Category: Android

Best Budget Gaming Controllers for PC and Android in India for 2021.

Keyboard and mouse are the standard controllers for PC games. They have been designed specifically for gaming, which makes them great at it. However, they are not perfect. When you play a racing or sports game with a keyboard and mouse, it feels very awkward because your hands are too far apart. This is where a game controller comes in. A good controller is not just an alternative to your touchscreen or keyboard and mouse, sometimes it is the only way to completely experience what a game has to offer.

Whether you are a PC gamer or an Android gamer, the two things that matter most to both of you is performance and affordability. So if your controller’s budget is limited, it is very important to choose wisely. Luckily for us, there are plenty of great controllers out there that aren’t terribly expensive. There are so many different types of gamepads available in the market today that it can get really overwhelming trying to find the best controller for yourself. But look no further! We at techoids have scoured the market for popular budget gamepads to find out which ones are worth your money. Check our list of top picks below!

Best controllers for PC gaming

1. Logitech F310 Gamepad

Connectivity: 6 feet USB cable

Compatible with: PC

Rumble feature: No

Price: Rs.1895

Reasons to buy:

Programmable buttons

Both DirectInput and XInput compatibility

Reasons to avoid:

No Rumble feature

The Logitech F310 Gamepad is the perfect controller for PC gaming. It’s fully compatible with many of today’s top games, giving you precise control over your game play. The programmable D-pad allows you to switch between up to 4-way movement or 8-way directional movement on the fly, so you can always take advantage of your skills! Other than this there are 10 programmable buttons which can be tweaked by using the free logitech profiler software. The rubber coated analog sticks have a great grip and will provide no issue during long gaming sessions.

F310 is easy to set up, you just have to plug and play! No software installation needed. It even supports both XInput and DirectInput modes, you can easily switch input modes using the slider button at the bottom. The only feature that f310 lacks is Rumble feature which really sets it back from others on the list. But if Rumble feature isn’t on the top of your list then F310 is a great Pc controller for enjoying casual gaming sessions.

2. Ant Esports GP300

Connectivity: Wireless 2.4GHz USB dongle

Range: 8 meters

Run time: 10 hours at a charge of 2 hours

Compatible with: PC, Android

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.1149

Reasons to buy:

Great Rumble feature

Great grip on joysticks

Both XInput and DirectInput support

LED battery indicator

Reasons to avoid:

Battery life is not that great

Ant Esports GP300 is a high precision wireless game pad for PC and android. There are two modes for the controller: Xinput/DInput PC mode and Android mode. In Android mode, gamers can play games on their Android devices via OTG cable connection. You can just plug and play without installing any drivers. It has an ergonomic design with great grips on all buttons including the two joysticks. You can use the micro USB cable at the back to charge the controller, you can expect a run time of 10 hours with a charge of around 2 hours.

The Rumble feature is great because of the powerful vibration motors, note that Rumble feature is only available in games supporting XInput mode. On top of this you also get a turbo mode to slide through those button mashing game sequences. Overall the gamepad is a great affordable wireless option for PC gaming.

3. Cosmic Byte Callisto

Connectivity: Wired (Wireless version is also available)

Compatible with: PC, Android

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.999

Reasons to buy:

Great design for long gaming sessions

Two programmable macros at the back

back lit keys

Reasons to avoid:

Toggle radius of analog sticks is super short

Cosmic Byte Callisto is an ergonomically designed controller for PS4, PS3 and PC. It has a textured grip on the controller’s surface with a rubber finish to ensure your hand does not slip while playing. This allows you to have better control over your character without having to worry about the controller slipping out of your hands. Cosmic Byte have designed the Callisto considering optimisation for FPS games. The sensitive triggers and accurate analog sticks allow gamers to play comfortably, accurately and faster than ever before. The ergonomic design enables you to focus on the game at hand without losing control due to fatigue.

The two macro keys on the back of the controller provide you with quick access to your favorite commands and macros. The vibration of the controller gives you a great tactile feel. On top of that all of the keys are LED backlit adding to the overall look of the device. This controller is perfect for all pc games including competitive titles. The controller also has a wireless version which is priced at Rs.1448.

4. RPM Euro Games

Connectivity: Wired (Wireless version is also available)

Compatible with: PC, Android TV

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.699

Reasons to buy:

Super affordable

You get rumble feature at an inexpensive price

Both Xinput and DirectInput support

Reasons to avoid:

Not great for FPS titles

Doesn’t have great quality plastic

Analog sticks don’t have a great grip

RPM euro games controller is a super affordable controller for PC. This controller is perfect if you want to enjoy casual games on your pc with a good Rumble feature. The controller has a standard button layout without any extra macro keys. It is fully compatible with both XInput and DirectInput games, you can easily switch the modes using the home button. Even though it has vibration motors its form factor and weight remains low, it is super lightweight to carry making it easier for your hands to hold. It has USB connectivity, the wire length is around 1.7 meters. While it is not recommended for competitive FPS titles you can still enjoy games like fifa or racing titles on it without any issue. The controller is also available in a wireless version which is priced at Rs.999.

5. Quantum QHM7468

Connectivity: Wired

Compatible with: PC

Rumble feature:Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.433

Reasons to buy:

Super cheap

Rumble feature at an affordable price

Reasons to avoid:

Triggers are not sequential, they are buttons(No acceleration or deceleration they just act as normal buttons) which will affect gameplay in racing games

The QHM7468 is a controller for PC which has a similar design to that of a dualshock 2. It provides a total of 10 buttons and two analog function keys with four triggers, which covers all the functions you need in most games. The controller doesn’t offer any fancy features but gets the job done perfectly. You even get a Rumble feature which is a rarity at this price range. The controller is made up of good quality plastic, you can expect a good grip while playing games. Note that you will have to install the drivers of the controller before use, you get a CD with driver loaded but you can also download them from the product’s website. Overall it is a great budget controller for casual gaming experience on PC, it is not recommended for competitive FPS titles or racing games with high precision.

Best controllers for android gaming

1. CLAW Shoot Bluetooth

Connectivity: Bluetooth and 2.4GHz USB dongle

Range: 10 meters

Run time: 10 hours

Compatible with: PC, Android

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.1949

Reasons to buy:

Great for smartphones due to the mobile bracket

Great button mapping features

Convenient button layout

Reasons to avoid:

No Rumble feature for android games

The CLAW Shoot is a Bluetooth game controller that uses the Playstation 4 DualShock style ergonomic design. The CLAW Shoot allows you to play games by attaching it directly to your mobile device, tablets or PC via bluetooth or the USB dongle. The included PC mode uses the 2.4Ghz wireless USB dongle which is included in the box together with a detachable smartphone bracket capable of holding mobiles between 4 -7 inches. The CLAW Shoot Controller uses pre-configured buttons or you can configure your own buttons using the ‘ShootingPlus V3’ app from Google Play. The app allows you to map the on screen controls to your gamepad buttons. The controller also features Rumble feature, but it is only compatible with PC games. It has a powerful 400mAH battery which gives you a good runtime of up to 10 hours with a full charge of 2 hours. Overall the controller performs really well when it comes to android phones thanks to its convenient mobile bracket and button mapping features. You can even use it for PC games if you want, the controller also has a wired version and a wireless version without the smartphone bracket which are priced slightly less than this one, you can opt for those if you want it for PC games.

2. Live Tech GPW01

Connectivity: Bluetooth

Range: 10 meters

Run time: 10 hours

Compatible with: Android and IOS

Rumble feature: No

Price: Rs.1349

Reasons to Buy:

A great smartphone bracket

The controller has an anti slip texture

Reasons to avoid:

No support for smartphones with mediatek processors

Live Tech GPW01 is a wireless gamepad for mobile devices, which can be connected to Smartphones, Tablets and Android TV Boxes via Bluetooth. It supports most mobile games in the App Store/Google Play by default. The controller uses Bluetooth 4.0 technology to connect with your devices within 10 feet without any delay. The whole controller has an anti slip texture, so it won’t slip out of your hands while playing. It also has a smartphone bracket that you can use to mount your phone. Note that the controller doesn’t support smartphones with a mediatek processor.

Best controllers for both

1. Redgear pro

Connectivity: Bluetooth dongle

Range: 10 meters

Run time: 2 hours in a charge of 30 minutes

Compatible with: PC and Android

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.1699

Reasons to buy:

Great build quality that will last for years

Good battery life

Backlit buttons

Reasons to avoid:

The analog sticks don’t have a great grip

Redgear Pro Wireless Gamepad is a gamepad that allows you to play games on your PC and android devices. It comes with 2.4 GHz wireless technology and supports up to 10 metres range. The gamepad also features an integrated dual intensity motor which allows for great Rumble, while the key illumination provides visibility even in low light conditions. The controller has an all plastic body that doesn’t feel hollow and even has a rubberized grip for a good hold. It has a micro USB port for charging, the powerful battery can give you a play time of over 2 hours with just a charge of 30 minutes. You won’t have to worry about game compatibility issues as the controller has both XInput and DirectInput modes. Overall it is a great wireless controller that provides a good experience in both PC and android games.

2. Cosmic Byte C1070T

Connectivity: Bluetooth dongle

Range: 10 meters

Run time: 12 hours in a charge of 2 hours

Compatible with: PC and Android

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.1699

Reasons to buy:

Great Rumble feature

Backlit keys

Great rubberized grip

Great compatibility options

Reasons to avoid:

Noisy buttons

The analog sticks do not have a great grip

Cosmic Byte C1070T is a premium wireless controller with 2.4Ghz technology, offering long-range connectivity of up to 8 meters. It features an integrated 600mAh battery that allows you to play up to 12 hours on a single charge. With its high precision D-pad, this controller guarantees accurate control for all your favorite games. The C1070T has an integrated dual mode: X-input and Direct-input for greater games compatibility which means it can support Windows XP/ Vista / 7 / 8 / 10; Xbox 360; Xbox and android games too. The whole controller has a rubberized finish giving a good grip and hold. It even has dual vibration modes that ensure a great Rumble feature experience. The A,B,X,Y keys are backlit and ensure a comfortable experience even in dark. Overall its a great controller for both Pc and android gaming!

