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Huawei Mate X2 now official, features a no gap, perfect fold

New standard of the foldable form factor?

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Despite its struggles everywhere else in the world, Huawei continuous to get strong support in its home country China. This is why it’s no surprise that the company has again launched a premium device there. This time it’s their latest foldable — the Huawei Mate X2.

No compromise displays

Like with any foldable, a bulk of the presentation centered around what they did with the hinge as well as the device and the displays’ dimensions.

When folded it looks like just any regular smartphone. The OLED display measures 6.45-inches with a 21:9 aspect ratio. That’s something new for Huawei but if you’re familiar with Sony Xperia smartphones, they’ve been rocking that aspect ratio for a while now to mimic the widescreen we see in movie theaters. The display also has a 240Hz refresh rate.

There’s also a punch hole on the upper left area of the display for the front-facing camera which shares the ultra wide angle view of other mate series selfie shooters.

Unfold it and you’ll be greeted by an 8.01-inch Ultra High resolution display with a 180Hz screen refresh rate. The screen aspect ratio is 8:7.1 with Huawei claiming that it’s exactly like having two regular smartphone displays side-by-side. Unlike its competitors, the larger unfolded display has no cutouts for cameras. You’re getting all of that display clean and free of distractions.

No gaps

The crowning glory of the device is of course the Multi-Dimensional Hinge design. With it, Huawei was able to achieve the “perfect fold” — one that has no gaps.

Huawei did two things to make this possible. First is the water drop-shaped cavity supported by a dual spiral structure for stowing the display when the Mate X2 is folded. Second is the interesting decision to taper the device when its unfolded. This means the right side is thicker than the left side with the thinnest side measuring just 4.4mm.

Camera module

The uneven sides isn’t just for achieving the no gap fold. The thicker area houses the Ultra Vision Quad Camera. It’s headlined by the 50MP Super Sensing Wide Camera — the same one found on the Mate 40 Pro. It also has a 20MP telephoto camera that’s able to get up to 10X optical zoom, 20X hybrid zoom, and 100X digital zoom. Then there’s a 16MP ultra wide camera for landscape shooting, and an 8MP SuperZoom lens for macro shots.

Kirin inside

It’s a flagship product so naturally it comes with a flagship chip. Powering the Huawei Mate X2 is the Kirin 9000 5G — again the same one found on the high performing Mate 40 Pro. The same chip also supports 5G connectivity. You’re also getting a 4500mAh battery with support for 55W Huawei SuperCharge.

The chip also powers the device for several of its multi-tasking features like Smart Multi-Window, Floating Window, App Multiplier, and many others. The presentation didn’t explicitly say this but it is still likely running EMUI 11 on top of Android 10. However, it was shown that it will move to Harmony OS by April 2021.

Pricing and availability

The Huawei Mate X2 comes in four colors: White, Black, Crystal Blue, and Crystal Pink. It will be available only in China for now starting February 25. Pricing are as follows:

  • 256GB – CNY 17,999 (around US$ 2,784)
  • 512GB – CNY 18,999(around US$ 2,940)

It also comes with a nifty cover that has a magnetic kickstand which costs CNY 299 (around US$ 47) .

 

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Samsung Galaxy S26 FE brings Galaxy AI upgrades

enhanced cameras, Galaxy AI, and One UI 9

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Samsung has announced the Galaxy S26 FE, the newest addition to its Galaxy S26 lineup. It is also the first phone in the series to launch with One UI 9.

Samsung says the phone focuses on the features users value most. It combines enhanced cameras, more context-aware Galaxy AI, and a thin and light design.

Sharper capture and easier editing

The Galaxy S26 FE features an enhanced triple rear camera system. Samsung says its improved image processing helps users capture both still scenes and fast-moving subjects.

The phone also gets My FanCam, which first appeared on Samsung’s latest foldables. The feature automatically tracks a selected person and keeps them centered in the frame. It can then reframe the video as the scene changes.

For video, Super Steady with Horizontal Lock helps keep footage smoother and more level. Samsung positions it for everything from fast-moving activities to travel and everyday scenes.

The Galaxy S26 FE also supports 3x optical zoom. Its upgraded 12-megapixel front camera captures a wider 80-degree field of view.

Samsung’s Nightography returns for low-light photography. It aims to produce brighter and clearer shots while retaining detail in challenging conditions.

