I often feel guilty about taking time off work, and my plans for a trip never materialise. However, I am finally taking a short break from work and have settled on a weekend getaway to Mukteshwar, a hill station in Uttarakhand. Since the travel time by car is between eight and nine hours, I am taking three devices with me. The first is the CMF Buds Neo, a pair of budget wireless earbuds from Nothing. The second is an OLED tablet from Asus, while the third device I am taking along is the Canon EOS R6 Mark III camera. Since I have already tested all three devices over the past few days, I am confident about taking them on my trip.
Here’s what I think about the devices.
CMF Buds Neo | Rs 1,999
When Nothing sent me the CMF Buds Neo a few days ago, I was under the impression that the wireless earbuds would cost somewhere between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000. I was shocked to see that the earbuds were priced at just Rs 1,999. There’s no way the CMF Buds Neo look and feel like a budget pair of earbuds.
In a sea of entry-level truly wireless earbuds, the CMF Buds Neo not only have a differentiated design but also offer balanced sound and long battery life. The buds feature a two-tone design with contrasting accents. The case is small and easily fits into my tight jeans pocket. Interestingly, the case also features a rotating dial used to attach a lanyard. I am a bit finicky about the fit, so I was glad to find that the eartips fit me perfectly, resulting in a very comfortable fit.
The sound is fuller and deeper, and I have absolutely no complaints here. I am listening to Elton John’s “Rocket Man” as I write this, and the music sounds so clear and enjoyable that I literally feel cut off from the world. They sound just as good today as they did when I first started using them.
The Buds Neo look and feel different from other TWS on the market. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Buds Neo earbuds are rated IP54, while the case is rated IPX2. They use Bluetooth 6.0 with Google Fast Pair, and I could easily pair them with both my Pixel 11 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. The earbuds support only SBC and AAC codecs, but that’s reasonable for their price segment.
The Buds Neo can last up to seven hours on a single charge, while the case provides up to four additional charges.
Even the active noise cancellation is very good. It is effective at blocking low-frequency noise, such as the hum of an AC, cars passing by on the street, and general background noise.
I would say the CMF Buds Neo are a game-changer at the price they are launched at. They offer a comfortable fit, impressive ANC, and, most importantly, fantastic sound quality tuned so well that it should appeal to anyone looking for a great pair of TWS earbuds.
The Asus-made tablet has a bright 12.2-inch OLED screen. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Asus Pad T3201 | Rs 45,990 onwards
The tablet category has gone through more changes over the years than almost any other consumer electronics segment. Over the past few years, I am glad to see that brands are acknowledging how these devices are increasingly being marketed as entertainment-focused products.
Take the new Asus Pad T3201, which has recently hit the market. It is a premium tablet that focuses on entertainment and media consumption as its core.
My first impression when I pulled the Asus Pad out of the box was that it was thin and light enough to hold comfortably in one hand. The new tablet features a fibreglass back panel and metallic silver sides, giving it a premium look and feel.
The 12.2-inch OLED display panel delivers excellent contrast ratios, vibrant colours, and deeper blacks than an LCD screen. The 144Hz refresh rate also allows for smoother scrolling and graphics, making for an enjoyable experience when watching movies, editing videos, or scrolling through social media.
I spent a few days using it as a secondary device. I watched videos, read books, played some games, and even wrote a few stories using my Bluetooth keyboard. I also used it to video call my friends, check social media, and catch up on emails.
The MediaTek Dimensity 8300, paired with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, wasn’t slowed down by anything I did. That being said, the chip isn’t quite as capable as Apple’s A-series chips used in iPads. Honestly, I am not expecting the Asus Pad to replace a laptop, but you can certainly handle basic computing tasks on it.
I could see some weaknesses in how the software is implemented, and this is the tablet’s weakest point, despite running a relatively clean Android 16-based user interface.
It lacks the productivity-focused software features that Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab series offer. However, I was impressed by the battery life. The 9,000mAh battery supports 45W fast charging, reaching 50 per cent in around 30 minutes.
The real reasons you will want this tablet are its OLED display and long battery life. However, if you are looking for a powerful tablet that can come close to replacing your laptop and excels at productivity suites and apps, you should consider other options.
The Canon camera, in particular, has surprised me with the results it has delivered on the trips I have taken over the past few months. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Canon EOS R6 Mark III | Rs 2,43,995 (body only)
I took the EOS R6 Mark III to Las Vegas earlier this year, then to Phuket, and travelled to a few more countries with it. There’s something about this camera that seasoned photographers will truly appreciate.
The new EOS R6 Mark III, which arrived late last year, brings pro-level features, impressive autofocus and tracking capabilities, a fast burst rate of up to 40fps, and a higher-resolution 33MP sensor. It’s also a truly impressive video camera, capable of capturing up to 7K at 60fps.
From the outside, the design of the R6 Mark III looks nearly identical to the Mark II, though most of the improvements are under the hood. The grip fits my hand very comfortably and makes it easier to support larger lenses. The R6 Mark III weighs 699 grams with the battery and memory card inserted, making it slightly heavier than its predecessor, which weighs 680g. The EVF and LCD displays are the same as from the previous model as well. Hybrid Auto and Creative Filters have been replaced by S&F (Slow and Fast), making it easier to play back slow-motion footage at different speeds.
The R6 Mark III’s new 32.5MP full-frame sensor is a major upgrade over the R6 Mark II’s 24.2MP sensor, delivering greater detail, dynamic range and flexibility without compromising speed, autofocus or low-light performance.
Here are a few sample shots I took using the EOS R6 Mark III. I used the Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM lens, with autofocus set to Auto for all the shots.
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Using the EOS R6 Mark III was such a fun camera experience. It’s a great camera if you’re into wildlife photography, and the Mark III’s fast autofocus system quickly locks onto subjects. The Mark III is also great for portraits, whether they are taken indoors or outdoors. The way the camera handles landscape shots is also impressive, delivering excellent dynamic range and retaining plenty of detail in both highlights and shadows.
There’s a lot to like about the Mark III, which I like to call a “do-it-all” pro mirrorless camera. The key upgrades include a higher-resolution sensor, jumping from 24MP to 33MP, improved in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) of up to 8.5 stops, vastly improved video capabilities, and the addition of a CFexpress Type B card slot. If there’s disappointment with the new R6 Mark III, it’s that it still uses the older electronic viewfinder and flip-out, articulating LCD screen found on the R6 Mark II.
I am planning a trip to Mukteshwar soon, and here are the three gadgets I am taking along. (AI image created using Google Gemini)
The Buds Neo look and feel different from other TWS on the market. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Asus-made tablet has a bright 12.2-inch OLED screen. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Canon camera, in particular, has surprised me with the results it has delivered on the trips I have taken over the past few months. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Shot taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
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