Some premium controllers

1. Logitech G F710

Connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless USB dongle

Range: 10 meters

Run time: Couple of weeks on two AA batteries

Compatible with: PC and Android TV

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.2995

Reasons to buy:

Great build quality

Premium feel to buttons

Reasons to avoid:

Runs on two AA batteries

Logitech G F710 is an upgraded version of the wired Logitech F310 with additional features like wireless support and dual vibration motors. The controller is unrivaled when it comes to design and build quality. It has a retro look with a silver finish that reminds of the original playstation controllers. You get a standard layout with a 8 directional d-pad, four action buttons, 4 triggers and 2 analog sticks. It even has a dedicated mode switch button at the back to switch between Xinput and DirectInput modes. The controller runs on two AA batteries and you can expect a run time of weeks before you need to switch the batteries. The triggers and the action buttons feel premium and the vibration feedback is perfect for all kinds of games. Overall it is a solid and robust controller that justifies its price.

2. Xbox controller

Connectivity: wired and bluetooth

Range: 6 meters

Run time: Couple of weeks on two AA batteries

Compatible with: PC and Android

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.5390

Reasons to buy:

Fully compatible with Pc and android games

Wireless and wired configurations

Textured buttons

Reasons to avoid:

Needs AA batteries for wireless connection

The Xbox controller is one of the best controllers out there when it comes to multi platform gaming, you can use it with your xbox, android and your PC too! The 8 way d-pad, analog sticks and the triggers are on point when it comes to design. Another great thing about the controller is that you can use it both wireless and in wired configuration. You can use the USB type C port at the back for wired configuration and the bluetooth functionality on wireless. The controller runs on two AA batteries that can last upto two weeks. The custom mapping allows you to play games with varied control schemes with ease. It even has a 3.5 mm audio jack which you won’t find in many of the other commercial controllers. Doesn’t matter if you are a pc gamer or an android gamer this controller will fit all your needs.

3. Dualshock 4 controller

Connectivity: wireless adapter and bluetooth

Range: 10 meters

Run time: 8 Hours on a full charge of 2 hours

Compatible with: PC, Android and PS4

Rumble feature: Dual Vibration Motors

Price: Rs.6999

Reasons to buy:

Great design and build quality

Has motion sensing technology

Supports all steam games

Reasons to avoid:

Needs third party software for PC games out of steam

Dualshock 4 is another great controller for PC, android and PS4 that falls on the expensive side. It has sensitive analog sticks, clicky buttons and a great grip. The controller also has motion sensing technology that is compatible with many games on PC, you can take full advantage of it in racing games to steer or in a FPS to aim. You also get a handy trackpad! you can use the micro usb port on the controller for charging and it will give up to 8 hours of playtime with a charge of 2 hours. The controller even has a 3.5mm audio jack to plug in headphones. It has inbuilt speakers but those are mostly used by PS4 games to increase the immersion by playing different sounds. The controller is supported by all of the steam library and has great android support too, so you won’t have to worry about compatibility. Overall it is a great controller for PC and android with great design and comfortable features.

Things to consider before buying a controller:

Connectivity

While buying a controller you can choose between a wired or a wireless controller. Wired controllers will have a USB wire for connection and wireless controllers will rely on bluetooth or WiFi dongles for connectivity. The connection configuration is important because it determines the input lag. Wired controllers will have less input lag as compared to the wireless ones, so choose according to the kind of games you will be playing. Some controllers like the Xbox controller can be used both in wired as well as wired configurations.

Rumble feature

Most of the controllers have in-built vibration motors that help in giving vibration feedback. This vibration makes the gaming experience more immersive and engaging. Make sure to check if the controller has the rumble feature or not!

Size and Comfort

You need to make sure the controller is comfortable for your hands. An ergonomic design will get you a better grip on the controller and would significantly improve the experience. Also make sure to check the weight of the controller, this will depend upon your preference whether to choose a heavy or a light controller. Weight can make a difference during long competitive sessions, the optimal weight for a controller sits around at 300-400 grams but in the end it’s about your preference.

Build quality

Most of the controllers are made up of plastic, make sure that the controller has a good build quality that will withstand any impacts. A loose grip or an accidental fall are pretty common accidents, a strongly built controller will be able to easily counter such mishaps.

Compatibility

You can find controllers for PC, android/IOS and consoles. Make sure that the controller is compatible with the device of your choice.

Input type

Controllers come in two different types of input formats namely XInput and DirectInput. The type of input depends upon the games, most of the older games used DirectInput library while the newer ones use the XInput. You won’t be able to play XInput games with a Directinput controller. Most of the latest controllers support both XInput and DirectInput, you can easily switch between them while playing the game.

Special features

Apart from all of these standard features some controllers come with additional features like haptic feedback, audio jacks(dualshock4 and Xbox controller have one), speakers(dualshock4 has built in speakers). Some controllers like dualshock4 also have motion sensing capabilities, so look out for those!

Frequently asked questions

1.How to use the USB adapter of the controller with a phone?

You can use a OTG cable to attach a USB adapter to your phone. Just plug in the OTG cable and plug the adapter to its end.

2. What is the difference between normal rumble and haptic feedback?

The difference is the way vibrations are fed to the user. In rumble controllers the vibration is only on one level, doesn’t matter if you are driving a car or getting hit the vibration will always be at the same level. Haptic feedback is all about simulating the in game activities by subtly changing the levels of vibration. A controller with haptic feedback will give you a more immersive experience than a normal one.

3. What are analog triggers and joysticks?

There are two types of triggers and joysticks that you will find in controllers, analog and digital. Digital triggers or joysticks are just normal switches, that is they are either on or off. While they are useful they prove to be inefficient when it comes to racing games where you have to gradually accelerate or decelerate. This is not possible with digital buttons. Analog buttons record a varying input than just on or off. These buttons register how far you press them allowing for functions like throttling or braking in games. Most of the joysticks on the controllers are analog but not all of the triggers are analog so make sure to check that.

4. Will a Xbox or a PS4 controller work with a PC?

Most of the PC games are compatible with both of these controllers, you can just plug and play most of the titles. While the PS4’s dualshock 4 is compatible with all of the steam games you might have to use a third party software for games out of steam.

5. Will an android controller work with Android smart TV?

Android controllers are made for devices that run the android operating system. As long as the TV is running on Android and has Wifi or bluetooth, the controller will work fine. Note that it will work just with the games downloaded from play store, any third party games on your android Tv might require separate button mapping.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many factors that go into choosing the best controller for PC and Android gaming. Thankfully, we’ve already done all the hard work for you! But if you are still not sure which controller to go for then here’s a quick rundown!

For PC a Redgear pro is a great choice. It is a great budget pick that is compatible with a great range of titles on PC. The controller even has a slightly less expensive wired version, you can cut down your budget and go for that one too! It is even compatible with android so you get to enjoy titles on mobile.

If you have a slightly higher budget you can go for the Xbox controller as it is the absolute best for pc gaming. You get wired and wireless connectivity in one and it also has great ergonomics and great grip on the buttons. It has become one of the most sought out controllers due to ist great compatibility and design.

For android devices you can go with the claw controller. The smartphone bracket makes it a great choice for mobile devices!

If you just want a casual device to enjoy pc games without any fancy features you can opt for Quantum QHM7468. It is a great inexpensive choice and it even comes with a rumble feature.

October 4, 2021
The best Android, IOS mobile gimbals for 2021
Mobile phones have come a long way from those janky 2MP nokia cameras. Now we have smartphones that can shoot at resolutions as high as 4K. Who needs a big film camera when you can just whip out your smartphone and nail that perfect cinematic shot? And every year the smartphone camera quality steadily increases with a new device introducing new features. Using these smartphones is a great way to get started in the content creation business without investing in expensive gear.

Even though the smartphones are loaded with features needed to capture high quality footage, the unstable human hands are what’s holding them back. Oftentimes when you try to capture some awesome footage on your phone, only to have it ruined by shaky unstable hands. Not everyone is a sage with a calm mind and even calmer hands! This is where gimbals come in! Gimbals are image stabilization devices that can be used to capture footage while moving or of moving subjects. They can eliminate shaky blurry effects to help your footage look better than ever before! We at techoids have curated a list of best smartphone gimbals out right now to help you find a perfect match!

GIMBALS OFFER BETTER STABILIZATION

Gimbals keep the cameras steady despite the shakes and trembles that it might be subjected to! It can achieve a smooth tilt, pan or roll shot which is a rarity if done by hand, this is what’s referred to as tilt, pan and roll stabilization. Gimbals usually have 3 or 2 motors mounted on all the axes that get the job done.

Doesn’t matter if you tilt left or right or pan these brushless motors minimizes the unwanted motions and levels the camera. So the sudden jolts and shakiness easily get ignored while using a gimbal. As the camera quality of smartphones is ramping up frequently so does the quality of gimbals. Smartphone gimbals these days have quality features such as joysticks for panning, subject tracking and different capture modes. These are even affordable and pretty compact! So if you own a decent camera gimbals are a perfect device to add to your smartphone videography arsenal.

Table of contents:
CHOOSING THE RIGHT GIMBAL ACCORDING TO YOUR NEED

Stabilization

The stabilization quality of the gimbal depends upon the number of motors attached to it. Gimbals usually come in two varieties- two axis gimbals and three axis gimbals. The two axis gimbals stabilize the footage while titling and rolling while the three axis gimbals are able to stabilize the footage while panning as well. The three axis variant is expensive as compared to the two axis one.

Battery

Smartphone gimbals usually come with rechargeable lithium ion batteries. These batteries can range between 1000mAH to 3000mAH which can last upto 10-12 hours. Some of the inexpensive variants have replaceable alkaline batteries that have to be replaced from time to time as they have a short run time.

