Tech Next: Light and good-looking phones packed with upgrades, new features

Samsung opts for an elegant, dual-tone prism pattern that makes this device standout (especially the Prism Crush Violet colour variant that we checked out).

At under 170 gm, the device doesn’t feel bulky despite its immersive 6.4-inch display. This Super AMOLED display (1080 x 2340 pixels / 19.5:9 aspect ratio / 403 PPI) is one of our favourite features. The display and the 4000 mAh battery are unchanged from the Galaxy A50S; the battery didn’t disappoint in our tests, that included close to two hours of video playback and extended camera usage.

The Galaxy A50S is powered by an Exynos 9811 processor that makes noticeable performance gains over the Galaxy A50. There are two hardware variants — 4GB/128GB and 6GB/128GB (that we tested) that both offer expandable memory (up to 512GB). The triple rear cam gets a boost with a 48MP primary lens. The camera is quite solid but lowlight images were a tad disappointing, given the dedicated night mode that stitches multiple images together. The cam also boasts of video stabilisation, making it one of the best all-round rear cams under Rs 25,000. The Galaxy A50S is a compelling proposition at this price and finds the balance between style and performance. (Rs 22,999 onwards)

Vivo Z1x: The second Z series from the Vivo brand stable has arrived within two months of the launch of the Vivo Z1 Pro. One of the key upgrades over the Z1 Pro is the display. The Z1x is kitted with a 6.38-inch Super AMOLED display. There’s a waterdrop notch that’s barely noticeable and pushes the screen-to-body ratio over 90%. The display crams over 400 pixels per inch with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, perfect for HD videos on the go.

While the Z1x rides heavily on performance, it’s also a good looking device. The Phantom Purple variant that we checked out swings from blue to purple lending it a premium vibe. The Z1 Pro became one of the first devices with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 Processor, the Z1x joins that list. Vivo offers two hardware variants — 6GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB.

The Z1x features a triple rear cam that combines a 48MP primary lens, an 8MP Super Wide-Angle Camera, and a 2MP Depth Camera. The 32MP selfie camera does well in optimal light. While Vivo has made some welcome changes to its custom UI-Funtouch OS, it’s still not our favourite version of Android. One of the headline features of the Z1x is the 4500 mAh battery and the 22.5W charger in the box. The charger gets a boost from Vivo’s proprietary FlashCharge technology — five minutes of charging gives you three hours of talk time. One of the many features that make this a solid all-round device. (Rs 16,990 onwards)