Photo Assist also makes its way to the phone. Users can edit photos with natural language prompts. They can change the time of day, add elements, or restore missing parts. Samsung also lets users review edits step by step and undo them.

The phone also supports Gemini Omni for creating and editing video clips from photos and videos stored in the Gallery. Samsung says this can turn existing media into polished, ready-to-share videos.

One UI 9 brings smarter AI

The Galaxy S26 FE launches with One UI 9 and a range of context-aware Galaxy AI features.

Samsung has updated Now Brief with customizable briefing cards. These can include information such as weather and wellness insights. Users can also create their own cards with a simple prompt.

Now Nudge now extends to select third-party apps and notifications. It surfaces timely suggestions throughout the day to help users act on relevant information.

Samsung has also expanded Circle to Search with Google. Users can now search for multiple items in an image at the same time.

Built for all-day use

The Galaxy S26 FE packs a 4,900mAh battery. Samsung says it can reach up to 69 percent charge in around 30 minutes with a 45W adapter.

It also has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Samsung says the screen is designed for streaming, gaming, browsing, and creative work.

Samsung has also improved the setup experience. Smart Switch can wirelessly transfer data from Android and iOS devices by scanning a QR code. This includes passwords, passkeys, call history, accessibility settings, and eSIM data.

The company promises up to seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates. Samsung Care+ also provides additional coverage and device support.

The phone also comes with a six-month trial of Google AI Pro. The offer includes expanded AI capabilities and 5TB of cloud storage.

Price and availability

In the Philippines, the Galaxy S26 FE starts at PhP 46,990 for 128GB. The 256GB model costs PhP 53,990, while the 512GB model costs PhP 67,990.

The phone comes in Blueberry, Graphite, and Pistachio. It is now available at Samsung Experience Stores nationwide. Samsung.com availability begins September 11.

Samsung is also offering introductory discounts until November 30. The 512GB model gets PhP 7,000 off, while the 256GB model gets PhP 5,000 off. The release also lists a PhP 4,000 discount for 256GB, which appears to be a duplicate in the supplied press release.

Customers can also get up to 15 percent off for up to 36 months through select bank partners. Trade-ins come with up to PhP 6,000 in guaranteed savings.

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REDMI reveals the refreshed Note 17 and Note 17 Pro series

Fantastic four to choose from

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Just a month after its Mainland China release, Xiaomi reveals the refreshed REDMI Note 17 and Note 17 Pro series for global markets.

Boosted all around

REDMI is giving the Note 17 series a major endurance boost!

The headliner is none other than REDMI Note 17 Pro Max with its monstrous 10,000mAh battery capacity — or 9210mAh for other regions.

That’s followed by the REDMI Note 17 Pro with a 8,340mAh battery. For context, the 15 Pro+ and 15 Pro models only had 6500+mAh batteries.

The 5G and 4G versions of the REDMI Note 17 weren’t left behind as well with their 7700mAh tanks. These two base models rely on Xiaomi’s 45W Turbo charging.

On the other hand, the REDMI Note 17 Pro features a speedier 67W HyperCharge while the Note 17 Pro Max has the fastest of ’em all at 100W HyperCharge.

All models support 22.5W wired reverse charging.

More than just big batteries

The REDMI Note 17 Pro and Pro Max both rock a 6.83-inch 1.5K CrystalRes 1.5K AMOLED display. They also feature up to 3,500 nits peak brightness, 12-bit color depth.

Meanwhile, the REDMI Note 17 5G and Note 17 4G share the same 6.99-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen.

More display feats include a 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, plus instantaneous touch sampling reaching 3200Hz — as long as you enable Game Turbo.

The base Note 17 models share the same camera system: 50MP f/1.8 main plus 16MP f/2.5 selfie camera. The Pro series also possess a similar rear camera system: 50MP f/1.8 + 8MP f/2.2 Ultra-Wide Angle (UWA).

Selfie shooters are different though. 16MP f/2.4 for the Pro model while a larger and brighter 32MP f/2.2 for the Pro Max.