Weight

Smartphone gimbals can weigh upto 250-500 grams with their all plastic bodies. The lighter the gimbal the better, but it all comes down to your personal preference as the handling will be directly affected by the weight. Make sure that your smartphone’s weight comes under the gimbal’s specified weight or else the gimbal’ motors will struggle to keep balance.

Buttons

Many gimbals have a dedicated array of buttons on them for performing certain functions like starting, stopping recording or switching to panoramic mode. Some might even have a joystick for controlling the movement of the motors.

Bundled software

Usually the gimbal will come with a bundled application that can be used to configure the gimbal behaviour. Make sure that the application is compatible with the device that you will be using.

Compatibility

Make sure the gimbal works with the kind of smartphone you will be using as some of the gimbals just work with just some specific type of smartphone. Also check if the smartphone fits with the dimensions of the gimbal as it should fit snugly to ensure proper functioning.

Additional accessories

Gimbals can also have additional slots to attach accessories like tripod or counterweight to perform certain functionalities. A tripod would be necessary to take time lapse videos and a counterweight can help you to pan or tilt properly. Many of such accessories can be used to improve the overall experience.

BEST SMARPHONE GIMBALS:

1. DJI OSMO 4

Best overall for all needs!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 390 grams

Battery life: upto 15 hours

Dimensions: unfolded: 276 119.6 x 103.6mm

Compatibility: 67-84mm width, android/IOS

Price: Rs. 11499

DJI is no stranger to the world of cameras. Their name is synonymous to great quality even when it comes to camera accessories. Osmo 4 is the latest addition to DJI’s gimbal lineup.

Osmo 4 is a three axis gimbal that stays true to the design of its previous generation models while adding sweet new features such as a magnetic mount. Weighing at just 390 grams it’s super lightweight and can support phones up to 290 grams with thickness ranging between 6.9 to 10mm and width ranging between 67 to 84mm.

The front handgrip includes a joystick for panning and tilting and buttons for recording and switching between shooting modes. There’s also a zoom slider on the left and a USB type c port on the right for charging. It packs a 2,450mAh battery that can last upto 15 hours on a full charge. Connectivity is hassle free with the addition of Bluetooth v5.0.

Osmo 4 has a great magnetic phone clamp and a magnetic ring holder, all you have to do is mount your phone on the magnetic clamp and you are set up to shoot just in a few seconds!

All of DJI’s gimbals come bundled with the mimo app that can be used to tweak the behaviour of the device. Mimo lets you choose from various different shooting modes like timelapse, hyperlapse or panorama. It also features an object tracker called Active Track 3.0, you can select the object from the app and the gimbal will automatically ensure that it stays in the center of the frame.

Overall you can’t go wrong with the Osmo 4, it definitely ranks up high on our personal lists. But if you are cut short on budget but still are looking for some DJI goodness then DJI osmo 3 is worth checking out.

PROS
Affordable
Excellent battery life
Magnetic clamp makes it easy to switch between phones

CONS
Clamp doesn’t play well with volume rockers on some phones
Battery can’t be removed or replaced

2. DJI Osmo 3

Best Budget gimbal with a truck load of features!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 405 grams

Battery life: upto 10 hours

Dimensions: ‎16.2 x 6.2 x 17.9 cm unfolded

Compatibility: 67-84mm width, android/IOS

Price: Rs. 6900

DJI osmo 3 is the predecessor to the great osmo 4 and comes with all the DJI goodness that you’d expect! It’s a three axis gimbal that lets you tilt, pan or roll with ease. It’s a great budget option for all needs.

It weighs just around 405 grams with its all plastic body. Even with a lightweight frame it can withstand some heavy smartphones with ease because of the rock solid design. It has a comfortable rubber handgrip that ensures a firm hold. The buttons on the front include a joystick for tilting/panning and two hot keys for recording and mode switch.

It has a great battery life of about 10 hours and supports quick charging with a USB type C cable.

It comes bundled with the amazing mimo app that lets you customize the gimbal behaviour. Here you can switch between different modes such as timelapse, hyperlapse, panorama. Another great feature that the mimo has are the gesture controls. You can quickly get hold of the functionality even without reaching out for your phone. A quick double tap on mode button changes orientation, a triple tap changes from front to rear camera and much more!

Osmo 3 is a great budget choice that comes with a truck load of great features. You can even go for the combo bundle which includes a case and tripod. But if you are not bound by budget, osmo 3’s successor osmo 4 would definitely prove to be a better choice.

PROS
Folding design makes it more portable
Easy to flip between portrait and landscape modes
Excellent value

CONS
Needs re-balancing every time you remove your phone
No livestreaming option in the Mimo app

3. Zhiyun Smooth 4

Best for apple devices!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 600 Grams

Battery life: upto 10 hours

Dimensions: ‎‎12.3 x 10.5 x 32.8 cm unfolded

Compatibility: 67-85mm width, android/IOS

Price: Rs. 6600

Zhiyun smooth 4 is one of the best smartphone gimbals out there if you have an Apple device. The gimbal works with android too but to harness its true potential its best paired with an iphone.

Smooth 4 is a 3 axis stabilizer gimbal that can keep your device stable while rolling, panning or tilting. It is one of the best gimbals out there when it comes to build quality. It’s all plastic body is pretty robust and will last for a long period. It’s considerably light and can withstand devices upto 210 grams of weight.

It comes with a 2000mAH battery that can last upto 10 hours. Topping up the device requires 3.5 hours and can be done using the USB type C port. The array of buttons on the handle makes using features easier. They work perfectly with the bundled app to help you use features without even reaching for your phone. The partnership between Zhiyun and FiLMic allows iPhone users to use the FiLMic Pro app with the gimbal.

Zhiyun smooth 4 offers great features that you won’t find elsewhere that too at an affordable price. It’s a great choice if you are an iphone user and are cut short on budget.

PROS
Resistant to wind and bad weather conditions
Smooth 4 can run for 10 hours.

CONS
The ZY Play app isn’t suitable for Windows phones.
A very important feature missing from the Zhiyun Smooth 4 is object tracking.
the zoom isn’t smooth: it’s jerky.
Instead of a cylindrical design, Zhiyun has gone for a rectangle which isn’t comfortable to hold

4. Zhiyun M2

A gimbal for all smartphones and cameras too!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 490 Grams

Battery life: upto 7 hours

Dimensions: ‎‎6.2 x 13.71 x 25.67 cm unfolded

Compatibility: 67-84mm width, android/IOS

Price: Rs.17200

Zhiyun m2 is a super lightweight gimbal from zhiyun tech that is designed for smartphones and compact cameras alike. It allows you to mount across multiple types of devices like gopros, mirrorless cameras or smartphones as the situation demands.

Zhiyun m2 has a 3 axis design that allows you to pan, roll and tilt with ease. It has a sleek and compact body that will fit perfectly in anyone’s hand offering a precise control over movements. The gimbal has a decent 7 hour runtime and runs on a built in lithium ion battery.

The front of the handle has a joystick and two buttons for mode switch and recording. It even has a small OLED display that shows the mode, wifi, bluetooth and battery status. The mode and gimbal behaviour can be controlled with the ZY play app.

Zhiyun m2 is not the cheapest option out there but its versatility and compatibility with multiple devices makes it a good choice for professional videographers.

PROS
Well made
Stabilizes cameras up to 720g
Lots of shooting modes

CONS
Fiddly to setup
App is unintuitive
Expensive

5. Zhiyun-Tech Smooth-Q2

The ultimate smartphone gimbal redefining the concept of compactness!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 299 Grams

Battery life: upto 16 hours

Dimensions: 7 x 8 x 19 cm

Compatibility: Width: 2.17 to 3.39″ / 5.5 to 8.6 cm, android/IOS/compact cameras

Price: Rs. 10519

Zhiyun tech smooth q 2 is the ultimate compact gimbal for your smartphones that you can carry in your pocket! It is a three axis gimbal that weighs just over 300 grams making it powerful and super light at the same time. Smooth q2 boasts its powerful motors that can withstand heavy devices like iphone 11 pro max with ease.

This small device packs a massive 4500mAH battery that can give upto 16 hours of battery life with just a 3 hour top up charge. You can use bluetooth to connect your smartphone to the gimbal. It also has a great clamping mechanism that can be used to easily attach or detach your phone.

Like all other zhiyun gimbals smooth q2’s modes and behaviour can be modified by using the ZY play app. Q2 also has a vortex mode and a full range POV mode that allows you to create 360 barrel shots in all dimensions. Along with these it also has the traditional time lapse, object tracking and motion lapse modes as well. The front of the handle includes a joystick and two buttons for mode switch and recording. On the right there’s a USB type C port for charging.

Zhiyun tech smooth q2 is the truly compact option for casual videographers.

PROS
Very portable
Easy to use
Build quality
USB Type-C

CONS
Limited range of motion
No speed controls

6. Freefly Movi Cinema Robot Gimbal

Designed by filmmakers for filmmakers!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 671.32 Grams

Battery life: upto 8 hours

Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 3.6 inches

Compatibility: 3.5″ / 90 mm Width, android/IOS

Price: Rs. 60000

Freefly movi cinema robot has a different form factor from the other novel gimbal devices in the market but for a good reason. The flat base acts as a stand so you can place the gimbal upright on any flat surface, that’s a neat little feature that other gimbals fail to nail. It has a three axis design so you can tilt, pan or roll till your heart’s content!

One of the best features of freefly movi are its programmable shots. You can use the free Movi app to customize or select programmable shots. This adds a whole different level of personalization to your shots. Apart from this movi app also has various different modes such as majestic, echo, time-lapse, movilapse, smartpod, and orbit modes.

It works on two 18650 lithium ion batteries that can churn upto 8 hours of runtime with a full charge of 3 hours. While there is no competition when it comes to functionality, design and build quality of freefly movi it lacks when it comes to compactness and affordability. It falls on the expensive side if compared to other gimbals and would be a good choice only for a professional.

PROS
Great Stabilization Performance
Movi App is very well-designed
Can stand upright on flat surfaces by itself
Can hold with two hands

CONS
Significantly more expensive than other smartphone gimbals
Bulky

7. Zhiyun Smooth X Mobile

A selfie stick or a gimbal? BOTH!

