Tablets

Galaxy Tab S8 beats iPad for first tablet without a free charger

No charger in the box

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Years ago, Samsung clowned Apple for removing the free charger from their iPhone boxes. The company’s jokes quickly came to an end, though. Soon after Apple’s decision, Samsung followed suit, removing their own free chargers from purchased smartphones. Now, the tables have turned. The new Galaxy Tab S8 does not have a charger in the box, beating out Apple for a charger-less tablet.

Noted by The Verge’s Dan Seifert on Twitter, the recently launched Tab S8 did not come with the free accessory out of the box. Instead, like the company’s smartphones, it comes with only a charging cable.

Because a lot of smartphones don’t come with chargers anymore, it does seem odd to note the Tab S8’s packaging. However, the tablet’s lack of a charger carries some importance. Apple, who started the charger-less trend in the first place, still ships all of their iPads with a charging adapter in the box. Samsung beats out Apple in its own trend.

However, though the two brands are often at odds with each other, this specific trend might not be one that Samsung was rushing to beat Apple in. Since Apple’s first charger-less device, users have lamented over brands ridding themselves of the coveted accessory.

Additionally, shipping a Galaxy Tab S8 without a charger seems more controversial than usual. A tablet is still considered a premium purchase that often needs bundled accessories to maximize their potential.

The Galaxy Tab S8 is available now. The base model starts at US$ 699.99, while its more premium models go above US$ 1,000.

SEE ALSO: Samsung launches the Galaxy Tab S8 series

First Look

First Look: Apple iPhone Duo

The foldable we’ve been waiting for!

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Apple’s first ever foldable is finally here! Say hello to the iPhone Duo.

In this video, THE Michael Josh shares his first impressions.

Those include the design, display, cameras, performance, and what it’s actually like to use Apple’s latest iPhone.

Is the iPhone Duo the future of the iPhone or just an interesting experiment?

We take a closer look and share everything that stood out during our hands-on experience.

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Editors' Choice

GadgetMatch Awards: Best of IFA 2026

Xiaomi 18 Fold, Govee, XGIMI, ARZOPA, Cuktech and more!

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We’re back at IFA 2026 in Berlin, checking out some of the coolest and most interesting tech on the show floor.

From smart home lighting and portable displays to projectors, power solutions, foldables, and more, these are some of the products and brands that caught our attention this year.

In this video, we take a look at:

GOVEE‬

ARZOPA

CUKTECH‬

** Use code CUKTECH09, valid until September 30

XGIMI

Xiaomi

ASUS‬ x NVIDIA RTX SPARK

Watch until the end for our favorite finds from IFA 2026!

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News

Xiaomi 18 Fold is the next foldable to go WIDE

Just days before the official launch of Apple’s first foldable iPhone

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Xiaomi 18 Fold
Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

From the HUAWEI Pura X Max to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, it seems like WIDE foldables are inevitable at this point.

The latest to enter the battlefield is none other than the Xiaomi 18 Fold.

A fold of firsts

First teased inside a glass casing at IFA 2026 in Berlin, Germany, the Xiaomi 18 Fold finally makes its official debut — just days before the official launch of Apple’s highly anticipated foldable iPhone.

XIaomi 18 Fold

While it’s not the first WIDE foldable to exist, it’s still the first WIDE foldable made by Xiaomi. They even skipped two years and a generation of the very last MIX Fold to welcome this transition.

And by that, it’s also their first device to run the Xiaomi XRING O3 SoC built on a 3nm process with a 10-core CPU plus a 16-core G2-Ultra NX GPU.

This chip promises 52% faster CPU and 84% greater GPU performance than Apple’s A19 Pro chips. All while drawing less power.

Meanwhile, there’s a newer 4-core NPU that can deliver 45% faster on-device decoding performance compared to Xiaomi’s first-gen chip.

This second-generation chipset is also the first SoC that supports the all-new LPDDR6 RAM interface.

XIaomi 18 Fold

This new foldable also packs a 6000mAh battery, the largest in any WIDE foldable so far. Its Pura and Galaxy rivals are capped at 5300mAh and 4800mAh respectively.

