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Huawei P10 review

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Huawei P10 review

I’m holding the Huawei P10 right now and wondering: How is this any different from last year’s P9? And more importantly: How can this compete against 2017’s flagship smartphones?

Physically, the only real difference between this and the P9 is the placement of the fingerprint scanner. The P10 now chooses a front-mounted fingerprint scanner which includes some gesture controls — more on that later — and a clean, free-of-functions rear. There isn’t even a camera bump.

Other than that, it’s tough to tell the two apart while holding them: The P10’s curvy 5.1-inch frame feels just like the P9’s 5.2-inch body, the display continues to have a Full HD LCD, and there’s still no water or dust resistance.

You can get a better look in our unboxing video:

As you’d expect, what really sets it apart from the P9 is on the inside. Huawei added a newer processor (an in-house Kirin 960 compared to last year’s Kirin 955), more memory for the base model, a larger battery, and — you guessed it — an upgraded dual-camera (one with 20 megapixels and the other with 12 megapixels) infused with the newest generation of Leica co-engineering.

That’s all well and good; successors are meant to introduce incremental upgrades in order to maintain brand recognition and please long-time fans (right, LG?). The underlying issue here, however, is how it looks and feels compared to phones that launched around the same time. I’m talking about the Samsung Galaxy S8, LG G6, and even the older Xiaomi Mi Mix and Huawei Mate 9.

There just isn’t anything exciting about the P10. What made the P9 so special was its one-of-a-kind Leica branding during its release. While it didn’t exactly leapfrog its image quality over rivals, it helped make marketing it easier and break Huawei into European territory, selling over 10 millions units in the process.

Huawei P10 review

The P10 uses the exact same formula: sleek, one-handed use with a high-quality camera and Huawei’s own flavor of Android. If you want something even better, go for the 5.5-inch P10 Plus; it has a higher-resolution Quad HD display and slightly better camera, owing to its brighter f/1.8 aperture compared to the P10’s f/2.2 opening.

This isn’t to say the P10 falters when it comes to taking photos. In fact, we took it out for a spin and were pleasantly surprised by the colorful results. See them for yourself in our “24 Hours in Barcelona with the Huawei P10” feature. The two sensors (one full-colored and the other monochrome) work in tandem to produce sharper images — just no optical zoom tricks here, sadly.

[irp posts=”11235″ name=”24 Hours in Barcelona with the Huawei P10″]

And that’s what the P10 is all about. It looks good, feels great, and has a set of cameras anyone can use like a pro. You could stop reading here if you’re already convinced, but I suggest reading on to see my pros, cons, and everything in between during my time with Huawei’s latest flagship.

What I loved

Let me get this out of the way early: The P10 is faaaaast. Coming from a Pixel, which many consider to be the epitome of Android fluidity, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away by another phone’s speed for a long time. But here I am, enjoying the buttery-smooth interface and lightning-quick fingerprint scanner. Everything opens so quickly, even Facebook’s resource-hungry app and graphics-intensive games like Asphalt 8.

Huawei P10 review

A lot of this can be credited to Huawei’s use of machine learning to understand your usage patterns and optimize apps as you go along, although I wasn’t expecting the performance boost so soon into my experience with the P10. Of all the apps I use frequently, only the camera takes a while to load from a cold start, but I’m comparing this to the Pixel, which seems like its entire existence is dedicated to its class-leading camera.

The P10 also gave me excellent signal and data speeds on my 4G+ network. And while this would normally destroy my battery within a day, the 3200mAh battery somehow manages to keep going until the sun rises. Heck, even when it doesn’t, the fast-charger that comes in the package is efficient enough to charge the phone within one and a half hours.

What I disliked

Huawei is doing the best it can to cater to long-time Android users from all brands and deliver its own user interface at the same time, but the execution is just ugh most of the time. Just setting the phone up from scratch is such a chore once you start repositioning the quick settings icons on top and digging through the Settings menu.

Huawei P10 review

I mean, really — you must dig deep to find the options you want at times, and it’s extra infuriating when you find the same setting in different menus. All other Android Nougat phones I’ve used were able to simplify the interface, including fellow Chinese brand Xiaomi. With the P10, I have to go to Advanced Settings to configure Simple Mode, and stumble through four different settings menus in the Camera app for minor tweaks.