Features:

Stabilization: 2 axis

Weight: 400 Grams

Battery life: upto 5 hours

Dimensions: 20 x 10 x 5 cm

Compatibility: Width: 1.97 to 3.54″ / 50 to 90 mm, android/IOS

Price: Rs. 5799

Zhiyun smooth X is another gimbal in Zhiyun’s smooth range that merges the ergonomics of a selfie stick and a gimbal into one! It acts as a normal 2 axis gimbal but also has a built in aluminium selfie stick extension. The panning and rolling abilities of the two motors and the extended reach can be used to capture stunning footage.

The gimbal is lightweight weighing at just 400 grams with the extension and has a decent build quality with its all plastic body and aluminum extension. It is loaded with a 1000mAH battery with a runtime of about 5 hours.

The gimbal’s accompanying software is called ZY cami. You can customize the gimbals behaviour and change modes inside ZY cami. Zy cami also has a built-in editor to edit your videos on the go. While this editor is far from perfect it does a decent job of providing basic editing functionalities like cropping and adding special effects.

One of the major things that holds back smooth x is the 2 axis stabilization. You might experience jitters in the video, but that’s a compromise you have to make while using a 2 axis gimbal.

Overall Zhiyun smooth 4 is a compact and affordable gimbal that can be picked up by anyone who just wants to experience that gimbal goodness without cutting their pockets.

PROS
Price
Portability
Monopod can be helpful at times

CONS
2-axes stabilization
Mediocre battery life
Small handgrip

8. Hohem iSteady Mobile+

Perfect balance between price and performance!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 730 Grams

Battery life: upto 12 hours

Dimensions: ‎11.3 x 30.7 x 10.8 cm

Compatibility: 58-89mm width, android/IOS

Price: Rs. 6990

Hohem isteady mobile+ is one of the best budget gimbals in the market. It doesn’t have fancy features like DJI or zhiyun nor is it as expensive as these but it nails the balance between price and performance. It is a 3 axis gimbal so it can smooth out tilt, pan or roll shots.

The body is all plastic which is quite decent. It has a rubber grip on the handle but it might be too short of some hands. The handle has a straightforward array of buttons, a joystick allows you to move the gimbal, there’s a zoom/focus dial on the left and two buttons to let you switch modes or start/stop recording.

The gimbal has a weight of just 490 grams and can withstand devices upto 280 grams. It has a good 4000mAH battery that can keep the device up for around 12 hours with a full charge of 3.5 hours. You can use the hohem gimbal app to change the modes and behaviour of the gimbal. It includes modes like panorama, time-lapse, motion time-lapse, hyper-lapse, slow-motion, and more.

While hohem isteady mobile+ may look like a cheap knock off at times, but it performs just as well as the expensive DJI or Zhiyun lineups. It’s a great choice if you are on a budget.

PROS
Solid image stabilization
Long Battery Life
Price

CONS
Basic software

9. The Moza Mini S Essential

A mid-range banger!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 500 Grams

Battery life: upto 8 hours

Dimensions: ‎30 x 10 x 5 cm

Compatibility: 58-88mm width., android/IOS

Price: Rs. 5116

Moza mini S is another mid end smartphone gimbal that gives a strong competition to its expensive counterparts. It is a 3 axis gimbal unlike other gimbals in this range that settle for 2 axis.

It has an all plastic body which feels a little cheap but can be overlooked considering the price range. The gimbal weighs 500 grams and can withstand devices upto 260 grams. It has a great 2200mAH battery that can provide upto 8 hours of battery life just in a full charge of 1.5 hours.

You can use the MOZA genie app to customize the behaviour of the gimbal or to change modes. It has various different modes such as Hyperlapse, Slow Motion, Sport Gear, Vertigo, Inception. There are also various camera presets and effects within the application. You can even use gestures to perform certain functionalities.

Considering the price point it is easy to ignore some downsides about MOZA mini S like the lack of freedom of movement and a slightly cheap build. Other than that MOZA mini S covers all the basic functionalities of a gimbal.

PROS
Folding design
Good stabilization performance
Price

CONS
Cheap build quality
Buggy Android app
Short battery life

10. The Vimble 2S

A gimbal with an extendable arm!

Features:

Stabilization: 3 axis

Weight: 771 grams

Battery life: upto 12 hours

Dimensions: ‎35.31 x 17.27 x 5.84 cm

Compatibility: Width: 2.24 to 3.31″ / 5.7 to 8.4 cm, android/IOS

Price: Rs. 5,936

The vimble 2s is an extensible 3 axis gimbal for smartphones that can act as a selfie stick too. The gimbal comes with a 18 cm long extension pole which gives the camera a wider frame to capture. The 3 axis motors and the ultimate pov mode allows the gimbal to move 360 degrees in any direction which allows for some really complicated movements. It even has a physical motor axis locking system which can be used for balancing or installation.

It has a 1300mAH battery that can provide a battery life of up to 12 hours with ease. The product weighs around 771 grams with the tripod attached.

The handle features a range of buttons like a joystick, a shutter button and a function button on the front. The front has a led status indicator similarly the back also has a trigger button that is conveniently placed within the reach.

You can use the Feiyu ON app to customize the behavior and modes of the gimbal. You have to connect your smartphone to the app using Bluetooth. The app boasts a range of features such as face/ object tracking, Hitchcock dolly zooming, Motion-time-lapse setting, Overlapping image, light-tracking and panorama mode.

PROS
Decent stabilization performance
Simple and intuitive control system
18cm extendable arm is actually useful

CONS
Disappointing battery life (around 5 hours)
Feiyu camera app is no good

OUR PERSONAL PICK! : DJI OSMO 4

With so many options in the market it can be overwhelming to pick a device. For our personal pick we would recommend DJI osmo 4!

Why go for Osmo 4?

DJI Osmo 4 is one of the latest smartphone gimbals in the market. Being the latest means that it is pack loaded with features and has improved upon its predecessor. The name DJI is no stranger to quality and they stand their position with Osmo 4.

Another solid reason to opt for Osmo 4 is because of its accompanying software. Osmo 4 needs to be connected to Mimo app for functioning this app has various features and modes to customize Osmo 4’s behaviour like

Timelapse where you can set the path the gimbal will follow for the duration of the timelapse. Hyperlapses are also possible, even with phones with decent cameras. There’s even a story mode that lets you create short stories easily. All you have to do is to pick a template and follow the guide to capture short clips, which are then automatically stitched together with transitions, on-screen text, and music. There’s panoramas that let you take 180-degree or wider shots. Active Track 3.0 is a mode where you can select the object you want to follow through the viewfinder, and then the gimbal will automatically track it to ensure it’s always in the centre of the frame. Sport Mode allows for active tracking on the object in the centre of the frame and increases the speed of the motors, so the gimbal can pan and tilt more rapidly.

At this price range Osmo 4 is a bang for your buck. It’s affordable, well-made, portable, and easy to set up and use. Doesn’t matter if you are a professional or just a hobbyist you can’t really go wrong with Osmo 4.

Frequently asked questions

Who Is DJI OM 4 For?

The newest DJI phone gimbal is designed for couples, families, vloggers, and anyone that wants to shoot the best content from their phone. The new magnetic design is a significant upgrade, which allows you to snap your phone in place and shoot instantly. DJI OM 4 also supports heavier phones and requires minimal levelling. Simply put, DJI OM 4 makes shooting smart and easy.

What Is a Phone Gimbal & How Does it Work?

A phone gimbal or video stabilizer are essential tools that stabilize video for phone users by maintaining the stability of a phone on a single axis. Phone gimbals use a small gyroscope called an inertial measuring unit (IMU) to detect even the slightest movement. Brushless motors at each of the pivot points make split-second corrections that keep the phone in a stable position even as you walk, jump, and move around.

Should You Get a Phone Gimbal?

There are many reasons why most people will benefit from using a phone gimbal. Smartphone stabilizers are inexpensive, perfect for people on the go, and deliver cinematic video, which makes your audience feel as if they are a part of your story.

How to Choose a Phone Gimbal?

When choosing a phone gimbal you should look at all the aspects of a particular model. Key factors include design, stabilization, ease of use, and the included software capabilities, and more.

Is it worth getting a phone gimbal?

Anyone interested in taking stabilized video with their phone needs a smartphone gimbal. Video stabilizers and phone gimbals are a great idea if you want to avoid shaky videos.

What is the difference between a 2-axis and 3-axis gimbal?

A 2-axis gimbal adjusts movement only in two axes, however 3-axis gimbal will adjust movement in three axes (forwards-backwards, side-to-side, and left-right movements) moreover 3-axis gimbals produce smoother gimbal video and allow you to take footage while panning, tilting or while rolling without any shakiness.

VERDICT

If you want to take your filmmaking or videography gig to the next level, gimbals are the way to go! Now it is really easy to pick one of these devices and create stunning looking footage on the go. Hope this guide helped you to find a perfect match for your needs!
August 7, 2021
Best power banks under Rs.2000 in India 2021

Most of the smartphones nowadays come with large capacity batteries that can function for hours and hours without charging.

But what happens if you get stuck in a place where you can’t recharge your device?

This is where power banks come into play! Power bank is an electronic accessory that can store power which in turn can be used to charge any compatible electronic device such as a smartphone or a smart watch.

If you are always on the go, carrying a charger with you might not be the most viable option as charging ports might not be available everywhere. A power bank is perfect for topping up your devices when traditional electric power is not available, it keeps your devices alive when out on journey away from home and also provides extra juice in time of emergency.

Power banks come in all shapes and sizes, a good power bank encompasses features such as portability, lightweight, great charging capacity and compactness. However, finding a good power bank that suits your needs is easier said than done.

We at Techoids have curated a list to make the process of finding a good power bank less daunting! We have pulled these power banks from the big brands and popular companies, they are measured on how fast they charge, and how many full phone charges each power bank stores. Whether you want a portable budget friendly backup for your smartphone or you need something more powerful to top up multiple devices at the same time, you will find a pick in our list!

