Life has a habit of throwing you into challenges you never trained for.

Smartphones should do the same. They should keep up and evolve with you, and sometimes surprise you with strength you did not expect.

I have used devices that moved backward when the world kept sprinting ahead, so I felt nervous when I first saw the OPPO Find X9.

I judged it instantly. The same distrust you give a contestant who looks too smug before a grueling Physical: Asia round. I thought I knew how the story would end, but I was wrong.

For more than a month, I carried the Find X9 like a teammate who reluctantly joined my squad. It traveled with me to Shenzhen, powered through my errands and deadlines, and survived my messy blend of workouts, airport transitions, and late‑night scrolls.

Halfway through, I realized that the OPPO Find X9 was not the timid underdog I imagined. It felt like watching a contestant who starts slow, then suddenly reveals a strength that makes you want to cheer.

Settling into its role like a seasoned contender

The Find X9 is OPPO’s premium flagship and it carries itself like someone who trains in silence and performs only when it matters.

It keeps the familiar slate form of its predecessors, although the camera bump shifts back to a square layout that aligns with the rest of OPPO’s lineup. It feels like the brand wants its roster to share a common uniform, the way Physical: Asia teams arrive coordinated and ready for the cameras.

The boxy silhouette I loved from the Find X8 returns. It feels more refined and softened enough to sit comfortably in the hand.

It reminds me of my boxy iPhone 16 Pro, although the Find X9 is thinner and lighter. That difference becomes a blessing once you carry it through an entire day.

I even found myself playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Magic Chess: Go Go longer than I planned. I tapped the screen with the intensity of an elimination round and only noticed the fatigue half an hour later.

Now Playing: Netflix’s Physical: Asia

This is where the Find X9 became my sanctuary. The year‑end grind pushed me from plane to cab to hotel and kept me drifting between destinations like I was competing in my own endurance course.

I barely stayed home, so I clung to the glowing screen whenever I needed a break. The 6.59‑inch AMOLED display feels familiar, although the ultra‑thin bezels create a stage that looks wider and more immersive.

It made watching Netflix’s Physical: Asia feel larger than life. I watched Orkhonbayar Bayarsaikhan rally Team Mongolia with a conviction that made me forget where I was.

The crisp visuals pulled me into every challenge and moment of grit. Soon enough, my TikTok algorithm surrendered and fed me everything related to Team Mongolia, especially Orkhonbayar, who looks like a polar bear who can protect you while still being soft enough to lean on.

The only moment the illusion cracked was when the audio tried to catch up. The Dual Dolby Atmos speakers were loud, although they lacked the fullness I wanted. It felt like watching a high‑stakes challenge with a crowd that forgot to cheer.

Thankfully, I always had earbuds with me, so the storyline continued uninterrupted.

Knows when to push or hold back

Flagships do not get second chances. They need to perform on command the way Physical: Asia contestants must explode into action the moment a round begins.

The Find X9 understood this assignment. It runs on MediaTek’s 3nm Dimensity 9500 chipset, which feels like a regular Reno 14 that trained for months with the best coaches and came back transformed.

It handled multitasking, gaming, creative work, and frantic app switching with the focus of an athlete who knows exactly when to conserve energy and when to unleash power.

The 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB storage, combined with another 12GB of RAM expansion, give the phone an almost excessive strength that reminds me of challenges where every team sends its strongest member.

It mirrored my facet as an athlete. It’s capable, balanced, and ready for anything–just like yours truly.

Stamina that goes the distance

The smoothness from the Find X8 carried over beautifully. Nothing shocked me in terms of performance, which is exactly the point.

Flagships should feel consistent and quietly powerful, like contestants who never brag yet always outlast everyone.

The battery felt like the unexpected plot twist. During my trip to Shenzhen, the 7025mAh battery lasted two full days.

I used mobile data, scrolled endlessly, took photos, and filmed videos. I am so used to charging my phones every night while I shower that I instinctively reached for a charger and realized I did not need one.

The Find X9 kept going like I was watching a contestant breeze through a challenge you expected them to struggle with.

It didn’t ask for a break. It simply kept up and stayed with me through everything I wanted to do.

Support team that moves with you

After living with the OPPO Find X9, everything moved with a sense of intention, as if the system knows when to sprint and when to conserve energy.

Animations feel fluid and continuous, and scrolling feels lighter. App launches feel quicker without drawing attention to themselves.

This smoothness comes from OPPO’s new Luminous Rendering Engine, which renders visual elements in parallel so nothing stutters or breaks the flow. It feels like watching a well‑trained team move in sync.

Alongside it, the Trinity Engine manages resources intelligently, keeping the phone responsive even under pressure while controlling heat and power use.

The interface itself feels refreshed and calmer, and customization finally feels playful again. I could set Motion Photos or videos as wallpapers, explore more font options, and even let AI suggest text styles that matched my overall theme.

The Flux Home Screen became a small joy. App folders could be resized into different shapes and the surrounding icons adjusted dynamically, making the layout feel alive rather than rigid.

The Always‑On Display also stepped up with full‑screen support, more widgets, and style options that felt personal instead of ornamental.

Also, OPPO’s growing AI ecosystem, including AI Mind Space, AI Mind Assistant, and Smart Collections, helped organize content quietly in the background.

Screenshots and notes felt easier to find, and suggestions appeared when they actually made sense. Integration with Google’s Gemini through Gemini Live added another layer of intelligence, allowing real‑time interactions that felt natural instead of forced.

