This Week's 'Tech Talks With Adam Lobo' Features Two Smartphones That Won't Break Your Bank

Adam Lobo, who is one of the most influential tech influencers in town, breaks down the two gadgets in a compact yet comprehensive manner, starting with one of the most competitive mid-range smartphones in the market.

The unboxing of the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite is done with nice pops of colours in the background to match the phone's skin, which we find very appealing and creative.

We can see that this has become a signature look for Adam's gadget reviews.

Next, comes a list of important phone specifications that would help you make a better-informed decision.

Available in two colours -- Dream Blue and Deep Space Grey -- although the device has an all-glass build, the metal frame at the sides offer a good grip and solid feel.

But it can be quite the fingerprint magnet and if you're not careful, slip off your hands. So, it is best to cover it up with the clear case provided in the box or your casing of choice.

With the Mi 8 Lite, Xiaomi went with a different approach on the 6.26-inch IPS LCD display instead of OLED, which gives off amazing brightness.

Also, Adam loves the notch, which houses the camera, earpiece and notification LED, and thankfully is not the biggest notch he has seen on a phone.

That's good!

Now, the device's 12 megapixel back camera and 5 megapixel depth sensor takes nice photos, especially with the AI features that is able to recognise objects, plants and buildings well.

There is a significant difference when you switch the AI feature on and off. But if you're the type that just want to take a quick picture and upload it on your social media, Adam recommends leaving this feature on.

Unless you don't mind spending all the time in the world editing your photos.

Although this phone's camera does not have night mode, the pictures captured at lowlight were quite decent for him.

As for the front camera that comes in 24 megapixels and auto HDR, the selfies were good as well, but they can get overexposed at times if you're not careful.

The portrait mode for selfies may be a hit and miss, so you may need a bit more time playing around with the feature.

Besides that, Adam further elaborates on the phone's battery life and security features, which are pretty standard among most smartphones at a similar price range.

Some reviewers have noted that they experienced overheating while playing games on the Mi 8 Lite, but fortunately for Adam, he didn't face such issues because most mid-range phones these days are capable of handling gaming.

To sum up the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite, Adam believes that the company has launched a great mid-range phone that comes with just the right features, like the camera's AI features and the MIUI skin.

So, if you're someone who doesn't need much from a device but just one that works well and fit your basic needs, this could be the one for you.

Moving on, let's talk about Honor's flagship phone, the Honor View 20.

Firstly, the device is available either in 128gb or 256gb storage, 6gb or 8gb of RAM respectively.

However, there is no microSD slot available for expandable storage. So, be wise with what you choose to keep in your phone.

One thing to note is the phone's software -- instead of the EMUI skin, Honor switched to the Magic UI 2.0 instead.

Overall, the View 20 is flat with aluminium frames on both sides, and the light 180g weight could be a plus point for some.

Although the phone is not officially certified whether it is water or dust-resistant, it worked fine for Adam when he used it under light rain and snow.

In case you were wondering, he had the opportunity to go to Paris for the global launch of Honor View 20 several months ago, hence the snow experience.

While travelling, he found the dual SIM card slot to be very handy because he was able to switch between his Malaysian and French numbers without much hassle.

Here comes another interesting feature -- the device's 6.4-inch IPS LCD display has Adam's current favourite hole punch at the top left corner. So, this display is almost bezel-less with an 85.7% screen-to-body ratio.

That makes your video-viewing experience all the more satisfying, doesn't it? When he was busy watching videos during a long 14-hour flight, the tiny hole was not distracting at all.

We must also highlight the Honor View 20's camera because it is the world's first 48 megapixel camera in a smartphone.

Some people may think that this is a scam, but having tried capturing some pictures with it, Adam found that the details you get are mind-blowing.

However, he would not recommend using the 48 megapixel sensor for every single shot because it will take up a lot of space. So, just stick to the 12 megapixel sensor, which still takes great shots during the day with or without the portrait mode.

This device does come with a night mode, so needless to say, the night shots were great.

As for the front-facing camera, do keep in mind that your selfies will be left with a slight beauty mode finish even when it is completely turned off.

But, hey, who wouldn't appreciate a flawless selfie?

Adam was also very surprised by the phone's video capabilities. Instead of using a GoPro or DSLR camera, he shot his Paris vlog entirely using the View 20 and he was very happy with how it turned out.

With such heavy vlogging and posting Instagram Stories, his battery lasted all the way up till 1am in Paris. And with the super charger included, you can get the battery up to 50 per cent in less than half an hour.

Overall, Adam feels that Honor released a good flagship contender with some of the best features and world's firsts in the phone.

So, if you're looking for the best Honor phone or an affordable flagship device, look no further.

Watch the full episode below:

Don't miss the next episode of 'Tech Talks with Adam Lobo' next Monday (22 April), 6.45pm on Hello (Astro CH110), where he reviews the Nokia 6.1 and Huawei Nova 4.

You can also catch show repeats at 10.45pm on the same day, Wednesdays at 6.45pm and 10.45pm, Fridays at 6.45pm and 10.45pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 8.15pm!