One good thing I have to say is Huawei brought back the app drawer like on the Mate 9. This means you don’t have to swipe through numerous pages to find an app like on iPhones. This is vital for users like me who need dedicated space for large widgets that can be accessed instantly from the home screen.

What I feel indifferent about

Another life-changing option you can toggle is whether to use on-screen navigation buttons (Back, Home, and Recent Apps) or enable gestures on the fingerprint sensor to navigate. Wanting more space on my screen, I chose to actually make use of the otherwise unutilized space on the bottom bezel.

Huawei P10 review

Until now, I’m left wondering if this was a good idea. A single tap acts as Back, holding for more than second brings you back to the Home screen, and swiping left or right opens the app switcher. It’s definitely something you have to get used to, and will turn you into a swiping wiz after a week, but I wish it were customizable. Swiping up or down seems more logical for activating the app manager, and holding it feels more natural for turning on Google Assistant.

Instead, you’re forced to live with what Huawei wants for you. What I find most perplexing is the gesture needed for accessing Google Assistant. It takes a swipe up from the bottom bezel, to the left or right of the fingerprint scanner. Sounds like a good use of space, right? Yes, if it managed to actually work most of the time. I look like an idiot trying to reach my Assistant after several failed attempts.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

We have to go back to our original questions to get an answer for this. If you’re a P9 user, don’t bother upgrading; if you must, then go for the Mate 9 or the just-launched Honor 8 Pro instead. For a flagship device, the P10 feels so insignificant in Huawei’s lineup, despite being a great smartphone on its own.

Huawei P10 review

Compared to this year’s competition, again, the P10 feels like it still belongs in 2016. I would wholeheartedly recommend it if not for the sky-high EUR 649 ($690) price tag, although you can find it for less in countries like the Philippines, where the pre-order price is only PhP 28,990 ($580), which even comes with a bundled travel kit worth $100.

If you’re inclined to go for a normal-looking phone and not the near-borderless handsets we’ve been seeing lately, buying a P10 is the way to go. Its closest rival right now is the Google Pixel, which is another smallish phone focused on photography and without resistance against the elements. You can’t go wrong with either of them.

SEE ALSO: Huawei P10, P10 Plus improve on an already solid phone

[irp posts=”10970″ name=”Huawei P10, P10 Plus improve on an already solid phone”]

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Challengers review: A thrilling drama wrapped as a tennis anime

Catch it in Ayala Cinemas starting April 24th

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Tennis is more than just hitting a ball really hard with a racquet. There are player tics, serving techniques, mind games, and, of course, drama off the court. Challengers, starring Zendaya, takes the entire game and turns it into a dramatic thriller worthy of Wimbledon.

In Challengers, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) is an aging tennis superstar desperate for one more big win. His wife Tashi (Zendaya), a retired tennis star in her own right, does everything to coach Art back to his winning ways. Opposite them is Patrick Zweig, a former-friend-turned-rival, facing Art in the final match of a Challenger.

As premises go, Challengers seemingly presents a straightforward sports drama. It’s a simple one-versus-one, after all. However, the film’s 2-hour-plus runtime hides a more complex drama.

The second-strangest ménage à trois in film

The film starts in media res: the first set of the final match. It doesn’t tell you who Art, Patrick, or Tashi is. It’s just a friendly match. There are, however, questions abound. Why is Zendaya’s character looking intently at one of the players? Why is the other player concerned that she is looking at his rival and not him? Who are these people?

Before you can ponder each question, the film takes you through multiple time jumps. The earliest (and longest) of which — thirteen years ago — sets up the story. Art and Patrick are two best friends and tennis prodigies teaming up to decimate the competition at their school. Everything changes when the two friends catch a match of another young prodigy, Tashi Duncan.

Both friends engage in a friendly competition to see who can successfully flirt with her. The sequence ends in the second-strangest ménage à trois committed to film. (To see the strangest one, catch Alfonso Cuarón’s Y tu mamá también, a clear inspiration to Challengers.)

The time jumps don’t end there. The story quickly volleys back and forth between different times in the past and the present, including years, months, weeks, and even hours ago. Sometimes, the skips result in the cinematic equivalent of whiplash from watching a tennis ball rapidly travel from left to right. But if you just follow the ball, it ends with one of the most thrilling, edge-of-your-seat dramas this year.

