Features

Road to Mythic: Diaries of a solo rank solo tank

Playing on an OPPO A94

Published

March 26, 2021

Dorothy Baylon

When I began playing Mobile Legends I wanted to learn how to play the support role of a Tank since everyone was always rushing to be the Marksman. I didn’t want to deal with having my main character always being chosen by another team player so I decided to go with the unpopular option.

Little did I know, choosing the tank role would be like carrying the weight of the world, or the game in this case. It’s been a year now since I started playing ML and here are a few things I’ve learned along the way that helped me rank up to Mythic despite mostly playing solo rank as a tank.

TIP #1 — Setting is key

Tanks are key to laying the foundation for their core to make as many kills as possible. Understand the setting skills of each tank and use it accordingly to your surroundings. Whether it is using your skill to stun them against a wall or push them towards the tower.

TIP # 2 — Understand the skills of your team members and opponents

You can maximize your tank’s skills if you also understand what skills your teammates use. Example when using Atlas, it’s ideal to partner him with teammates with AOE damage. If your opponent is using characters with blink skills like Fanny or Freya, using Khufra’s 2nd skill would cancel out their move.

TIP # 3 — You are NOT a Baby Sitter

Once of the most frustrating part about playing as a tank is when your MM or core expects you to follow them wherever they go. I’ve noticed that I can help the team more when I roam around between the team to assist rather than solely babysitting the core. Cores need to understand that they shouldn’t engage when they don’t have support rather than blame the tank for not always holding their hand.

TIP # 4 — Zoning

Check that bush! Especially when buffs are crucial to your core. You can hide in the bush to ensure the enemy doesn’t steal it and it’s also a good opportunity to ambush. Zoning also helps give your team members a better vision of the map.

TIP # 5 — Map Awareness

Map awareness is crucial because you can gauge if a group of enemies is on the way to you, or if your teammates need help. By having good awareness of the map you can gauge when it’s time to leave your core to help those in need. Map awareness also helps you in making sure that when you set, your teammates are nearby to follow up with an attack.

TIP# 6 — Take Calculated Risks

Being the team member with the highest HP, tank users have the role of taking the hit for their teammates. Sometimes it could be entering the turret zone so your core can kill the enemy (recommended if your core is using Aegis as their spell), or it could mean sacrificing yourself to make a good set in a clash. You can also act as bait while your teammates hide in the bush for an ambush.

TIP # 7 — Git Gud!

I didn’t reach Mythic by sheer luck. It took time, practice and observing teammates and opponents with how they play. Learn how to side step rather than running in a straight line, learn the art of ambush and don’t let your teammates’ negative comments get to you. And most importantly, have fun!

TIP #8 — Play on a gaming-capable smartphone

Something like the OPPO A94. Don’t let it’s flashy exterior fool you, this smartphone can game with some of the best of ’em.

The MediaTek Helio P95 Octa-core chip powering the device is tuned gaming-centric things like responsive on-screen touches and less lag. Naturally, you’d want a gaming session that’s not interrupted. The OPPO A94’s Game Assistant handles this for you.

With it, you’re able to filter the notifications that come in. They also don’t show up like annoying huge banners at the top of you screen. Instead, they will run like tickers that blend nicely into your screen. Or, if you want, you can just have the notifications turned off altogether.

Mobile gaming is much more fun when you play on a smartphone than can keep up with your skills and the OPPO A94 is one such phone.

Naturally, you can also do other things with it. While it’s tuned for gaming, it’s also fantastic for your social media browsing, chatting and other usual tasks you do with your phone. It’s just a bit of a smudge magnet so you might want to have a wiping cloth with you at all times when rocking this phone.

Here are the OPPO A94 specs in case you’re curious:

Display — 6.43-inch AMOLED
Processor — Mediatek MT6779V Helio P95 (12 nm)
Battery — 4310mAh, fast charging 30W
RAM — 8GB
Internal Storage — 128GB
Rear Cameras — 48MP wide, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP depth, 2MP macro
Front Camera — 32MP

Price and availability

The OPPO A94 retails in the Philippines for PhP 13,999 and will be available at OPPO Concept Stores, Partner Dealers, E-commerce flagship store in Lazada and Shopee.

In Singapre, it retails for SG $429 at the OPPO concept store, OPPO online Lazada and Shopee Flagship stores, and authorized resellers islandwide

Cameras

What HYROX Hong Kong looks like up close

Photographed on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III.

Published

June 11, 2026

MJ Jucutan

HYROX drew people from all over the world for a single purpose: finish the course. In Hong Kong, athletes showed up at AsiaWorld-Expo ready to run, row, and push through 8 stations of pure functional fitness.

So, we brought the Canon EOS R6 Mark III to capture one of the most demanding fitness races on the planet.

The Expo floor is a lighting nightmare, a mix of harsh overheads and deep shadows, but the 32.5MP sensor handled the contrast without breaking a sweat.

The 40fps electronic shutter and Pre-continuous shooting meant we were already capturing the moment half a second before we consciously decided to press the shutter.

Covering a race means staying mobile, and the 8.5-stop IBIS let us move freely alongside athletes without losing the shot. The Dual Pixel CMOS AF II stayed locked on athletes even when they were squinting through the final stretch.

What came out were stories of triumph and determination. Even when their bodies were screaming, they pushed through anyway.

This is what HYROX Hong Kong looked like from the inside.

Words by MJ Jucutan. Photos by Sky Rodillas.

Buyer's Guide

Buyer’s Guide: Xiaomi Pad 8 Series

Do you need the base or the Pro?

