Features
Best Premium Smartphones above $600 (June 2017 Edition)
If you’re looking for the very best high-end smartphones available, you’ve come to the right place! Every month, GadgetMatch updates this list with the finest devices money can buy, no matter how much they cost.
As a follow-up to our May compilation, this June list takes every newly launched flagship costing more than $600 into consideration, but doesn’t discount the smartphones that continue to make an impact since their launch last year.
Here they are in no particular order:
Samsung Galaxy S8+ ($850)
Was there any doubt about Samsung’s most gorgeous phone making this selection? Armed with the finest processor ever built in the Snapdragon 835, possibly the best single camera in a handset today, and the most refined Android skin to date, the Galaxy S8+ looks to stay on our radar for a long time.
REVIEW: Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+
Apple iPhone 7 Plus ($769)
You can’t complete a selection like this without including Apple’s latest handset. And it’s not because an iPhone has to be included; the iPhone 7 Plus is so fast and so smooth, there’s no way we could ignore it. It also gets the nod over the regular iPhone 7 thanks to its far more impressive dual-camera setup.
REVIEW: Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
Google Pixel XL ($769)
While the Pixel XL has its shortcomings — the lack of serious water resistance and oddly plain design spring to mind — you can’t find a more optimized Android smartphone right now. Everything about it is snappy, from the incredible camera to its witty Google Assistant. It’s also got the most up-to-date operating system, unlimited storage for all your photos, plus a better screen resolution and battery life than the smaller Pixel.
REVIEW: Google Pixel (3 months later)
LG G6 ($650)
After what many considered to be a failure in the G5, LG went back to the drawing board and crafted a smartphone that looks and feels great, and — more importantly — simply works. We’ve been so fond of the G6’s generous but not-too-tall display, extra-wide-angle camera, and super-solid build quality since we got our hands on it. Buh-bye, modules!
Xiaomi Mi Mix (Exclusive Edition – $689)
As of writing, there’s still no widely available smartphone much like Xiaomi’s Mi Mix. Its near-bezel-free front is incredible to this day, and the Exclusive Edition ups the premium with gold rims on the back and a ceramic finish. And it’s so generous on the inside, as well: 6GB of memory and 256GB of internal storage are more than enough even for hardcore users.
REVIEW: Xiaomi Mi Mix (Exclusive Edition) review
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Gaming
Unboxing: Ghost of Yotei Collector’s Edition
The Collector’s Edition captures that spirit in every piece
@gadgetmatch Unboxing the Ghost of Yōtei Collector’s Edition. #MatchPlay @PlayStation @Sucker Punch productions ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch
Ghost of Yotei isn’t just a game you play, it’s a story you carry with you. The Collector’s Edition captures that spirit in every piece.
Front and center is a full-scale replica of Atsu’s Ghost mask — cast in resin, sized to match Jin’s mask from Ghost of Tsushima, and ready for display on its own stand. Place them side by side and you’ve got a legacy in the making.
You also get Atsu’s sash, stitched with the names of the Yotei Six. It stretches a full 71 inches and feels right at home draped across your wall or pulled into a cosplay.
Then there’s the replica Tsuba from Atsu’s katana — the twin wolves forged by her father, now forged for your shelf.
The set goes beyond display pieces, too. Inside the box you’ll find a pouch of coins with rules for Zeni Hajiki, letting you play the same game of skill Atsu does in her journey. There’s a papercraft ginkgo tree with a wolf at its base, and a set of four art cards that capture the game’s heart in frameable snapshots.
And of course, all of this comes with the Digital Deluxe content and a digital copy of the game itself.
The Ghost of Yotei Collector’s Edition will retail for $249.99 | €249.99 | 31,980 JPY. For Southeast Asia, pricing is SGD 318.90 / MYR 969 / IDR 3,349,000 / THB 7,449 / PHP 11,490 / VND 5,799,000.
This isn’t just a bundle of items — it’s a tangible extension of the story, crafted for fans who want to keep Yotei alive long after the credits roll.
SEE ALSO:
Zhengzhou isn’t the first name that slips into your mind when you think of China. Yet the capital of Henan Province holds a story of contrasts; an ancient city wrapped in modernity.
Once dubbed “iPhone City” for being home to the world’s largest iPhone assembly plant, Zhengzhou has been rewriting its identity.