Blink and you’ll miss it

Despite how creative the time skips already are, Challengers shines with its subtler elements: the tiny movements, the tics that seasoned sports watchers can catch. Much like how a play-by-play commentator directs a viewer’s attention to what makes a player tick, the film subtly shows you elements of an even deeper story that it may or may not expound on.

Early on, Challengers shows a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene featuring Tashi’s knees. If you weren’t paying attention, you might have missed a scar from a surgical incision, hinting at why Tashi retired from the sport.

In that particular example, the film does dwell on it a bit in a past flashback. However, there are plot points that the film just drops on audiences with nary an explanation. For example, you might see telltale injection marks up Patrick’s wrist or a short-but-telling rehab session for Art. The film drops these nuggets only for the viewer to ponder. They’re short, but they paint a compelling picture to complement the action on the court.

It’s a tennis anime

In essence, Challengers is just about a tennis match between two emboldened competitors. However, like an anime battle that takes ten episodes to resolve, the film understands that the sport is not just about results: it’s about all the tiny movements, strategies, and dramas. If Wimbledon was this thrilling all the time, I should probably tune in a lot more.

Challengers shows exclusively in Ayala Cinemas starting April 24th.

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JBL Soundgear Sense review: Make every run magical

Stay consistent with a dash of music

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JBL Soundgear Sense

Running has been a form of meditation for most people. To some, it’s a time where your mind goes blank, allowing you to have a break from your stimulated mind.

For others, like yours truly, it’s a moment to sort out thoughts and emotions after having a preoccupied day. A common denominator between runners is doing the activity alone, accompanied only by their smartwatches, a hydration flask, and good music.

I’ve been using true wireless earbuds to accompany me on my runs, but the advent of JBL Soundgear Sense piqued my curiosity.

What is it like to use open-ear headphones when out for a run? To find the answers, I used the Soundgear Sense during my ongoing race season.

Take the long way home

As I put on mileage for my upcoming races, I have been required by my coach to add more slow runs to improve my aerobic base. That entails long, boring runs for an hour or two.

Imagine the agony of finishing a minimum of 10-kilometers by relying on your heart rate and not your pace. That was when I sought solace from the JBL Soundgear Sense.

JBL Soundgear Sense

I didn’t realize that having open-ear headphones would allow me to take on scenic and busy routes without worry that a car might hit me.

Unlike when I use true wireless earbuds that fit snugly in my ears, the Soundgear Sense are hooked and clipped on the curve of my ears without covering the ear canal.

This allowed me to hear my surroundings while still enjoying my favorite songs from Taylor Swift and BINI, a rising P-pop girl group.

Open but still private

Even if the Soundgear Sense has an open-ear design, rest assured that there’s zero sound leakage. JBL’s OpenSound technology made sure that the sound pressure is directed through waves towards the ears, while also reducing sound dispersion.

There’s a certain shame in having people find out whom you’re listening to. Maybe because you don’t intend to share the music you’re enjoying. But if you opt to share your jam, might as well have a Bluetooth speaker, right?

JBL Soundgear Sense

That’s why I liked the idea of keeping it open but still private — in relationships and my wearable. I get to enjoy “Pantropiko” and “Salamin, Salamin” by BINI all by lonesome, while still attuned to my surroundings.

It also helps that each earbud has a 16.2mm driver with a unique bass-enhancing algorithm. The sound allowed me to immerse myself in the songs I was playing, but still aware of the external noises of the streets. Somehow, the Soundgear Sense felt like a second, inner voice whispering thoughts through music.

Hybrid design for hybrid athletes

I don’t just run. I also lift on the same day right after running. Being a hybrid athlete allows me to prepare my body from the demands of multi-sports training and partaking on a Spartan race.

I like how the Soundgear Sense has a hybrid design that makes it apt for different type of workouts. Its adjustable earhooks are clipped perfectly, which doesn’t fall off even when I’m doing plyometrics. It’s also steadily in place even if I sprint and/or do some speed training.

Even when I’m heavily sweating, the Soundgear Sense didn’t slip off. With an IP54 rating, it’s dust-, splash-, and sweat-resistant.

Also, the way it’s designed is secured to fit on whatever activities you have, regardless of sweating. Except gymnastics and parkour, though.

The Soundgear Sense might fall off after you hang or flip from those extreme activities that require being suspended in the air.