Published

June 8, 2026

MJ Jucutan

Choosing between the Xiaomi Pad 8 and the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro feels like picking between a “sweet treat” and a “full-course meal.”

It’s deciding between a reliable travel companion and a specialized workstation. Both tablets rock a slim 5.8mm profile and a manageable 485-gram weight, and a 9200mAh battery.

However, under the hood, they are playing in different leagues. Especially since the “Pro” moniker adds serious muscle to the internals, and a solution for that glossy screen distraction.

Specs at a glance

Product	Xiaomi Pad 8	Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro
Processor	Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 (4nm)	Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm)
Display	11.2″ 3.2K IPS LCD (144Hz)	11.2″ 3.2K IPS LCD (144Hz)
Surface	Ultra-Glossy Glass	Optional Matte Nano-Texture
Storage/RAM	Up to 12GB LPDDR5X / 256GB	Up to 16GB LPDDR5T / 512GB
Rear Camera	13MP	50MP
Front Camera	8MP	32MP
Charging	45W Turbo Charge	67W HyperCharge
Pricing	Starts at PhP 20,999	Starts at PhP 38,999

Why you should pick the Xiaomi Pad 8

The standard Pad 8 is that “Goldilocks” device, hitting that sweet spot between price and premium hardware.

It’s ideal if your tablet usage is centered on media consumption and light productivity. Since it shares the same 11.2-inch screen size as the Pro, it fits perfectly on an airplane tray table, making it a dream for frequent flyers.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is no slouch; it still runs titles like Racing Master at 60fps on Ultra-High settings. If you’re a fan of XG or KiiiKiii, you’ll appreciate the quad-speaker setup and Hi-Res Audio support without needing to pay the “Pro” tax.

It’s the smart choice for those who want a capable second screen to complement their main laptop.

Why you should level up to the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro

The “Pro” is for those who found the standard model’s limitations — like the glossy screen reflections or the 128GB storage ceiling — to be a dealbreaker.

The biggest upgrade is the Snapdragon 8 Elite, a powerhouse chip that turns the tablet into a legitimate workstation for video editing in CapCut or heavy multitasking in HyperOS 3.0.

Beyond power, the Pro version offers a Matte Glass Edition, which completely solves the “reflection” issue that can ruin your movie sessions or drawing time under bright lights.

You also get significantly better cameras, such as a 32-megapixel front sensor for professional-looking video calls. There’s also a 50-megapixel rear camera for high-res document scanning.

Finally, the 67W HyperCharge means you spend less time tethered to a wall and more time being productive.

Which Xiaomi Pad is your GadgetMatch?

Swipe Right on the Xiaomi Pad 8 if you want the best value for your money.

It’s thin, light, and powerful enough for 90% of users. It handles gaming, writing, and music playback with ease, making it a worthy recipient of a seal of approval for anyone on a budget.

Just be sure to skip the 128GB entry model and go for the 256GB version to ensure you get those faster storage speeds.

Swipe Right on the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro if you are a “power user” who hates screen glare. If you plan to use the Focus Pen Pro for serious creative work or need 512GB of space for a massive game library, the Pro is worth the extra investment.

It’s a high-speed machine that charges faster, captures better photos, and runs every app with flagship-level fluidness.

The Xiaomi Pad 8 starts at PhP 20,999 with Normal Keyboard while the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro starts at PhP 38,999 with Touch Keyboard. Both tablets come with free Focus Pen Pro.

Apps

The No-Nonsense guide to mid-year shopping

Let AI do the heavy lifting for you this Lazada 6.6 Super WOW Sale

Published

June 5, 2026

MJ Jucutan

The mid-year sale season is here, but the days of mindless impulse buying are over.

Shoppers are shifting toward intentional, value-driven decisions, focusing on quality, authenticity, and actual utility over flashy, low-quality gimmicks.

From 8:00 PM on June 5 until 11:59 PM on June 8, 2026, the Lazada 6.6 Super WOW Sale is dropping major discounts. But the real win is using the platform’s tools to maximize your budget.

Lock in the baseline discounts

Before diving into specific items, map out how to stack the core offers.

You can stretch your money by hunting down LazFlash Deals for up to 90% off, collecting up to PhP 3,000 in stackable vouchers, and ensuring every order qualifies for the free shipping offers available throughout the event.

True value comes from combining these three layers of savings on things you already need.

Jisulife: One of the participating, trusted brands you can get from LazMall

Filter for authentic value

Shopping smart means avoiding the trap of “too good to be true” counterfeits that end up in the trash.

Data shows a massive consumer shift toward trusted quality, with LazMall growth vastly outperforming standard listings during major sales.

To ensure your money goes toward genuine products with real warranties, restrict your browsing to official, brand-certified stores.

If you are upgrading your tech, parenting gear, or wardrobe, look to trusted names anchoring the sale like UGREEN, JisuLife, ANTA, Maserati Watches, Momcozy, and O.TWO.O.

UGREEN: One of the participating, trusted brands you can get from LazMall

Outsmart the noise with built-in tech

Don’t waste hours scrolling through endless listings or guessing which product is better.

The smartest way to navigate a massive mid-year event is to let the platform’s built-in features cut through choice paralysis.

Tools like AI Lazzie and AI Picks allow you to instantly compare similar items, analyze prices, and get personalized recommendations based on actual data rather than generic marketing hype.

Smart Shopper Tip: True value is a mix of the right price, verified authenticity, and a seamless return policy. Use this sale period to stock up on everyday essentials and high-quality upgrades rather than panic-buying items you’ll regret later.