Smartphones

ASUS ZenFone 3 unboxing

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As many of you know, we’re only a few short weeks away from seeing ASUS’ signature smartphone series hit the streets in many parts of the world.

As of this month, it’s reportedly already available in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Next up are Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines in August. A ZenFone 3 launch event is expected to take place in India sometime in September. Shipments could be headed to Europe, Japan, and the United States later in the year.

The standard ASUS ZenFone 3 comes in two variants: one, a 5.2-inch model with 3GB of RAM and a 2,650mAh battery; the other, a 5.5-incher with 4GB of RAM and a 3,000mAh battery.  Each variant is identifiable by a unique model number. But regardless of specifications, the outward appearance has been completely redesigned from the ground up — in lieu of a removable plastic back, there’s curved-edge glass on the front and back and a metal frame that holds the assembly in place.

The ZenFone 3 is far less cumbersome and prettier now, arguably more attractive than the bigger and higher-specced and more expensive ZenFone 3 Ultra and Deluxe models. Its design is proof that ASUS, like Xiaomi and OnePlus and so many other Chinese startups, is also capable of building a premium-feeling phone for less.

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More importantly, the ZenFone 3 is a more capable phone than before, housing a new octa-core processor from Qualcomm, as opposed to an Intel chip, which has historically been synonymous with poor heat dissipation and inefficient battery use. We quickly noticed the difference and thanked the heavens ASUS went with a different chip maker this year.

Our immediate takeway from the ASUS ZenFone 3 event was that the Taiwanese manufacturer is well aware of the huge expectations from the public that saw a deluge of quality but affordable smartphones over the past year and a half, hence the guns-blazing approach in 2016. After playing around with the ZenFone 3, we’re convinced ASUS has surpassed its previous feats.

But ASUS doesn’t operate in a vacuum; and more so than ever, the market is seeing brands of all sizes making headlines in the affordable phone segment.

The ASUS ZenFone 3 starts at $249. Check out our unboxing video to see a retail unit in action.

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[irp posts=”3880″ name=”ASUS ZenFone 3 review”]

Smartphones

HONOR Magic6 Pro coming to the Philippines

The bonafide speedster gets a PH release

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HONOR Magic6 Pro

The HONOR Magic6 Pro is coming to the Philippines. Although the official pricing hasn’t been announced yet, one of HONOR’s latest flagships may be preordered soon via HONOR’s Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop stores.

The HONOR Magic6 Pro is easily one of the best smartphones in the market today. It is multi-awarded with five DXOMARK Gold Labels for Camera, Battery, Display, Selfie, and Audio. Likewise, the device maintains its top position in the Global Ranking of DXOMARK Best Camera Phones worldwide.

The phone’s camera prowess has been well-chronicled in the past few months. GadgetMatch took it to a basketball open practice, highlighting its fast shutter, light absorption, image stabilization, and AI motion sensing algorithm.

READ: I took the HONOR Magic6 Pro to a basketball open practice

For a quick refresher, the Magic6 Pro sports the following cameras:

  • 180MP 1/1.49-inch f/2.6 OIS Periscope telephoto camera
  • 50MP 1/1.3-inch HDR f/1.4 to f/2.0 OIS wide-angle camera
  • 50MP f/2.0 AF ultra-wide angle camera

In a nutshell, the phone’s telephoto camera has a larger sensor, allowing 400% better light intake. It also lets users shoot up to 10x zoom without much detail loss. Meanwhile, its main camera allows users to switch between f/1.4 and f/2.0 apertures on the fly, with the system’s Ultra-large Variable Aperture. HONOR then utilizes both hardware and software to deliver on impressive camera performance.

For more details, read here: Under the hood: The HONOR Magic6 Pro’s cameras

Lastly, the HONOR Magic6 Pro is not just about its mobile sports photography capabilities. The entire handset itself is a bonafide speedster. From its performance to its display, from its animations to its cameras, the flagship has GadgetMatch’s Seal of Approval.

READ: The HONOR Magic6 Pro is a bonafide speedster

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GadgetSnaps: Malaysia shot on the Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Beyond charging tech

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Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

The Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G prides itself in its charging technologies. But what about its camera capabilities? Well, here’s a quick round-up of the many photos we took around the time the Note 40 series was launched in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

The NOTE 40 Series features a 108MP main shooter with 3x Lossless Superzoom. It also has OIS for steadier shots when taking videos.

The edits applied to the photos here only some resizing and cropping to make the page easier to load. Take a look at all these sample shots

Infinix Note 40 Pro series launch day

Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Kwai Chai Hong/ ‘Little Ghost Lane’

Little Ghost Lane | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Petaling Street (Chinatown)

REXKL | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Tanghulu | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Petaling Street | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

In and around Central Market

Central Market | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery

Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Istana Negara entrance

Istana Negra | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Merdeka Square

Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Merdeka Square | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Malaysian Bak Kut Teh and more

Bak Kut Teh | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Petronas Twin Towers at night

Petronas Twin Towers | Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

Steady shooter

The Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G isn’t a stellar shooter. But at its price point, it’s pretty darn decent for capturing different scenarios. Take these photos into some editing software and you can certainly elevate their look.

The NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G is priced at PhP 13,999. It may be purchased through Infinix’s Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop platforms, where customers can get up to PhP 2,000 off. Additionally, the first 100 buyers can get an S1 smartwatch or XE23 earphones. Alternatively, customers may opt for the Shopee-exclusive NOTE 40 Pro (4G variant) for PhP 10,999.

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Smartphones

Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G: Philippine pricing, availability

Supercharge your gaming

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Infinix Note 40 Pro+ 5G

The Infinix NOTE 40 series is now official in the Philippines. Headlining the brand’s latest smartphones is the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G, which will be available starting April 24th.

The NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G is priced at PhP 13,999. It may be purchased through Infinix’s Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop platforms, where customers can get up to PhP 2,000 off. Additionally, the first 100 buyers can get an S1 smartwatch or XE23 earphones. Alternatively, customers may opt for the Shopee-exclusive NOTE 40 Pro (4G variant) for PhP 10,999.

Industry-leading charging capabilities

The new NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G debuts Infinix’s much-improved All-Round Fast Charge 2.0. Included with every purchase of the handset is the Infinix MagKit, phone case MagCase, and magnetic charging pad MagPad. The star of the NOTE 40 series boasts of 100W fast charge, as well as 20W wireless MagCharge. With Hyper Mode, users can recharge the NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G to 50% in as fast as eight minutes. Moreover, there are two other charging modes: Low-Temp and Smart modes.

Infinix’s latest charging technologies are also present in the Note 40 Pro+ 5G. Extreme-Temp Tech, for instance, allows reliable charging under 20 degrees Celsius. Bypass Charging 2.0, on the other hand, filters current to supply power directly to the motherboard during intense gaming sessions or watching videos to prevent overheating. Lastly, reverse charging allows sharing power with other devices wired or wirelessly at up to 10W.

Supercharge your gaming

Ensuring a smooth gaming experience on the Infinix NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G is its Mediatek Dimensity 7020 chipset. The phone has a configuration of 12GB RAM (plus 12GB RAM expansion) and 256GB storage.

Outside of gaming, users may use the 108MP main and 32MP front cameras to capture their favorite moments. The NOTE 40 Pro+ 5G also sports a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display. This stylish screen supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,300nits of brightness, and also comes with eye protection.

At the back of the phone is Infinix’s Active Halo feature. This ring light-looking display further brings the device to life with lifelike light pulsations. The light changes based on various activities, such as notifications, communication, playing games or music, charging, and more. It also serves as the phone’s camera flash.

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