2014 saw the first generation Moto E square up against the Redmi 1S in a battle for the budget buyer’s wallet, and now, it’s time for Round 2 with the Moto E 2nd Gen and the Redmi 2! If you’re in the market for an entry-level sub-7K smartphone, which one should you pick? I take both through the paces to find out.

Design: Both phones offer evolutionary design tweaks on last year’s models, but the Redmi 2 is significantly more toned down from its chubby first generation model, and is the lighter of the two. In comparison, design changes on the Moto E are minimal, and while the back panel (and battery) is fixed, the option of coloured bands allows for some personalisation, as compared to the single colour Redmi 2. The Moto E feels a tad sturdier too.

Winner: Moto E 2nd Gen

Display: It boasts of Gorilla Glass 3 protection (a rarity in its price range) and while it is perfectly usable with good viewing angles, the Moto E’s 4.5-inch 540x960 pixel display just isn’t as tack sharp as the Redmi 2’s 4.7-inch 720x1,280 pixel display.

Winner: Redmi 2

Software: Take your pick — Android Lollipop 5.0.2 on the Moto E or MIUI 6 (atop Android 4.4.4) on the Redmi 2. Personally, I love the little touches Motorola adds to the stock Android experience, but the massively customisable MIUI 6 has many merits too, and you get a lot more bang for the buck software wise with the Redmi 2.

Winner: Redmi 2

Performance: On paper, the Moto E’s Snapdragon 200 processor is a definite step down from the Redmi 2’s Snapdragon 410 variant, but the stock Android 5.0 interface helps its case significantly. The Moto E performs well, with no visible sluggishness even with multiple apps running, while the Redmi 2 with MIUI6 stutters just a bit under heavy multitasking. Battery life on the Moto E is better as well. That said, dial down the gaming and high-def video expectations from the Moto E — stick to basics and you won’t be disappointed.

Winner: Moto E 2nd Gen

Camera: The biggest letdown for the Motorola is in the camera department — the 5MP camera pushes out images that lack detail and the lack of a flash makes matters worse when the light drops. The 0.3MP front-
facing camera is so pointless, they may as well have excluded it. The Redmi 2’s 8MP snapper delivers sharp details, accurate colours and low noise, and literally walks away with this round.

Winner: Redmi 2

Verdict: What seemed initially a one-sided contest turned out reasonably well for the Motorola, but the Redmi 2 walks away with most of the stuff that matters — a better display and camera — and manages commendably on other counts. Plus, for a segment which pretty much may stick around with the same phone till 4G is more mainstream, Redmi 2’s
4G support on both SIM slots is a definite bonus.

Moto E 2nd Gen

• Rating: 7/10
• Price: Rs 6,999
• URL: http://bit.ly/TT-MotoE2

Redmi 2

• Rating: 7/10
• Price: Rs 6,999
• URL: http://bit.ly/TT-Redmi2

Colourful customer

Coming close on the heels of the recent Asus X205TA comes the HP Stream 11, another budget laptop that’s out to prove to us what netbooks really ought to have been all along. There’s the eye-catching design, to begin with — a bright blue exterior, a shocking blue gradient inside and a bright white keyboard. Boy, does this baby stand out in the crowd…but these design decisions may seem questionable to some as well!

Under the hood, the Stream 11 is powered by a entry-level Intel Celeron N2840 CPU and 2GB of RAM, runs Windows 8.1 64-bit and comes with a one-year Microsoft Office 365 subscription, which includes 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage. The 1,366x768 pixel screen resolution isn’t bad for the 11.6-inch screen, but the screen itself is a mediocre screen with middling brightness and colour levels. Performance was about par for its price segment — quick boot times, but average app load times and just-about-acceptable lag during multitasking. Battery life is a decent five-hours.

Sadly, much like the Asus, the major compromise is in terms of the built-in storage — 32GB built-in and only 32GB expandability…which is a bit bizarre, even if you factor in the presence of a SIM card slot and a fast USB 3.0 port. Quite honestly, the Asus is a better pick.

• Rating: 7/10
• Price: Rs 20,990
• URL: http://bit.ly/TT-HPStream11

All charged up

Charging multiple devices simultaneously getting your goat? Look at the ChargeHub 7-Port USB Universal Charging Station — it can charge up to seven of your devices using only one power supply, and its SmartSpeed tech provides the optimal charge for any plugged in USB device.

• Price: $59.95
• URL: http://bit.ly/TT-ChargeHub