Filling it up fast will all depend on Xiaomi’s 67W HyperCharge and 50W wireless HyperCharge standards.

Another first in the Xiaomi 18 Fold lies on the back of its special Ceramic Edition colorway.

XIaomi 18 Fold Ceramic Edition

The use of Silicon nitride ceramic marks the first time for this material to be used as a smartphone’s back panel.

ICYMI, Silicon nitride is an advanced ceramic material that is widely used in automotive and aircraft engines especially for its high-temperature resistance.

This material combines a warm yet smooth ceramic feel but with a high amount of hardness. All while weighing approximately 50% less versus a traditional zirconia ceramic.

Pretty inside and out

Other than its powerful core and mechanism, the Xiaomi 18 Fold is pretty both inside and out.

When folded, it features a 5.38-inch cover display. Unfolded, it has an expansive 7.58-inch flexible screen. They feature Xiaomi’s new HyperRGB screen technology that uses a full RGB subpixel structure to make complete use of red, green, and blue subpixels.

Both screens also have an adaptive 1~120Hz LTPO AMOLED displays with a maximum brightness of 4000 nits.

This passport-like form factor adapts a √2:1 aspect ratio close to a standard A4 paper. Both create higher screen utilization when consuming content regardless if one is reading, watching, or even gaming.

XIaomi 18 Fold

Xiaomi 18 Fold’s inner screen also boasts minimal creasing all thanks to its double-layer UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass) where the surface UTG is 50µm while its support layer underneath is at 30µm.

There are also organic flexible insulating materials that are 6x more ductile than rigid materials alongside a stronger impact resistance.

Flipping to its back, the Xiaomi 18 Fold boasts a triple Leica camera system.

XIaomi 18 Fold

Specifically, it packs a 200MP f/1.7 main camera based on Samsung’s 1/1.56-inch ISOCELL HP5 sensor. Additionally, there’s a 50MP f/2.4 UWA and a dedicated 50MP f/2.8 periscope telephoto module with 3.5x optical zoom capabilities.

All cameras come with Leica’s Summilux optics that are also found on the last Xiaomi 17 Ultra.

The Xiaomi 18 Fold is the second WIDE foldable to pack a triple camera setup that its current Korean counterpart and the upcoming American contender both lack.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Now that we’re here, the chassis is made from a 7000-series aluminum alloy frame with Xiaomi’s very own Shield Glass 3.0 glass protection for both the outer display and back panel (not to be confused with the exclusive Ceramic Version).

The cover glass is further strengthened through ion implantation for improved drop resistance.

Also, Xiaomi’s new-gen hinge also has a patented three-link design that wraps around the screen and provides more protection.

While we’re already at it, the Xiaomi 18 Fold relies on IP58 and IP59 water and dust resistance ratings.

Pricing and Availability

The Xiaomi 18 Fold is available in Black, White, Red, and a special Ceramic Version.

Pricing and configuration are as follows:

  • 12+256GB = CNY 10,999 (US$ 1640 / EUR 1410 / GBP 1215 / SG$ 2075 / MYR 6615 / PhP 102,330 / INR 154,680)
  • 12+512GB = CNY 11,999 (US$ 1785 / EUR 1540 / GBP 1325 / SG$ 2265 / MYR 7220 / PhP 111,630 / INR 168,740)
  • 16+512GB = CNY 12,999 (US$ 1935 / EUR 1665 / GBP 1435 / SG$ 2455 / MYR 7820 / PhP 120,935 / INR 182,810)
  • 16+1TB = CNY 14,999 (US$ 2235 / EUR 1920 / GBP 1655 / SG$ 2830 / MYR 9020 / PhP 139,540 / INR 210,930)
  • 16+1TB Ceramic Version = CNY 15,999 (US$ 2380 / EUR 2050 / GBP 1765 / SG$ 2425 / MYR 9625 / PhP 148,845 / INR 225,000)

Unfortunately, several outlets have already reported that Xiaomi does not plan to bring the 18 Fold outside China.

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