 "Top reviews this week: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 3G, Nvidia GeForce GTX 760, Lenovo K900 and more!")
Graphics cards, a couple of Amazon products, tablets and phones, we’ve had a very busy week here at the tech2 labs. Here are the top reviews of the week that went by:
Datawind UbiSlate 7C+ (5/10)
The Datawind Ubislate 7C+ retails at a cost of Rs 4,999 for the general consumer, while the Aakash 3 version would be a lot cheaper and subsidised for students from the government’s coffer. The price seems too steep for the general consumer as you can avail most dual-core tablets for a similar cost, except for the calling capability. For the subsidised price (almost half the actual cost), the tablet is decent owing to the calling capability. Adding another 50 percent of the cost, you can get a tablet with a bigger display or the ones with a quad-core processor and a better display quality. The average build quality, poor display and audio quality, sluggish interface and a few shortcomings in other areas make the tablet a little too expencive for the retail price
Lenovo K900 (7/10)
The K900 is priced at Rs 32,999 and should be available in store shelves very soon. The handset will directly compete with the Samsung Galaxy Mega, Optimus G and the Sony Xperia ZR, which fall under the similar price bracket. However, its real competition in terms of display size is the Note 2, which now retails for well under Rs 30,000. Between the two, we’d recommend the K900 for its processing prowess, excellent build quality and very good camera. Our main issues with the phone is the odd shape, which makes it quite cumbersome to use, and the fact that it lacks expandable memory.
Sleek and stunning design
Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 (8/10)
Nvidia’s GTX 700 series is shaping up to be another success story and the GTX 760 is another feather in its hat. The new mid-range GPU is consistently faster than its predecessor, the GTX 660 Ti, in all the games we’ve tested. The best part is that it manages to pull this off despite having a lesser shader count. What’s really impressive though, is the launch price, which starts at just Rs 19,499 for the reference design, while overclocked versions are expected to cost a bit more. This is really aggressive pricing from Nvidia and automatically makes the GTX 760, the best performing and value-for-money mid-range GPU.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (7.5/10)
After using the Kindle for a few days, we have to admit that the tablet is definitely a good buy considering the performance, usability and battery life. The tablet might seem a bit high-priced for some at Rs 21,999 for 16GB and Rs 25,999 for 32GB. But what defends the Kindle is the build quality, the easy and swift user interface, above average performance, full HD IPS display and good battery life. What can go against the Kindle is the absence of USB OTG for 3G dongles, the non-expandable storage option and optional charger that has to be additionally paid for.
Well crafted with a comfortable design
ASUS VivoBook F202E-CT148H (8/10)
Asus has priced the VivoBook F202E aggressively at Rs 40,000, which makes it the only laptop of its kind in its price bracket—an entry-level ultraportable Windows 8 laptop with a touchscreen. If you feel its feature set and performance are tailored for your needs, this laptop deserves to be at the top of your shopping list—rest assured you won’t be disappointed.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 3G (8/10)
Going by the overall performance and ease of use, not to forget the quality of display, the Paperwhite is undoubtedly one of the best e-readers available in the market. It is available in two variants – you can opt for the Wi-Fi only model that will cost you Rs 10, 999 or the Wi-Fi + 3G model that will set you back by Rs 13,999. For 3G, Amazon has partnered with Vodafone and is offering free connectivity for lifetime. However, considering the pricing, we think it’s an expensive deal. Having said that, if you are a voracious reader and want a dedicated e-book reader, then the Paperwhite is the best e-reader you can buy.
E Ink is easier on the eyes compared to a tablet display
Clean Master (8.5/10)
Clean Master packs everything that you need to clear up disk space, gain free memory, protect your privacy and manage your apps. It does a thorough job and does make a perceptible difference when run from time to time, especially with slower devices with a single-core processor and less RAM.
LG 32LA6200 (6.5/10)
The 32LA6200 is certainly packed to the gills with features, but we feel the asking price of Rs 51,900 is a bit much, especially for a 32-inch television. The TV manages good picture and audio quality and there’s a boatload of extra features that you may or may not end up using. The new Magic Remote works a lot better and the overall UI feels a lot more snappy. However, areas where the LA6200 falls a bit short include the inability to record over HDMI (using Time Machine II), the questionable fit of the panel itself and the gimmicky NFC capabilities.
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