenses by essentially renting hardware, while still getting quality IT support for the ever-increasing amount of devices today’s workers have. Customers are able to get everything needed from hardware to lifecycle services intended to improve efficiency and free up IT resources. HP’s key value proposition is to deliver a lower total cost of ownership for getting the right product in the user’s hands. The rollout for DaaS programs for Apple is in North America now with plans to expand out to India and the Asia-Pacific region in the coming months. Both the new Z4 workstation and the HP Windows Mixed Reality headset is available now.

Google Announces Cloud TPU v2 Beta Availability for Google Cloud Platform

This week, Google announced Cloud TPU beta availability on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP), accessible through their Compute Engine infrastructure-as-a-service. Using the second generation of Google’s tensor processing units (TPUs), the standard…

Vik
February 14, 2018
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Intel Adds Mobile Core i3-8130U to Lineup: Increased Cache and Turbo

Intel on Tuesday introduced the Core i3-8130U, its first mobile 8^th Generation Core i3 processor. The new chip features two cores operating at a high frequency and supports Turbo Boost 2.0 technology to make them even faster when power and temperatures permit. The CPU also gains an L3 cache size increase over its predecessors, stepping up to 2MB of inclusive L3 cache per core. However, the new processor is listed as only $16 cheaper than one above it in Intel’s stack, the quad-core Core i5-8250U, posing questions about its appeal to the end-user.

The Core i3-8130U

The Intel Core i3-8130U has two cores with Hyper-Threading, operating at 2.2 GHz base frequency and speeding up to 3.4 GHz in Turbo Boost 2.0 mode; the chip is outfitted with 4 MB of L3 cache and has a 15 W TDP. Previous-generation mobile ULV Core i3 processors came with 3 MB of L3 cache and did not feature Turbo mode, by comparison. The addition of Turbo comes at a different cost, as it would appear that Intel has reduced the base frequency to compensate: the default frequency of the previous generation Core i3-7130U was 2.7 GHz, whereas the new Core i3-8130 is at 2.2 GHz. There is also the added complication that Turbo frequency boosting depends on multiple factors, such as chassis design and cooling performance.

When it comes to graphics and memory, the new CPU features the UHD Graphics 620 iGPU (GT2) as well as a dual-channel memory controller supporting LPDDR3-2133 or DDR4-2400. From silicon point of view, we are dealing with a Kaby Lake Refresh 2+2 design, and the main difference with the original Kaby Lake is the addition of native support of HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2, and possible minor fixes.

Intel Mobile Core i3 and Core i5 Processors
		Core i5-8250U	Core i3-8130U	Core i3-7130U
CPU Cores/Threads		4/8	2/4
Frequency	Base	1.6 GHz	2.2 GHz	2.7 GHz
	Dual-Core Turbo	?	3.4 GHz	2.7 GHz
	Single-Core Turbo	3.4 GHz	3.4 GHz	2.7 GHz
TDP (PL1) @ Base Frequency		15 W
Instantaneous Turbo Power (PL2)		44 W	?	19 W
Configurable TDP-up Freq.		1.8 GHz	–	–
Configurable TDP-up		25 W	–	–
L3 Cache		6 MB	4 MB	3 MB
Graphics	GPU	UHD 620		HD 620
	EUs	24 EUs
	Base Freq.	300 MHz
	Turbo Freq.	1.1 GHz	1 GHz
DRAM Support		LPDDR3-2133 DDR4-2400 128-bit		DDR3L-1600 LPDDR3-1866 DDR4-2133 128-bit
Price at Launch		$297	$281	$281
Launch Timeframe		Q3 2017	Q1 2018	Q2 2017

Intel positions the Core i3-8130U as its lowest-cost offering for the latest mainstream notebooks and 2-in-1 PCs. The processor is listed at $281 in 1000-unit quantities, which is only $16 cheaper than the price of the quad-core Core i5-8250U. Historically, RCPs of Intel’s higher-end mobile Core i3 products have matched (or almost matched) prices of the company’s entry mobile Core i5 offerings, so there is nothing new here.

However, the difference between 7^th Generation mobile Core i3 and Core i5 was negligible and pricing of these CPUs just reflected that. By contrast, today we are dealing with a $297 quad-core Core i5-8250U operating at 1.6-3.4 GHz as well as a $281 dual-core Core i3-8130U operating at 2.2-3.4 GHz. Despite the clock speed difference, we would expect many modern workloads that are multi-threaded to give the i5-8250U a significant advantage over the i3-8130U. In any case, at $281, the new CPU is currently the most affordable 8^th Generation mobile Core processor and it will enable PC makers to build slightly cheaper versions of their latest laptops or 2-in-1s.

Note: The image above depicts Intel’s 8^th Generation Core i7 SoC. The 8^th Generation Core i3 SoC may look differently.

The Latest High-Capacity M.2: The Samsung 860 EVO 2TB SSD, Reviewed

The Samsung 860 EVO is the mainstream side of Samsung’s new generation of consumer SATA SSDs, though our 2TB M.2 drive is a bit of a niche product. Like the 860 PRO, the new 860 EVO provides the necessary improvements to keep up with today’s competition, but Samsung is still setting prices like they’re the only ones with a high-performance TLC drive.

Vik