Today, it’s a rising hub for new energy vehicles, with sprawling factories from giants like BYD. Still, beyond the circuits and showrooms, there’s a heartbeat that belongs to history and temples.
Somewhere between my trip to BYD’s space museum and an all-terrain driving circuit (yes, me, pretending to be an off-road and racing pro), I slipped the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 out of my fleece jacket and decided to play tourist-slash-poet.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life’s little detours deserve their own photoshoot.
When faith finds you at Zhengzhou City God Temple
I used to breeze through temples, dismissing them as crowded tourist stops. That changed when life tested my faith. I learned to stop looking at the crowds and start looking inward. Yes, I started offering prayers and seeking silence.
That mindset carried me into the Zhengzhou City God Temple, a Taoist site dedicated to the city’s guardian deity. Its ancient structures — an opera stage and a main hall — were adorned with carved beams and painted pillars, a testament to folk culture and devotion.
Taoism speaks of harmony with the Tao, also known as the natural flow of the universe. I don’t always get it right, but here I simply let myself go with the current.
Because sometimes, when you stop trying to control everything, the universe reminds you just how good it can get.
Standing still at the Confucian Temple
Then came the Zhengzhou Confucian Temple, first built during the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Nearly two thousand years of history echo throughout this site. Though damaged and rebuilt over time, it retains its profound Confucian ambiance, especially if you take the time to walk through each hall.
I wandered through solemn halls, watched the sunlight fall across the cypress-lined courtyard, and admired the towering Dacheng Hall.
Confucianism is about social harmony and discipline; values I don’t fully claim as my own. So instead of searching for meaning in the teachings, I simply stood still, overlooking the courtyard.
While others explored at length, I soaked in the sun’s warmth against the cold wind. Sometimes presence is the only lesson we need.
Walking back in time at Fuminli
By sunset, we were at Fuminli, a historic district where mid-20th-century bricks meet hip cafés and boutiques. It’s the kind of place that makes you wonder if the bricks are original or just really good at cosplay.
The old single-story buildings now hold shops and cafés, turning this pocket of Zhengzhou into a backdrop for Instagram grids.
Still, walking through, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d stepped into a film photograph. The walls held stories, and the air smelled of food. I, of course, was busy finding the best spot for an Instagram photo.
Wishing (or not wishing) at Ruyi Lake
The night pulled us toward Ruyi Lake for the finale. The city’s glowing landmark is a man-made beauty under the Zhengzhou skyline. It was named after a talisman that symbolizes fortune and fulfilled wishes.
Surrounded by the Henan Art Center and Zhengzhou Millennium Royal Plaza (yes, it’s the so-called Corn Tower because it really looks like corn), the place looked cinematic.
The cruise offered light shows and floating performances, as if the canal and lake themselves transformed into a theater with the city skyline acting as the backdrop.
That night, I didn’t make a wish. I just leaned against the railing, with the wind in my hair, replaying the choices that brought me here. Spoiler: I was proud of them.
Through the lens of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7
Even as an extrovert, I’m too shy to ask strangers for photos. With the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7, I captured myself and the city in angles only a flexible lens could make possible. Flex mode and hands-free selfies basically said, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
Now, my photos are about to become souvenirs. Soon, they’ll become postcards and films decorating my home. It’s proof that sometimes, the most unexpected detour can give you the best snapshots of yourself, and of the beauty around you.
Features
Lenovo Yoga 7i Aura Edition: Ten generations of foldable goodness
It comes out swinging across all three foldable modes.
Even after ten generations of the Yoga 7i, Lenovo can still come out swinging. The new Lenovo Yoga 7i Aura Edition leverages its extremely capable Intel-powered hardware to deliver all the power you need, across all three foldable modes.
First up, the laptop mode gives you what you need for a powerful work laptop. It comes with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB SSD of internal storage.
In tent mode, the 2-in-1 convertible laptop works perfectly with the included Yoga Pen. The Intel AI Boost NPU, capable of up to 40 TOPS, allows users to create their own works of art using Cocreator or Lenovo Smart Note.
Finally, in tablet mode, the 14-inch WUXGA OLED screen makes for a perfect movie-watching screen. The notebook also has a sizable 70Wh battery for those long movie marathons.
The Lenovo Yoga 7i Aura Edition is available now. It comes in Luna Grey and sells for only PhP 81,995.
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