For added security, there’s an included neckband inside the box. However, I hate having something dangling on my nape so I never used it.

Moreover, I couldn’t last more than an hour having it clipped even with a supposed hybrid design. It hurts my ears eventually, and I feel like someone was pinching my ears and I couldn’t do anything.

If I have runs for more than an hour, I’d opt not wearing both earbuds.

Easy connectivity

One thing I like about JBL is how easy it is to connect your wearables to your smartphones, be it an iPhone or an Android.

Once both devices are paired, flipping open the case will instantly connect the Soundgear Sense to your smartphone.

While running, I don’t have to constantly check my phone since the Soundgear Sense, along with my Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2), helps me stay connected. With just a single flick on the earbud, I can control my music, volume, and calls.

My friend, Betty, called me one time while I was out for an easy run and she barely realized I was running until I gasped for my breath when running on a steep incline. It’s convenient to have crisp and crystal-clear calls within your reach.

And to make it more convenient, the touch controls can be personalized to your liking. On the left earbud, it’s usually the volume control.

One tap and it increases the volume, while double tapping decreases it. When someone calls, you can double tap to respond or you can tap and hold to reject the call.

The right earbud uses the same call control, but it’s automatically set for playback control. You can switch earbuds depending on the gesture you prefer.

All of these customizations can be done using the My JBL Headphones app.

Definitely long lasting

I have had the Soundgear Sense for two weeks now, and both earbuds still have a half battery life from a single charge. As of writing, the left earbud still has 51% while the right earbud has 56%.

Thanks to its charging case, both earbuds keep recharging every time they’re stowed inside.

But if you’re wondering why the left earbud has a lower battery life, it’s not because I spend too much time watching adult-rated content.

A lot of times, I run with just the left earbud clipped on my ear to stay alert from my surroundings. Even with OpenSound technology, I tend to get lost in the music I’m listening to whenever I have both earbuds hooked.

Considering I’ve amassed more than 70km of running mileage for two weeks with almost 10 hours of running, the Soundgear Sense surprised me with its battery life.

I haven’t charged it since then, which made me wonder how fast it would really be, if I get to drain it down to zero and juice it back up to 100. Perhaps, stay tuned on my Instagram and TikTok accounts?

The Soundgear Sense is expected to let you listen wirelessly for up to 6 hours. You get an extended life of another 18 hours through the charging case. A quick 15-minute charge through the Type-C port gives an additional 4 hours of music.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

For an athlete, the JBL Soundgear Sense surely makes every run magical. The design and technology were innovated with runners in mind. The device integrates seamlessly to any type of active lifestyle.

It will boil down to preference, whether you enjoy an open-ear design clipped onto your ears or you’d enjoy an earbud blocking your ear canal.

As for me, I think I’ll switch and pick the Soundgear Sense to accompany me in my race season. It helps me immerse myself in good music, stay connected, while keeping me attuned to my surroundings. This ensures my safety when out for a run.

JBL Soundgear Sense

It’s easily a GadgetMatch for all types of athletes dedicated to fulfilling their training assignments. It’s also for fitness enthusiasts entering their “runnerist” era.

The JBL Soundgear Sense retails for PhP 9,499. It is available via JBL’s website and select, authorized retailers.

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realme 12+ 5G review: One month later

What is it like to spend a month with a midrange smartphone?

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What is it like to spend a month with a midrange smartphone?

For someone spoiled with high-end, flagship smartphones, a watered-down experience terrifies me. I couldn’t fathom using just a midrange smartphone, even if I’m counted as a casual user.

But spending a month with the realme 12+ 5G gave me a new perspective on what midrange smartphones at 2024 can do.

Powerhouse at a fraction

A lot of times, I’ve used the realme 12+ 5G to play Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. I know, I know. It’s 2024 and I’m still playing the same old MOBA but it’s a game I know all too well that helps me de-stress after a long day.

See, I’m an athlete balancing my work and life. Sometimes, I just want to rot in bed while playing on my phone.

The realme 12+ 5G helped keep me sane thanks to its lag-free gameplay. Not once did I feel any heat or slowing down even while playing in an Ultra Graphics and Super High Frame Rate setting.

The Vapor Chamber Cooling System came into play, dissipating the heat so even if under heavy usage, the gameplay is still optimal.