Unsure of what to look for while purchasing a power bank? Check out the features you need to look out for section.

Features to look out for while making a purchase

1. Battery capacity

One of the most important features to look out for while buying a power bank is the battery capacity. The battery capacity is measured in mAH (Milliamp hours). The more mAH, the more charging capacity your power bank has.

Choose a power bank that has more capacity than the devices you have because power banks lose some of their power due to heat and other factors. So if your phone has a battery capacity of 3000mAH go for a power bank with 9000mAH battery capacity.

2. Battery type

Along with the battery capacity another important factor that you should look out for is the battery type. Power banks mostly have either a Lithium ion battery or a Lithium polymer battery.

Lithium polymer batteries are slimmer, more secure and provide better longevity. You will find these in most of the power banks because they are easily accessible to the manufacturers. But they are expensive as compared to lithium ion batteries.

Lithium ion batteries have high energy density, low self-discharge and require circuit protection to operate safely. Lithium ion batteries usually have a low manufacturing cost.

3. Voltage

Compare the output voltage of the power bank and your device before buying the power bank. The power bank won’t work If the output voltage of the power bank is less than the device you are going to charge.

If your power bank has voltage higher or lower than the device you will be charging, then it might end up damaging your device.

4. Size and Weight

Weight and size of the power bank mostly depends upon the size and type of the battery. The bigger your power bank is the more space it will have for ports and other connections.

If you want a pocket friendly option go for something below 5000mAH. These are usually small and are good for one time charging.

Anything beyond 5000mAH will be heavier and bulkier but will have enough juice to power up your phones or even a laptop!

5. Build quality

You should always check the overall build quality of the device as it affects the durability and lifespan of the power bank. Most of the power banks are made up of plastic with some finishing given to the surface.

A high quality plastic body not only elongates the power bank’s lifespan it also manages the energy dissipation of the battery that ensures proper functioning of the device as well as makes it easier to handle.

A low quality body will affect the charging performance of the power bank and it might also end up damaging the power bank.

6. Charging points

Power banks available in the market come with various different types of connections. Make sure that your device is compatible with the connections on the power bank.

The more number of connection points, the more devices can be charged simultaneously.

Most of the power banks will have standard USB type A ports. You might also see USB type C ports floating around on some recent models. USB type C ports usually make charging faster as compared to USB type A ports.

7. LED indicators

LED indicators on power banks convey various information such as battery level, connection status etc. Make sure to check for different LED indicators on the power bank surface.

8. Safety

Low quality power banks may often include low grade batteries which are unreliable and dangerous. Overcharging these power banks may result in damaging the power bank or damaging the device that you are charging.

Go for a power bank from an established brand that guarantees safety. These power banks will have a stable good grade battery and will often come with built in protection against short circuits and overcharging.

9. Cables

Make sure that your power bank comes with a good quality cable as it will directly influence the power bank’s charging performance. A good cable would also ensure safety against sudden power surges and overheating.

Most power banks will come with two cables, one for charging your devices and one for charging your power bank. You can use a micro USB cable to charge a power bank. The power bank may come with different types of detachable cables to charge your devices, this will make it easy to switch between cables for a variety of devices.

10. Circuit protection

A good quality power bank comes with multiple layers of circuit protection. This protection is necessary to shield your power bank from hazards such as overcharging, short circuits or sudden power surges.

It also makes sure that the devices that you will be charging are free from such hazards.

11. Warranty

Most of the established brands offer a warranty on their devices. You can claim the warranty if the power bank gets damaged or has manufacturing defects within the warranty period. This warranty period can range from 6moths to 1year depending upon the manufacturer.

Most of the low quality power banks will not come with a warranty, so it is always advisable to go with established brands who offer warranty while making the purchase.

Best power banks in India under Rs.2000:

Mi 10000mAh Li-Polymer Power Bank 3i

Elegant looking power house!

Capacity: 10000 mAH

No. of ports: 2 USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium Polymer battery

Size: 14.8 x 7.4 x 1.5 cm

Weight: 251 grams

LED Indicators: 4 LED’s

Mi 10000mAh 3i features a lithium polymer battery with a 12 layers advanced circuit protection. This 12 layer protection shields it against overheating, over current and short circuits.

It has a body made up of a mixture of aluminium alloy and CNC edge, this mixture gives the power bank a robust structure that can resist collisions and impacts.

The 10000mAH battery maintains a output of 18W. The battery is compatible with 9V|2A, 5.1|2.4A, 12V|1.5A devices and can charge most smartphones and laptops.

It provides two USB output ports so you can charge two devices simultaneously. The power bank also features dual input ports (a type C and a micro USB), so you can opt between the two to charge the power bank.

The power bank comes with 4 LED Lights, each LED Light symbolises 25% of power, once your device gets fully charged, all LEDs will light up.

Mi 10000mAh 3i also comes with a low power charging mode where you can double press the power button to enter a 2-hour low charging mode to safely charge low power devices smart watches, earphones or bands.

✔️ 12 layers of advanced circuit protection

✔️ Dual input and output ports

✔️ Low power charging mode

Ambrane PP-11 10000mAh Power Bank

Capsule shaped ergonomic design!

Capacity: 10000 mAH

No. of ports: 2 USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium Polymer battery

Size: 13.6 x 6.9 x 1.55 cm

Weight: 250 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

Ambrane is one of the leading producers of smartphone accessories. Ambrane’s PP-11 power bank is one of the stylish and affordable products in their line up.

Ambrane PP-11 has a 10000mAH lithium polymer battery which is safer and durable than any other lithium ion batteries.

The outer coating of the bank is made up of ABS plastic material which is durable and scratch resistant. It also gives the product a stylish and ergonomic look.

The power bank weighs around 250g and has a great capsule shaped design making it very portable and stylish.

PP-11 has a 9-layer circuit protection which protects the power bank from high temperature, short circuit and overcharge.

It has two USB output ports so you can charge two devices simultaneously with a power output of 5V/2.4A. It also has a USB type C and a micro USB port, you can use both of these ports to charge the power bank.

✔️ 9-layer circuit protection

✔️ Dual input and output ports

✔️ Sleek capsule shaped design

realme 10000mAh 12W Power Bank 2i

A powerful device with two ways fast charging!

Capacity: 10000 mAH

No. of ports: 2 USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium Polymer battery

Size: 15.5 x 7.2 x 1.6 cm

Weight: 250 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

Realme Power Bank 2i is the second generation power bank in the realme series. It has a power capacity of 10000mAH and comes with 18W fast charging.

The power bank has a sleek design with a grip texture and also has a curved body which gives a comfortable feeling while holding the bank.

The Realme power bank 2i features a single USB-A port and a single USB-C port. Both of the ports support 18W charging. The power bank also comes with a USB-A to USB-C + micro-USB cable which is very useful when charging different phones with different types of ports.

By double tapping the power button on the side of the power bank, you can invoke the low current mode. This mode ensures safety while charging low power devices such as smart watches.

The power bank also features 13 layers of circuit protection which shields it from overcharging, power surges and high temperatures.

✔️ Comfortable curved design

✔️ Low power charging mode

✔️ 13 layers of circuit protection

✔️ USB-A to USB-C + micro-USB cable

Ambrane 27000mAH PP-30

A power mammoth!

Capacity: 27000mAH

No. of ports: 2 USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium Polymer battery

Size: 15.5 x 8.06 x 3.15 cm

Weight: 535 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

Another great entry in the Ambrane’s power bank series, this powerhouse Ambrane PP-30 comes with a massive power capacity of 27000mAH! The battery is a standard lithium polymer type with a rating of 18W. It takes around 16-17 hours to top off the battery completely.

Due to its massive capacity the battery is quite hefty and weighs around 535 grams. It has an all plastic body with rubberized finish on both the faces.

PP-30 has two USB type A output ports. It also has a USB type C port which you can use to charge the power bank itself. The max output via the two USB Type-A ports is DC 5V/2A and they can charge two devices simultaneously.

PP-30 is Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 certified, that is it can output 18W for devices that support fast charging.

The power bank also features a useful LED torch on top alongside the USB output ports!

✔️ Massive 27000mAH battery

✔️ Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 certified

URBN UPR10K 10000 mAh Li-Polymer Power Bank

Ultra compact 10000mAH power bank!

Capacity: 10000mAH

No. of ports: 2 USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium Polymer battery

Size: 2.2 x 6.3 x 9 cm

Weight: 180 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

URBN UPR10K is an ultra compact power bank with a power capacity of 10000mAH. Most of the power banks compromise size over power, but URBN UPR10K delivers best of both!

The power bank has a plastic body, but the build quality feels super strong and reliable. The design is very simple and minimalist featuring a matte finish on the back side. The compact body and the matte finish makes it comfortable to hold and carry around.

Urbn power bank comes with 4-Level circuit protection shielding it from overcharging and sudden power surges.

The four sharp LED lights on the body tell you the power status of your power bank so that you can plan your usage and next charge.

It has dual output ports so you can charge two devices at the same time. These ports support 2.4 Amp 5V fast charging.

This product is validated by the Bureau of Indian Standard which deems it perfect for travel because of its compact size and great capacity.

✔️ Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) certified.

✔️ Ultra compact design

OnePlus 10000 mAh Power Bank (Fast PD Charging, 18 W)

A sleek and powerful power bank from ONE PLUS!

Capacity: 10000mAH

No. of ports: 2 USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium Polymer battery

Size: 15 x 7.2 x 1.5 cm

Weight: 226 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

This power bank from the renowned brand one plus is a thing of absolute beauty! It has a distinctive 3D curved body that provides a perfect streamlined grip. Its lightweight and compact design make this device very attractive.

One plus 10000mAH power bank has a capacity of 10000mAH and it also supports 18 W Fast PD Charging to charge your device faster.

It has 12 layers of circuit protection preventing damage from overcharging and power surges. Its high level safety mechanism protects the connected devices from issues such as overcharging and short circuits.

