
Lava Bold N1 vs Tecno Pop 9: Which budget smartphone to buy in 2025
Lava, a popular Indian smartphone brand, has launched new smartphones under the Bold series. The new launch includes two models, the Lava Bold N1 and Lava Bold N1 Pro, both launched at under Rs.10000, for budget-conscious buyers. The Lava Bold N1 has recently been gaining popularity for its features and offerings, considering the price range. But, is the smartphone worth the hype in comparison to other phones? Well, to know if the Lava Bold N1 is worth the hype, we have curated a detailed comparison of the smartphone with the Tecno Pop 9, which is also a popular budget smartphone. Therefore, know which budget range smartphone you should buy in 2025.
The Lava Bold N1 comes with an iPhone 16-like design with a vertically-placed camera module and a glossy back panel. On the other hand, the Tecno Pop 9 also has an attractive design and glossy back, which may come to buyers' liking. Both smartphones ensure durability with an IP54 rating, providing dust and water resistance.
For display, the Lava Bold N1 features a 6.75-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Whereas, the Tecno Pop 9 sports a 6.67-inch IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Therefore, we can expect the Tecno to provide a smoother experience.
The Lava Bold N1 features a 13MP AI dual camera setup on the rear panel. For selfies, it features a 5MP front-facing camera. On the other hand, the Tecno Pop 9 also comes with a dual camera setup, which includes a 13 MP main camera. On the front, it has an 8MP selfie camera.
The Lava Bold N1 is powered by the octa-core Unisoc processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. Whereas, the Tecno Pop 9 is equipped with the Mediatek Helio G50 chipset paired with 4GB RAM and up to 128GB storage. For a lasting battery, the Lava Bold N1 and Tecno Pop 9 are backed by a 5000mAh battery.
The Lava Bold N1 was launched at a starting price of just Rs.5999. Whereas, the Tecno Pop 9 comes with a starting price of Rs. 6699 in India.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
Proposed dilution of local content rules may hurt Indian telecom firms, benefit MNCs: GTRI
New Delhi: Major dilutions to local content rules for the telecom sector under the Public Procurement Order could negatively impact Indian firms by giving greater access to multinational corporations (MNCs) in government contracts without manufacturing in India, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative ( GTRI ) . The GTRI in a note further said that the move will benefit major foreign MNCs active in the Indian telecom component industry. Earlier this month, on June 3, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) initiated a public consultation to revise its Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) (PPP-MII) Order for the telecom sector. The consultation, open to industry comments until July 3, proposes a series of technical adjustments to the existing local content (LC) framework -- changes that could have far-reaching consequences for the sector's future. "Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is moving to relax local content norms for government telecom procurement -- a shift that could favour multinational corporations (MNCs) like Cisco and Ericsson while undermining Indian manufacturers who have invested in domestic production and innovation," GTRI's note added prepared by former Indian Trade Service Officer, Ajay Srivastava said. It added that MNCs are "lobbying India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to ease local content (LC) requirements, as they struggle to qualify as Class-I local suppliers for government telecom tenders." India's current PPP-MII policy, which was first updated in October 2024, mandates that any firm seeking preference in government telecom tenders must meet a minimum 50 per cent local content threshold. Srivastava added in the note that in order to qualify as a "Class-I" supplier and enjoy pricing and selection advantages, firms must demonstrate that at least 50 per cent of a product's value is sourced or manufactured in India which has become a difficult task for MNCs. The PPP-MII policy applies to 36 key telecom product categories -- including routers, ethernet switches, GPON devices, media gateways, customer premises equipment (CPE), satellite terminals, telecom batteries, and optical fibre and cables. Under the current PPP-MII framework, several exclusions apply to the calculation of local content. Imported parts routed through Indian resellers, royalties, overseas technical fees, and refurbished products do not count toward Indian value addition. Design and software work performed in India is permitted, but the value generated is capped, with restrictions in place to prevent companies from inflating LC percentages purely on the basis of R&D activities while continuing to import most hardware components. Srivastava added in the note that global majors are finding it "difficult to meet these thresholds." He further added that the underlying issue is that most of the work performed in India is done on an outsourcing basis for their foreign parent companies. The parent companies retain ownership of intellectual property (IP) and earn the bulk of profits. Highlighting the impact of policy change, GTRI note said that the move will put Indian telecom firms -- who have made long-term investments in Indian-based manufacturing, R&D, and IP development -- at a severe disadvantage. "Such Indian firms would face the prospect of losing market share to foreign MNCs whose products remain largely imported and foreign-owned," the GTRI note added. It further points out that dilution of standards would discourage Indian firms from investing in genuine IP creation, as Class-I status could now be achieved simply through superficial assembly or software wrapping of imported goods. "India's telecom sector would remain reliant on foreign technologies, with little strategic control," the GTRI note added.


Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
India needs more than coders: IIT directors speak out against ‘herd mentality' around computer science craze
The Price of Parity From Code to Country Redesigning the Future of Engineering You Might Also Like: 'Will date myself again': IIT graduate CEO falls in love with himself after an evening by the lake In a hard-hitting panel discussion held on the campus of IIT Madras on Friday, the directors of five prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology united in a common refrain: it's time to abandon the obsession with computer science engineering and instead channel talent into disciplines that are equally vital for India's growth. The session was part of the PanIIT Alumni Leadership Series (PALS), a voluntary initiative championing transformative conversations around engineering education in India As reported by The New Indian Express, IIT Madras director V Kamakoti set the tone for the discussion with a bold appeal: 'The country needs bright minds in other disciplines too.' He went on to emphasize that national toppers should be encouraged to pursue areas beyond computer science, noting that engineering knowledge should also find its way into civil services and policymaking for a more tech-savvy of the key reasons students are drawn almost blindly toward computer science, panelists said, is the lure of lucrative entry-level salaries. Shreepad Karmalkar, director of IIT Bhubaneswar, pointed out, 'This herd mentality needs to be gotten rid of.' He observed that while compensation packages for software roles might be tempting, this singular focus comes at the cost of neglecting critical sectors of national concerns were echoed by KN Satyanarayana, director of IIT Tirupati, who pointed to the growing void in core engineering disciplines . 'There is a big vacuum in the battery, semiconductor sectors which are the sunrise sectors,' he said, arguing that the need of the hour lies in nurturing chemical engineers and material scientists—professionals who can steer the nation's self-reliance in cutting-edge economic aspirations dominate student choices, BS Murty, director of IIT Hyderabad, delivered a stirring appeal to reorient that ambition. 'Put the country first over your personal aspirations,' he urged, calling on India's youth to think beyond just job security and high-paying R Desai, director of IIT Dharwad, chimed in with a message that connected engineering with social impact. He encouraged students to channel their creativity toward making India a better place to live in—reminding them that real engineering innovation solves problems for people, not just critiques of current trends, the panel also shared their forward-thinking vision for engineering education. Interdisciplinary learning , the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, a focus on sustainability, and stronger academia-industry partnerships were seen as key levers to make engineering education more relevant in the 21st was another focal point. The directors called for educational access to be broadened for students from varied socio-economic backgrounds, ensuring that engineering is not just elite but Chandrasekaran, chairperson of PALS, also weighed in on the discussion, supporting the vision that a paradigm shift in engineering education is not just necessary—but India stands at the crossroads of its technological and developmental journey, these IIT heads are urging the next generation of engineers to look beyond the keyboard. Because while coding may be king today, building the nation takes a much wider toolbox.


The Hindu
32 minutes ago
- The Hindu
CUTM shines at U.S. tech meet, highlights Centre's semiconductors potential
Centurion University of Technology and Management (CUTM) Vice President D. N. Rao on Sunday said that the Indian government's initiatives and new policies regarding the promotion of semiconductors would create lakhs of jobs in the near future for youth pursuing engineering and related courses. He said that the University was giving utmost priority to equipping students with additional skills to meet the expectations of the electronic components industry which plays a vital role in power, telecom, automobile, information technology and other sectors. Professor D. N. Rao along with a team of faculty members from the University gave a presentation on 'Opportunities in the electronic component industry and benefits for students,' at the 62nd Design Automation Conference (DAC) which began on Sunday in San Francisco, U.S. In a press release, Dr. Rao said that CUTM which has campuses in Vizianagaram, Bhubaneswar and other places is the first University to have an opportunity to participate in the prestigious Design Automation Conference (DAC) which will go on till June 25. 'Our participation at DAC 2025 reflects our commitment to cutting-edge research and innovation. It is a proud moment for Indian academia, as we are the first university from the country to showcase our capabilities on a world-class stage,' he added. The University showcased several innovations including digital manufacturing for apparel tracking, electronic control unit-embedded system innovation, and smart retrofit solution for manual lathe automation. The University also signed an agreement with Marquee Semiconductors, a leading semiconductor design company in the U.S. for the improvement of the University's curriculum and to provide hands-on experience to the students in advanced design automation tools.