Moreover, the realme 12+ 5G uses a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset. When you combine this with a 12GB dynamic ram that’s expandable through your storage space, you won’t have to worry about a watered-down experience from using a midrange device.

The RAM can take up from 4GB up to 12GB to be re-allocated from the 256GB internal storage. Though, I only used 4GB since I didn’t feel the need to turn it up to the highest configuration. It’s already smooth even when multi-tasking.

 

It may not be as smooth as the flagship smartphones I held, but it’s enough particularly for people who just needs a smartphone they can use for their everyday lives. However, if you want a midrange device dedicated for an even more intensive gameplay, I’d suggest looking elsewhere.

Daily companion for viewing, listening

When I was on my way home from my training, I drove past a busy road in Pasig City where vendors are in the streets, bystanders are frolicking, and loafers gossip while taking space through the plastic stools they sat on spread out near the sidewalk.

What do they have in common? Smartphones. There was a realization that the Filipino masses rely on their devices to be entertained and connected.

I have a feeling that if I wasn’t a multi-passionate person with an insanely hectic schedule, I’d bury my head on a smartphone, too.

This is where having a spectacular audio-visual performance comes into play, especially for budget and midrange devices. Luckily, the realme 12+ 5G has a 120HZ Super AMOLED Display and Dual Stereo Speakers.

It’s one of the reasons why I started playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang again when I was decompressing for the day.

Aside from doomscrolling on TikTok, I just like it when the display is fluid, vivid, and smooth while the audio can be as loud and immersive. Unlike most midrange smartphones, the audio-visual performance is always a hit or miss.

Sometimes, they have an excellent screen while the audio suffers, or vice-versa. The realme 12+ 5G just have it both.

Capture it, remember it

The realme 12+ 5G uses a 50-megapixel SonyLYT 600 OIS Portrait Camera, an 8-megapixel 112° wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel macro sensor, and a 16-megapixel selfie camera on the front.

I used the smartphone to capture photos I send to my loved ones. From selfies, coffee runs, hotel visits, group photos, food shots, and just anything and everything in my life.

The quality for low-light shots is a hit or miss, but for photos taken during daytime and with good lighting? It’s just spectacular.

Here are some sample photos to look at:

Portraits & Selfies

Food

Sceneries

Everyday photos

Real on reliability

The realme 12+ 5G’s battery capacity is just *chef’s kiss*.

Its ability to retain its battery life even on standby is just incredibly helpful for someone who keeps forgetting to charge his devices.

The realme 12+ 5G lasts long enough when out for the day, and even if you spend a lot of hours playing games and doomscrolling.

One time, I played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang for three hours straight from a full charge, and I still had enough juice to keep playing. That 5000mAh battery surely is a lot of juice that doesn’t drain easily. I had to be the one to give up playing since it hurt my eyes already.

Charging it with 67W SuperVOOC, the realme 12+ 5G gets full charge in less than an hour. This is why even if I forget to charge it at night, I just have to plug the charger in the USB-C port while I was taking a bath and prepping for work.

Could’ve been a real premium

Aside from its performance and capabilities, the realme 12+ 5G comes with a strong and beautiful exterior. The unit I have came in Pioneer Green, resembling an emerald-touch of old money.

Without a plastic case, it’s soft, feels luxurious, and easy to hold even with a boxy frame. At a glance, it’s even more beautiful with its luxury watch-inspired design, thanks to designer Ollivier Savéo.

For a midrange device, realme has a knack for making its devices look and feel sophisticated. Furthermore, it’s dust and splash proof with its IP54 rating. It’s a win-win, right? Strong and pretty at the same time.

My only issue would be the realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14 that’s packed with bloatware. Look- and feel-wise, the realme 12+ 5G would be a premium stunner, even with its camera, audio-visual, and battery performance.

But the UI design along with the unnecessary bloatware made it cheap and annoying to look at.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The realme 12+ 5G delivers what you’d expect out of a midrange smartphone. It’s premium-looking, long-lasting, offers reliable performance, and captures vivid portraits and pictures.

It’s easily a GadgetMatch for casual users requiring enough power and juice on a device that looks pretty and strong. If the realme 12 Pro+ 5G is a midrange marvel, consider the realme 12+ 5G almost the same, but at a lesser cost.

It retails for PhP 19,999 for the 12GB+256GB variant, while the 8GB+256GB unit is priced at PhP 17,999.

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