The power bank features two USB output ports both of which support fast charging. You can charge the power bank with the USB type C port featured alongside the two USB output ports.

Double clicking the power button turns on the low current mode. This charges low current devices such as Bluetooth headsets and other wearable devices safely.

The power bank has a distinct way of checking the charge left, you just have to shake the power bank to light up the LEDs and see how much power is remaining in the power bank.

✔️ Lightweight attractive design

✔️ Features a high level safety mechanism to protect connected devices.

Philips DLP6006B 11000mAh Power Bank

A massive power bank with triple USB!

Capacity: 11000mAH

No. of ports: 3 USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium ion battery

Size: 6.5 x 2.2 x 14.5 cm

Weight: 283.4 Grams

LED Indicators: digital screen

While Philips have been in the electronic market for a long time, they are comparatively new in the mobile accessories market. Philips’s latest power bank DLP6006 comes with a power capacity of 11000mAH.

The body of philips DLP6006 is covered with plastic material made to look like stitched leather. The protruding digital screen gives it a great look! The powerbank is slim and compact but feels a bit heavy due to its lithium ion battery.

The front of the power bank features a digital display that displays the current battery percentage of the power bank while charging or discharging. The digital display lights up after pressing the power button at the bottom of the digital screen.

On the left side you will find three USB output ports, that means you can charge three devices simultaneously! All these ports are rated at 5V/1A.

The top has a USB type C which can be used for charging the power bank. The top also features a handy LED flashlight!

✔️ Stylish Design

✔️ Digital display

✔️ 3 USB output ports

DURACELL PB10050

Solid Backup For Your Devices

Capacity: 10050 mAH

No. of ports: dual USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium ion battery

Size: 8 x 2.5 x 9.2 cm

Weight: 203 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

Duracell’s batteries have always been associated with long lasting and good quality cells. PB10050 is Duracell’s latest attempt in the power bank market.

Duracell PB10050 has a power capacity of 10050 mAH and the battery is made up of lithium ion, that makes it reliable as well as powerful.

The power bank is designed after the iconic duracell battery! It retains the black and gold dual tone that Duracell batteries are famous for. It is made up of premium quality plastic, so it feels comfortable while holding and its also small and light enough to fit in every pocket and bag so it scores points in portability.

The top of the power bank has two USB output ports and a USB type C, all of them support 2.4 Amps fast charging.

The power bank claims to have a high efficiency of 91.12% making it extremely reliable and comfortable for all types of users.

The device features four LED indicators that can be used to find out the remaining charge in the power bank.

✔️ Great power capacity

✔️ High efficiency

✔️ distinct design

Syska 20000 mAh Li-Polymer Power Pro200 Power Bank

A massive syska power bank with 20000mAH capacity!

Capacity: 20000 mAH

No. of ports: dual USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium polymer battery

Size: 15.8 x 8.2 x 2.4 cm

Weight: 403 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

Syska is another one of those companies whose name synonyms with reliability. Syska’s power pro 200 is a massive power bank with a capacity of 20000mAH. The power bank features polymer cells which are BIS(Bureau of Indian Standards) certified.

The design is minimal and gives a premium look. The body is made up of high grade plastic which makes it durable and comfortable to carry. It is available in two colors black and white, the black version has a rubber-oil finish and the white version has a glossy UV finish.

The power bank has two USB output ports with rating of 5V/1A and 5V/2.1A respectively. You can charge the power bank with the USB type C port featured on the device.

Power Pro 200 features an IC protection mechanism. This mechanism protects the devices connected to the power bank from hazards such as power surges and overcharging.

Another useful feature that the Power pro 200 has is the hibernation mode. When not in use the power bank automatically turns into sleep mode, this helps to prevent unnecessary power loss.

✔️ IC protection mechanism

✔️ hibernation mode

✔️ BIS(Bureau of Indian Standards) certified

Redmi 10000 mAh PB100LZM Fast Charging Slim Power Bank

Most affordable 10000mAH power bank!

Capacity: 10000 mAH

No. of ports: dual USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium polymer battery

Size: 15.1 x 7.4 x 1.5 cm

Weight: 247 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

Redmi 10000 mAh PB100LZM is one of the most affordable 10000mAH power banks the market. It respects Xiaomi’s impeccable quality standards despite of its low price.

The Redmi 10000 mAh PB100LZM has a plastic body which because of its matte finish feels nice to touch but can easily pick up smudges. The design is kept minimal with only the redmi logo on the front face. It has an anti slip design as the sides come with grooves that makes it easy to pick up.

The curved design on the edges makes it easy to slip into pockets or bags.

The power bank features two USB type A output ports. It even has micro USB and type C ports which can be used to charge the power bank as well as other devices. Due to the inclusion of a variety of ports PB100LZM can charge all devices ranging from smartphones to fitness bands.

Double pressing the power button turns the low power mode on. The low power mode ensures that there’s an optimal flow of current to avoid damaging the low power devices.

The charge left in the power bank is indicated by the four LEDs at the bottom.

The power bank has 12 layers of circuit protection to keep the power bank as well as the charging devices safe. It protects them from short circuit, overheating, overcharging, power surges etc.

✔️ Extremely affordable

✔️ Huge variety of output ports

✔️12 layers of circuit protection

Ambrane Neos 20000mAh Li-Polymer Powerbank

A power bank with great build quality!

Capacity: 20000 mAH

No. of ports: dual USB output ports

Battery type: Lithium polymer battery

Size: 16.1 x 10.5 x 4.1 cm

Weight: 404 Grams

LED Indicators: 4 LEDs

Ambrane Neos is another great power bank from ambrane with a power capacity of 20000mAH.

The body of Ambrane neos is given a distinctive look with a combination of curved and flat sides on the top and the bottom. The body is made up of hard ABS plastic which protects it from scratches and prevents it from slipping on surfaces.

Because of its huge capacity the power bank feels a bit heavy to handle.

The power bank has 4 LEDs placed right besides the power button that indicate the charge left in the power bank.

It features two USB output ports and given its amazing capacity it can top up two devices simultaneously with ease. You can charge the power bank with the USB type C port or the micro USB port featured on the device.

✔️ A massive 20000mAH capacity

✔️ Durable ABS plastic body

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.Can power banks explode?

This can happen due to overcharging or sudden power surges but it is only true for power banks of cheaper quality that do not feature protection against such hazards. All of the power banks on this list feature circuit protection that protects them from such unsafe conditions. This is why it is always better to go with established brands’ power banks.

2.What does the mAh Capacity mean?

mAH(milliampere hours) is used to measure the power capacity of the power banks. This is the amount of total charge that a battery can accommodate. The bigger the capacity of the power bank the more times it can charge your device before a Power Bank recharge is needed.

3.How many times can i charge my phone with a 10000mAH power bank?

If you own a 3000mAH smartphone you might expect the power bank to charge your phone at least 3 times. But that’s not true in most cases. These are the ratings provided by the manufacturer without inclusion of conversion rate. The actual output will differ in most cases depending on the conversion rate. Most of the good power banks have a conversion rate of 80-95%.

4.Are power banks allowed on flights?

Yes, power banks are allowed on flights. But they must only be carried in hand luggage. If the rated power is less than 100Wh, power banks can be carried without approval; approval is needed to carry power banks with power between 100Wh and 160Wh.

5.What’s the lifespan of a Power Bank?

The power banks are simply batteries that can be used for charging your devices. As any other normal battery their performance will degrade after a certain period of time. If properly taken care of and stored in a cool, dry place then there’s no reason your Power Bank won’t last for several years.

6.Can power banks damage your phone?

If the power bank provides voltage lower or higher than what is rated for your phone then the power bank might end up damaging the battery of your phone. It is always advisable to check the output voltage of your power bank before making a purchase.

7.What is the difference between a Lithium-Ion and Lithium-Polymer battery?

Lithium polymer batteries offer a larger capacity as compared to lithium ion batteries. Due to this lithium ion batteries are much cheaper as in contrast with lithium polymer batteries.

CONCLUSION

The huge pool of power banks in the market can make the process of finding the best one daunting. It is easy and tempting to grab the cheapest power bank you can find but you will have to compromise on safety if you go for one. All of the power banks listed here are great option for a portable charging option. We hope that this list aided you to narrow down your search!

If you are on a budget and want a reliable as well as a powerful power bank blindly go for URBN UPR10K 10000 mAh Li-Polymer Power Bank or Redmi 10000 mAh PB100LZM Fast Charging Slim Power Bank as they are an established brand and also provide great warranty periods.

If you are in need of a large capacity power bank go for Ambrane 27000mAH PP-30 or Syska 20000 mAh Li-Polymer Power Pro200 Power Bank as both of them again are established brands that ensure reliability and safety.

April 26, 2021
Best drawing tablets for artists in India 2021
A comprehensive guide for buying drawing tablets in 2021!

The digital art boom caused multiple electronics providers to jump into the drawing tablet market. Due to the vast number of choices the process of finding the perfect drawing tablet becomes a daunting one. We at Techoids have curated a list of best drawing tablets available in India to help you choose!

Drawing tablets provide more precision than standard mice while working with digital art which is why it’s a necessary tool for digital art professionals. It’s much more natural than using a mouse to illustrate, paint or retouch photos .

While drawing tablets are primarily used by digital artists and cartoonists, they are also making their way into the architecture industry. Architects no longer have to carry hefty laptops or squint at blueprints on the field, a pen display (a drawing tablet with display) is all they need.

This list has a lot of different types of tablets suitable for both beginners who are just testing the waters and for seasoned professionals who are ready to invest to take their art game to the next level. Hopefully this guide will help you to find your perfect match!

Tablet with display or without display?

Drawing tablets with displays are sometimes referred to as pen displays. These tablets have an edge over the traditional tablets in terms of portability and usability. These are generally expensive and should be avoided by beginners and they also suffer from parallax (more on this below!). Only professionals who would like to have a portable device for their illustrations should opt for tablets with display.

