It’s the gifting and shopping season—Diwali. This is good news if you’re in the market to buy some new gadgets — e-commerce stores have several deals on offer. Right on cue, there are numerous new products in the market as well.
If you want to buy a new smartphone there are options galore. The new iPhones are always in play; my favourite one of the new lot is the iPhone 14 Plus, which promises a blend of class-leading battery life that lasts a day and a half and packs cameras that are better than the “pro” iPhone from 2021. It also provides a stupendous performance that will last for at least 3 years—all in an elegant and iconic form. As this is the most affordable new iPhone, starting at Rs 79,999. It is steep, but a cashback offer of Rs 7,000 for HDFC card holders helps.
For Android fans, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 from 2021 is the smartphone deal of the season. It now starts at Rs 59,999, which is a discount of Rs 25,000 from the launch price of the phone. It also helps that Flip 3 is a foldable phone and a performant one.
The new Google Pixel 7 is also an excellent option for people considering its starting price of Rs 59,999, which can be further reduced to Rs 49,999 through cashback deals on Flipkart. It is the Android phone of the year with its superlative still camera, AI chops and elegant design. And if this is too much, the Pixel 6a from the earlier in the year shouldn’t be discounted as it is also available at a cut price of Rs 34,199.
Considering 5G has just launched in India, the Xiaomi Redmi 11 Pro+ 5G is like the de facto gateway drug to the ultra-high-speed networks that are being rolled out in India. It has performance, a big screen, and great cameras coupled with 5G connectivity. Starting at Rs 22,999, it is one of the best deals for an entry-level 5G phone in India right now.
Moving away from smartphones, the Asus Vivobook 14 X1402 with the Intel core i5 12th generation processor, is an incredible deal. It is a fast notebook, with a compact and elegant design. It also has a lovely screen with an 82 per cent screen-to-body ratio. It starts at Rs 47,990, much reduced from its Rs 62,990 price.
Audiophiles will appreciate the Sonodyne Alaap speaker. At Rs 16,000, it delivers peerless sonic fidelity in an old-school wooden cabinet that supports both wireless and wired connectivity. There is no app, but instead an old-fashioned remote. There are no smarts, but if you care about the sound, it works brilliantly as an audio system or as something to augment the sound of your television. If you buy two of them then you can pair the two and have a bigger sound stage as well.
Also read: iPhone to Xiaomi—5G rollout is a long way off in India. But Airtel, Jio won’t tell you that
Steller looks, good speakers in TV
Talking of televisions, if you want simply the best, then there is no escaping the Samsung Frame TV. It provides QLED technology, which is not top tier but excellent in most conditions and has a high refresh rate that gamers can appreciate. It is based on Samsung’s Tizen operating system, and the software is fast and fluid. It also supports Apple’s AirPlay protocol, so it will play well with gadgets from the Cupertino-based stable. The TV is available in 43, 50, 55, 65 and 75-inch options with prices ranging between Rs 61,990 and Rs 294,990.
But if you need an affordable smart TV, Xiaomi is the leader in the space for good reason. Its OLED Vision TV 4K with a 55-inch screen is now available at Rs 94,999, which is half the original cost. Remember, OLED screens are very expensive, and Xiaomi’s new TV looks stellar and is backed up with good speakers.
If you want to go for something more basic, then the Xiaomi Smart TV X series is the one, starting at Rs 26,999 for the base 43-inch model.
Also read: Listen: Looking for noise cancelling earbuds? The serious ones will cost at least Rs 5,000
Post-Diwali air purifiers
Diwali season also means, especially in the north of India, that the pollution levels become problematic. Air Purifiers are the need of the hour. Xiaomi’s Mi Air Purifier 3 is a dependable option at Rs 9,999, which is slightly lower than its Rs 12,999 version.
Swedish brand BlueAir isn’t as popular as the likes of Dyson or Philips, but its Joy S Air Purifier is the best in the business. It is expensive (Rs 36,000) but still cheaper than Dyson’s options while providing better cleansing capability.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)