Furthermore, each models differ a lot based on what’s in their cores:

REDMI Note 17 Pro Max REDMI Note 17 Pro REDMI Note 17 5G REDMI Note 17 4G
Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2
LPDDR5X memory + UFS 4.1 or 2.2 storage LPDDR4X memory + UFS 3.1 or 2.2 storage LPDDR4X memory + UFS 2.2 storage LPDDR4X memory + UFS 2.2 storage
8+128GB
8+256GB
8+512GB
12+256GB
6+128GB
6+256GB
8+256GB
8+512GB
12+256GB
6+128GB
6+256GB
8+256GB
4+128GB
4+256GB
6+128GB
6+256GB
8+256GB
10,001mAh / 9210mAh
100W HyperCharge
8340mAh
67W HyperCharge
7700mAh
45W Turbo Charge
7700mAh
45W Turbo Charge

All phones ship with Xiaomi HyperOS 3. Other than Google’s Gemini and Circle to Search, Xiaomi’s built-in AI Creativity Assistant.

However, the Note 17 Pro Max takes it up a notch with Xiaomi HyperAI features:

  • AI Writing
  • AI Interpreter
  • AI Speech Recognition
  • AI Dynamic Wallpapers and more

Built to take a beating

Both models of the REDMI Note 17 Pro series boast the reinforced Titan Structure for utmost durability. Moreover, they bear multiple IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings. Certified resistance to immersion of up to 2 meters for 72 hours.

REDMI also claims certified drop resistance of up to 3 meters onto granite surfaces.

It doesn’t stop there. The Pro displays are protected by the flagship-grade Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Eye safety wasn’t compromised too with its 3840Hz PWM dimming. Even so, it brags three TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue light, flicker-free, and circadian-friendly use cases.

Wet Touch Technology 2.0 also allows the display to remain responsive when used with wet, oily, foamy, or even sweaty fingers.

Lastly, the base REDMI Note 17 models are limited to IP65 rating. They also have dedicated microSD card slots that the Pro models lack.

Pricing and Availability

The base pricing and color options of the REDMI Note 17 series are as follows:

REDMI Note 17 Pro Max

  • starts at US$ 499
  • Cloud Blush, Green, Purple, Black colorways

REDMI Note 17 Pro

  • starts at US$ 399
  • Sky Blue, Satin Orange, Purple, Black colorways

REDMI Note 17 5G

  • starts at US$ 299
  • Celestial Purple, Sky Teal, Black colorways

REDMI Note 17 4G

  • starts at US$ 249
  • Celestial Purple, Sky Teal, Black colorways

Additionally, prospective buyers of the REDMI Note 17 Series in eligible markets will enjoy several benefits at no extra cost:

  • 6-month trial / Google One + 200GB cloud storage
  • 2-month trial / YouTube Premium
  • 3-month trail / Spotify Premium
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Gaming

Samsung Display’s QD-OLED panels help demos at gamescom 2026

Hundreds of gaming monitors feature company’s QD-OLED panels

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Samsung Display is showcasing the gaming performance advantages of QD-OLED at gamescom 2026 through hundreds of monitors helping with playable demos.

Samsung Display partnered with CAPCOM, KRAFTON, and CD PROJEKT RED, with their highly anticipated titles being showcased at gamescom 2026 (August 26 to 30, Cologne, Germany) on several gaming monitors featuring Samsung Display’s QD-OLED panels.

This demonstrates the outstanding picture quality of QD-OLED to gamers from around the world.

In addition, the company has announced that it will begin the mass production of 24.5-inch QD-OLED panels optimized for eSports and FPS games by the end of the year.

At CAPCOM’s booth, visitors can get a hands-on experience with the upcoming Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen.

Other playable titles include PRAGMATA, Street Fighter 6, and Mega Man: Dual Override.

Samsung Display is supplying a total of 90 QD-OLED gaming monitors, including the EVNIA 32MN8900, GIGABYTE MO32U24 and MSI MAG 321UP QD-OLED X24, for the hands-on gameplay.

Meanwhile, KRAFTON will showcase three of its five upcoming titles on 85 Alienware QD-OLED gaming monitors.

Visitors will have the opportunity to preview the multi-team tactical arena game Project ZETA, two-player coop AG Twisters, and the action RPG TARAE: The Unbound.

Lastly, at the CD PROJEKT RED booth, a trailer for Songs of the Past, the third expansion pack for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be shown on eight QD-OLED TVs.

Visitors can also watch gameplay demonstrations on monitors equipped with similar displays. This gives Samsung Display the chance to highlight the QD-OLED Penta Tandem technology.

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