Traditional drawing tablets have no displays and they have to be hooked up with a computer or a laptop to get them running. You have to draw on the featureless surface of the tablet (which is sometimes marked with dots so as to help the user to draw) with a stylus. Due to the display being separate, drawing with a traditional non display tablet has a bit of a learning curve. Traditional drawing tablets are inexpensive as compared to pen displays and are generally a choice of a wide variety of artists. They have less or close to none parallax. If you are just getting started with digital art, you should try a drawing tablet with no display first to see if it meets your needs.

In the end it’s just a matter of preference, go with what you are comfortable with!

Before getting into the list we would suggest you to take a look at the “features that you need to look out for” section to get an idea of what you need to look out for while buying a drawing tablet.

Features that you need to look out for
- Pressure sensitivity
Pressure sensitivity is the range of pressure that a tablet can recognize, the higher the pressure sensitivity the more you will be able to control the thickness of your line.

It is one of the most important features to look out for. Beginners should go for tablets with 4000 or less than 4000 pressure sensitivity while advanced users can go 8000+ if needed.
- Size
The greater the size of the tablet the more area you will get to work on.

The actual area on the tablet where you will be drawing is known as the Active area.

Larger size also means that the tablet will have space to include shortcut keys on the surface which makes work much efficient.
- Resolution
Resolution refers to the number of LPI (lines per inch) a tablet has, the more resolution the more detailed your work will be.

A higher resolution guarantees a more accurate display and the ability to show different colors at the same time.
- Responsiveness
Responsiveness is the time taken by the device to display the lines that you are drawing on the tablet onto the screen.

Responsiveness mainly depends upon the drivers (software) that the tablet is running on and on your computer’s specs.

Lag is often the worst problem users encounter so before buying thoroughly investigate the tablet’s drivers by reading the user reviews.
- Parallax
Parallax is the offset between the tip of the pen on the tablet surface and the mouse cursor where the lines you draw actually appears.

Parallax is caused by the pen tip and the digitizer under the screen’s glass. It’s one of the biggest hindrances for artists working with drawing tablets.

The problem with parallax usually appear with drawing tablets with displays while tablets with no display have little to none parallax. Parallax is the reason why some of the professionals go for tablets with no display.
- Shortcut keys
Shortcut keys are a huge time saver and a necessity when it comes to a good drawing tablet.

Most of the drawing tablets have dedicated hot keys on them which you can customize according to your liking.
- Stylus type
Drawing tablets usually come with one of these three stylus types:
- - Battery powered
  - Rechargeable
  - EMR (Electro magnetic resonance)
Battery powered styluses as the name suggests are powered by batteries. A battery powered stylus is usually heavy and bulky because of the space accommodated by the battery.

Rechargeable styluses have to be recharged like your phone or laptop. They are slimmer as compared to battery powered styluses.

EMR styluses use a technology called Electro magnetic resonance which allows them to retrieve power wirelessly directly from the tablet surface, so there is no need to charge them.
- Ports
Look out for different ports on the tablet, they range from standard usb 2.0 ports to hdmi and dvi ports.

Make sure that the tablet has enough ports to accommodate all of your accessories.
- Operating system compatibility
Make sure that the device that you’ll be purchasing is compatible with the operating system that you are using.

Most of tablet’s compatibility range between windows, mac and android operating systems.

According to statistics Mac is the user choice when working with drawing tablets.
- Battery
Remember to choose a tablet with battery life that will suit your area of expertise.

If you want a portable drawing tablet that you can use out on the field, make sure that the tablet has at least 4-5 hours of battery life.

But Ultimately the battery’s performance depends on your usage and the quality of the actual battery.
- Additional features
Some tablets can have additional functionalities like multi touch display which allows to zoom in and zoom out with a pinch and tilt sensitivity. While these features are not necessities they are usually sought out by more seasoned artists.
- Warranty
Some of the tablets on the list fall on the expensive side of the world of electronics, so it’s a must to have a warranty.

Most of the tablets will come with at least one year of warranty but the length will depend upon the manufacturer of the tablet.

Drawing tablets without displays

Wacom One by CTL-472/K0-CX Small

Wacom’s most affordable drawing tablet.

Pressure sensitivity: 2048

Active area: 6 x 3.5 inches

Connections: USB type-A port

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac, Linux

Wacom One by CTL-472/K0-CX is a small sized tablet (Also has a medium sized variant) which has a working area of 6 x 3.5 inches.

The tablet runs on lithium ion batteries and has a battery life of about 5.5 hours.

Wacom One weighs about 260g and has a compact size which makes it ideal for carrying around.

The tablet comes with a battery free EMR stylus. It has a pressure sensitivity level of 2048 Which makes it ideal for beginners.

✔️ Affordable

✔️ Compact

❌ No programmable shortcut keys on the tablet surface

Who is it for: Beginners who are looking for an affordable option.

VEIKK A15 Graphics Drawing Tablet

Affordable all rounder

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Active area: 10 x 6 inches

Connections: USB type C port

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac

Veikk A15 comes with a 10×6 inch active surface area which makes it very comfortable to work on while weighing only 570g with a thickness of 9mm.

An area where Veikk A15 stands out is its large array of customisable hotkeys on the surface. They can be configured to any key as needed.

8192 levels of pressure sensitivity provides better control on the thickness of the lines.

The EMR stylus of Veikk A15 comes with dedicated buttons for switching between eraser and pen which makes it more accessible.

✔️ Large array of programmable shortcut keys

✔️ Large working area

✔️ Lightweight and ultrathin

Who is it for: Beginners as well as advanced users who are looking for a compact and thin option.

Huion Inspiroy H640P Graphics Drawing Tablet

Best and cheapest in the huion series

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Active area: 6.3 x 3.9 inches

Connections: USB Type C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac, Android

Inspiriyo H640P is a thin 9mm tablet with a weight of around 277g making it compact as well as easy to carry.

It comes with a pressure sensitivity of 8192 levels and has a working area of 6.3 x 3.9 inch making it ideal for working on large and detailed pieces of art.

It has 6 conveniently placed programmable keys on the surface

Inspiriyo H640P supports Windows, Mac and Android as well giving you the ultimate portable experience.

The tablet surface is coated with graded material that provides a fine textured feel and has programmable hotkeys.

✔️ Android compatibility

✔️ Thin and easy to carry

Who is it for: Artists who want to work android as well as on other platforms.

XP-Pen Deco01 V2 Digital Graphics Drawing

Value for money

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Active area: 10 x 6.25 inches

Connections: USB type-C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac, Android

XPen Deco01 V2 has a large area of 10 x 6.25 inch making it a good choice for large projects. It has a thickness of 8mm which makes it ideal for carrying.

Deco 01 V2 supports connections with Android, Windows and Mac devices and is compatible with most of the leading digital drawing apps both on android and on computers.

The tablet surface is featured with eight round programmable shortcut keys.

The tablet supports up to 60 degrees of tilt brush effect which delivers smoother and natural strokes.

✔️ Despite of Large active drawing area, the tablet is light and thin.

✔️ Compatibility for android

✔️ Supports tilt brush effect

Who is it for: Great for beginners, would act as a great secondary option for professionals might as well replace the primary option!

VEIKK A50 Graphic Tablet

Feature rich and with a minimalist look!

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Active area: 10 x 6 inches

Connections: USB type-C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac

VEIKK A50 comes with a pleasing minimalist design which is desirable by some as glaring features on the tablet surface can often be distracting.

The tablet comes with 8 programmable shortcut keys and also a gesture pad which can be used to pan or zoom in or out in your drawings conveniently without reaching for your mouse.

The papery texture on the tablet offers a better grip and better control of the stylus.

✔️ Minimalist design

✔️ Includes a convenient gesture pad

Who is it for: Beginners and professionals alike who desire a distraction free minimalist device.

VEIKK S640 V2

A cheap and Best option for online teaching and osu!

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Active area: 6 x 4 inches

Connections: USB type-C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac, Android

VEIKK S640 has a 6 x 4 inch active area and has a thickness of only 2mm weighing at 117g making it the most compact and ultrathin drawing tablet on the list.

Despite the ultrathin design of the drawing surface, VEIKK S640 features a thick power brick on the side which has all the ports.

It has 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity making the drawing experience smoother.

Veikk S640 V2 features no shortcut keys on the surface which hinders its functionality.

It supports android 6.0+, windows and Mac devices making it an ideal choice for online teaching .

✔️ Ultrathin drawing surface

✔️ Good compatibility

✔️ Affordable

❌ No programmable shortcut keys on the tablet surface

Who is it for: People who want a tablet for online teaching or for just playing games like osu!

HUION HS64

Best for working with Android

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Active area: 6.3 x 4 inches

Connections: USB type-C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac, Android

Huion HS64 comes with an active area of 6.3 x 4 inch with 4 programmable shortcut keys on top.

It has a weight of 258g and a thickness of 8mm making it thin and easy to carry.

The key feature of Huion H64 is its dedicated android working area, when connected to an android device the tablet switches from the normal working area of 6.3 x 4 inch to a mobile friendly workspace of 4.02 x 2.5 inch on the left side of the tablet. This constraint helps the artist to scale his work proportionate to an actual mobile screen.

8192 levels of pressure sensitivity guarantees smooth and detailed strokes.

✔️ Dedicated android workspace

✔️ Compact design

❌ Shortcut keys don’t work when working on android

Who is it for: Anyone who will be working with an android device extensively.

Wacom Intuos Pro PTH-460/K0-CX

Small but impressive accuracy!

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Active area: 6.3 x 3.9 inches

Connections: USB type-C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac

Wacom intuos pro is perfect for professionals who need a device with great functionalities to work on the go!

Despite its small size intuos pro has six programmable shortcut keys, a touch ring and multi touch features which is rare to see in a tablet of this size.

It weighs around 450g and has a matte black finish to it. Even though it weighs just 450g it still feels reliable and durable.

The left side of intuos pro features six programmable hot keys and a touch ring which can be used to zoom in/out or tweak a certain value, it also has a multi touch feature so gestures can be programmed to suit your workflow.

