This Rs. 32,000 Phone is Better Than Others Double Its Price

Amid massively inflated smartphone prices, it’s rare to see a handset that ticks all the right boxes, especially in the budget segment. This is exactly why the Dcode Bold 3 stands out in the crowd.

Launched over 2 weeks ago, the Dcode Bold 3 is priced at only Rs. 32,000 but still brings a 1080p screen, 1080p 60 FPS video recording, a reliable MediaTek chipset, and a glass build, all of which is near impossible to find in this price segment.

Note that Dcode is an international brand that only assembles phones in Pakistan.

Design and Display

The screen is a tall 6.78-inch IPS LCD panel with 1080p (2460 x 1080px) resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The display can hit a peak brightness of 580 nits and has a punch-hole cutout at the top center for the selfie camera.

This is one of the few phones in this range with a combination of glass and plastic in its build. There is a fingerprint sensor on the right side for quick unlocks.

Internals and Software

Powered by the 6nm MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, the Dcode Bold 3 comes with 6 GB of RAM (+6 GB virtual RAM), and 128 GB of storage space.

For software, it boots Android 13 with a custom UI on top which Dcode has not talked about.

Cameras

On the back, there is a 50MP main camera that can record videos in 1080p 30 FPS as well as 60 FPS. The second and third cameras are labeled as macro and portrait, though Dcode has not revealed their resolution.

The punch-hole selfie camera is a 16MP shooter.

Battery and Pricing

Battery capacity is rated at 5,000 mAh and it has support for 15W wired charging. Thankfully, a supported charging brick is included in the retail box.

Dcode Bold 3, as mentioned earlier, is priced at Rs. 32,000. The official pricing at Dcode’s own website is Rs. 35,000, but it can be grabbed for as low as Rs. 32,000 on retailers like PriceOye.

Dcode Bold 3 Specifications

• Chipset: MediaTek Helio G99
• CPU: Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
• GPU: Mali G57 MC2
• OS: Android 13
• Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE
• Display:
  • 6.78″ IPS LCD with 2460 x 1080 pixels resolution, 120Hz
• Memory:
  • RAM: 6 GB
  • Internal: 128 GB
  • Card slot: yes
• Camera:
  • Rear (Triple): 50MP + Macro + Portrait
  • Front: 16MP
• Colors: Berry Purple, Mint Green
• Fingerprint sensor: Side-mounted
• Battery: 5,000 mAh, 15W fast charging
• Price: Rs. 32,000