✔️ Great hotkey layout

✔️ Multi touch functionality

❌ illustrators might find the screen too small

Who is it for: Professionals who need a portable, reliable and feature rich tablet.

Drawing tablets with displays

HUION Drawing Monitor KAMVAS Pro 13

Best for designers

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels

Active area: 11.5 x 6.5 inches

Connections: USB type-C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac

Huion Kamvas Pro 13 is one the best tablets in the market in the 13 inch category and It features an Anodized aluminium body which not only makes it durable but also gives it a modern look.

Kamvas Pro 13 weighs around 900g and has an active working area of 11.5 x 6.5 inch.

It has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and has a color range coverage of 120% sRGB making it ideal for large and detailed projects.

The glass on Kamvas pro 13 has anti glare properties which substantially reduces reflections, it also has fully laminated display which not only reduces parallax but also results in more vibrant colors and improved image quality.

It comes with 4 programmable shortcut keys and a touch bar on the side.

The battery free EMR stylus comes with tilt functionality that makes the digital pen feel more like an actual pen.

✔️ Great design and build quality

✔️ Great color support

✔️ almost no parallax

Who is it for: Designers who are looking for affordable pen display tablets.

XP-Pen Artist 12 Pro

A truly portable drawing tablet with a display!

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels

Active area: 10 x 5.6 inches

Connections: USB type-C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac

XP-Pen Artist 12 pro comes with a 11.6 inch display with an active area of 10 x 5.6 inch, it has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 72% NTSC color coverage giving you a full hd experience.

XP-Pen Artist 12 pro with 11.6 inch display is a great portable option that can be taken anywhere. The tablet has a thickness of 0.3 inches and weight of 0.98 kg making it slimmer and lighter as compared to other pen displays.

The display has an anti glare film that reduces reflections and the surface also has a textured finish to it which gives you a better control on your stylus.

The display is also laminated which greatly reduces the parallax.

XP-Pen Artist 12 pro comes with a total of 8 programmable shortcut keys, it also has a handy multipurpose roller wheel which can be used to perform actions such as zooming in/out or panning.

✔️ Feature rich portable design

✔️ Great shortcut key layout and a convenient roller wheel

Who is it for: Anyone who wants to make an investment in buying a pen display tablet to take their career to the next level.

Wacom Cintiq 16_DTK-1660/K1-CX

Wacom’s least expensive pen display tablet!

Pressure sensitivity: 8192

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels

Active area: 13.6 x 7.6 inches

Connections: USB type-C

Stylus type: EMR stylus

Compatible os: Windows, Mac

Wacom cintiq 16 has a 15.6 inch display with an active area of 13.6 x 7.6 inches and has a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

The screen has a TFT(thin film transistor) liquid crystal display (LCD) and has an anti glare textured overlay.

It has a color gamut of 72% NTSC which is pretty standard for a tablet in this range. Color gamut is the full range of colors that are visible to the human eye.

It features a pressure sensitivity of 8192 levels and its stylus Pro pen 3d has very minimal parallax.

The biggest drawback of the Wacom cintiq 16 is its lack of shortcut keys on the surface of the tablet, which should’ve been added as this is no entry level tablet as some of the previous ones.

✔️ Large working area

✔️ A great textured display

❌ Has a color gamut of only 72% NTSC

❌ No programmable shortcut keys

Who is it for: Professionals who are looking for a pen display and are familiar with Wacom’s range of products.

Conclusion

These were our best picks of drawing tablets in 2021, hopefully it will narrow down your hunt for the best drawing tablet!

TL;DR

If you are an absolute beginner go for something like Wacom One by CTL-472/K0-CX or VEIKK S640 V2 which will get you going with the least amount of investment.

If you’ve got your knees pretty deep in the world of digital art and want to make a good investment go for something like VEIKK A50, XP-Pen Deco01 V2 or Wacom intuos pro

If you want to take it a step further and invest in a standalone more portable device go for XP-Pen Artist 12 Pro which offers best functionalities at a reasonable price over the other pen displays.
April 1, 2021
Are the high end smartphones worth it anymore?
It is not surprising that new smartphones with better features are released every year. The craze for new smartphones is not a secret either. A lot of smartphone launching events, like the MWC, are held annually. And every time, most of the attention in these events is commanded by a handful of high-end phones, commonly known as flagship phones, by major companies. Although some of the hype is understandable, are these devices so awesome that it can be justified? Whether you’re a high-end smartphone owner or someone who hopes to own one someday, we hope this article will help you make some sense out of the ultra high-end mobile phone craze.

First, let’s look at the specification of a typical flagship phone –
- Snapdragon 820 or an equivalent processor,
- 6GB or 8GB of RAM,
- 5.2 to 6.2-inch screen,
- Quad HD or 4K screen resolution,
- 12 MP or better resolution camera
- 4K video recording,
- 32GB or 64 of internal storage,
- and a 3000mAh battery.
Let’s go through each of them one by one.

Processor

Snapdragon 820 is certainly an excellent processor, if not the best. It’s Exynos and Mediatek counterparts in the same league are Exynos 8890 and Helios X20 which are equally good. But the real question is- does an average customer require these powerful processors? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding NO.

A common man does not require such powerful processors, which come with a hefty price tag and also have some side-effects such as a fast-draining battery and overheating. These processors do not have any significant improvement in terms of utility for an average user, who uses some regular apps and a few games. We should start focusing on manufacturing highly battery efficient processors rather than just going all out on power.

RAM

Most high-end smartphones feature 4GB to 6GB of RAM nowadays. 6GB RAM for a phone! Seriously? The majority of the desktops/laptops do not have that. It is true that RAM is certainly useful for multitasking, but does a phone need this much RAM? If you are wondering if there are any disadvantages for having higher RAM, there is. It consumes a bit more battery, but far lesser than what the processor consumes. Other than that, there is nothing concerning with having a higher RAM except for the added cost.

But even if you install 30 apps and run all of them in the background along with the system apps, the maximum RAM used by your phone would still be under 1.5 GB. So you don’t gain anything out of the higher RAM either, and end up losing a bit of battery too. So, do you want high RAM just to boast about this number?

Display Size

The screen size is always dependent on the preference of each user, so we are not going to comment about that, although we believe a 4.5 to 6-inch screen is ideal for an average user.

Screen Resolution.

Smartphones with 4k and QHD resolution displays are common these days.. 4k is yet to become common in monitors and televisions, which is 10 times bigger than a mobile screen. To a naked human eye, the difference between 1080p, QHD and 4k display on a smartphone is not noticeable. Not to mention that high-end games suffer tremendous performance loss in QHD and 4k displays.

To be frank, we believe that a QHD or 4k resolution on a smartphone is a major overkill. Our statement is supported by the GFX 3.1 Manhattan benchmark test. A device running at 1080p having Snapdragon 820 processor and Adreno 530 GPU would have a score in between 28 and 31, while a similar specced device with QHD would have a score between 14 and 17.

The only area where high-resolution matters are Virtual Reality. So unless you are using Virtual Reality headsets, 1080p display is the optimal choice.

Camera

Within the last decade, camera in a phone has become the deciding factor for many. We can’t complain about the quality of the cameras in flagship phones these days. They do have a very good camera, which captures a lot of details. And same is the case with video recording. Now that megapixel war has come to an end, the new war has begun in terms of video resolution.

All the flagship phones now support 4k video recording. But this does come at a cost- the cost of storage. Even the smallest of 4k videos clips consumes a considerable memory. Yes, you can change the video recording to 1080p. But, most of the phones supporting 4k video recording gives higher priority to 4k video recording and 1080p video recording is not optimised properly to give good results. But there are some phones which have good 1080p video recording along with 4k support.

But the question is, do you want a 4k video recording capability, when it consumes so much storage that you won’t be able to use it and even if you manage to store it, the quality is almost on par with Full HD video that it doesn’t justify the extra space consumed?

Internal Memory

Internal storage is an area where development has been relatively slow. We’ve had media devices supporting 32 GB of internal storage more than a decade ago. And still, 64 GB is the limit of internal storage. The size of the apps, games, photos and videos have been increased largely, and yet the internal storage hasn’t. Technically it is quite easy to increase the internal storage, all the manufacturer has to do is to double the number of memory chips and your storage is doubled.

A few of minutes of 4K recording could amount up to a couple of GBs in size and the size of a typical high graphics game is a couple of GBs as well. Some phones do have external memory card slot, but it is usually much slower than the internal memory. Although there are limitations for using an external memory card, it partially makes up for the lack of internal memory. But we still feel that memory size hasn’t increased as much as it should have.

Battery

The battery is one of the most important aspects of a smartphone, and still, it is overlooked upon by many. It is overlooked by the manufacturers because they have full confidence that a person would buy a new phone even if the battery backup is low if the numbers of other specifications are high. But the same cannot be said about other specs.

Powerbanks weren’t so common until recently. Is it because it was invented late? No, it is because it wasn’t required earlier. It is the failure on the part of manufacturers, as they produced ‘Smart’ phones which do not last for even few hours of use. So, Other companies took advantage of the situation introduced power banks as an accessory.

Now, power banks have become an integral part of a smartphone user’s life. If other companies could identify this issue, why not the phone manufacturers? We don’t mind increasing the battery capacity at the cost of making the phones 1 or 2 mm more thicker. Razer thin phones with a couple of hours battery life is not what we want.

Conclusion

We are not saying that the current developments are bad. We just wanted to convey that the focus of new generation smartphones is not in terms of the things which gives maximum utility to the user. Some of the factors have improved very quickly, like the processor, RAM and video recording while some others like the battery and storage haven’t. Had they been equally developed, we would have been able to use the device to its full potential.

Let’s hope that manufacturers to start making new phones on the basis of the utility each feature provides rather than racing to increase the ‘numbers’ in the specs. What use is 8GB Ram if 6GBs remain un utilized and is actually just draining the battery for no particular reason? Aren’t we paying for something which we do not actually need?
March 17, 2016