What sealed the experience for a flagship device was its cross‑device connectivity. Features like Phone Connect and PC Connect let me share files and mirror my screen across phones, iPhones, Macs, and Windows PCs.

A steady hand when the stakes are high

The Find X9’s camera feels like the teammate who understands the game. It knows when to push and when to let the moment breathe.

I noticed it first when taking portraits, especially in low light. The AI Portrait Glow steps in gently, balancing lighting and skin tones without flattening texture. Faces looked natural and skin tones stayed true, which felt flattering without feeling edited.

Beyond portraits, the suite of AI photo tools is best used when traveling. AI Eraser helped clean up distractions that would have ruined an otherwise great frame.

In busy streets or low‑light environments, AI Unblur helped rescue shots taken in motion. AI Reflection Remover did exactly what it promised, saving photos taken through glass without leaving obvious traces behind.

But what I appreciated most was how easy it was to trust the camera. I didn’t need to overthink angles or second‑guess results.

I lifted the phone, framed the shot, and let the Find X9 do the rest. It’s the best point‑and‑shoot smartphone camera for casual users or anyone learning the ropes of photography. It’s smart enough to call itself a smartphone.

Here are sample photos I’ve taken:

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Battery life that lasts through two full days of heavy use
• Flagship‑level performance that handles multitasking with ease
• Immersive, vibrant display perfect for streaming or gaming
• Intelligent, user‑friendly AI camera features
• Smooth, refined ColorOS 16 experience
• Customization tools that feel personal, not gimmicky
• Seamless cross‑device connectivity

Cons

• Speakers are loud but lack premium depth
• Performance might feel overkill for light users

Is the OPPO Find X9 your GadgetMatch?

The OPPO Find X9 is like that teammate who shows up consistently and performs under pressure.

Its performance is nothing short of flagship‑level, and it’s ready to handle anything you throw at it. It’s not perfect. No other smartphone is. But the minor flaws do not outweigh its endurance, consistency, design, and flagship performance.

Some may hesitate and consider it a Swipe Left. But for anyone who wants a smartphone that keeps pace with your life, performs without complaint, and quietly gets the job done, this is a Swipe Right.

And for us, it’s definitely a Super Swipe. The Find X9 earns the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval because it does more than look good and deliver excellent captures.

It’s one of the best flagship smartphones around that you won’t second‑guess buying at its price.

The OPPO Find X9 retails for PhP 69,999 for the 16GB + 512GB variant. It’s available nationwide through OPPO’s official stores, its official Shopee store, and partner channels.

Despite being a self-professed audiophile, I have always had a problem with wearing headphones the whole day. Sooner or later, the weight just becomes too much. So, when I saw the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro with its thick cushioning, it was love at first sight.

But will that love last?

Lookin’ like a succulent pork belly

Obviously, I’m exaggerating, but the head strap really does look like a pork belly because of how thick it is. And that’s not a complaint, either.

The BlackShark V3 Pro has one of the most comfortable cushioning I’ve ever experienced from a pair of headphones. Plus, both the head strap and the earcups use memory foam, so it feels like new every single time.

Over time, I can barely feel the headphones bearing down on the top of my head because of the thick cushioning. I lasted more than five hours before I felt anything. Even after taking it off for a spell, I was ready to get back into the game. For me, that’s an absurdly good record.

The earcups, on the other hand, fit perfectly. For reference, I have an average ear size. A lot of headphones I’ve tried often leave my ears in pain from all the flexing, but the BlackShark’s fit is just right.

A minimalist but elegant design

Besides the nice cushioning, the rest of the headphones exude that elegant look you might expect from more premium headphones. Except for incredibly subtle Razer branding and a thin ring of lime green around the mic button, there’s nothing to indicate that this is a pro gaming headset.

The earcups are connected to the strap via thin metal arms and a braided cable. The same arms offer 15-degree maneuverability to ensure the most comfortable fit.

Unfortunately, they don’t fold, so it’s harder to take these headphones outside. It’s a slight wrinkle in an otherwise stellar design.

Going back to analog

A lot of headphones today prefer using gesture controls over actual buttons and knobs. Getting rid of buttons does help make designs look sleeker. However, it comes with the added frustration of fiddling around with often-finicky gestures.

Thankfully, the BlackShark V3 Pro has a wealth of buttons and knobs for, in my opinion, easier control. This also lends to its credence as a gaming peripheral. When I’m in the zone, I don’t want to mess around with gestures that might not even work.

The left cup has a dedicated power button, a microphone button, a USB-C slot, and a 3.5mm port (for both input and output). It also has a nifty knob for volume control.

Meanwhile, the right cup has an equalizer button, a noise cancelling button, and a dial to adjust the ANC levels. There’s also audio feedback that lets you know exactly what you’ve pressed.

I love this layout. Though you can argue that all these buttons seem like overkill, there’s just something about manually pressing buttons and turning knobs, especially when you’re focused on gaming. It’s like a palpable feeling of turning it to 11 that you just don’t get with gesture controls.

Premium for gaming, a step less for everything else

The BlackShark V3 Pro is a bass-leaning headset. That’s pretty much what you’d expect from a gaming-focused device. A premium on bass helps you feel the immersive thump of gunshots, explosions, and even simple footsteps.

Personally, I don’t prefer bass-heavy devices. However, this pair refreshingly does not tear with high bass level. It offers a pretty rich output for the deeper end of the audio spectrum. An extensive listening session of metal created thrumming breakdowns and heavy drum solos.

However, there’s a clear step down when it comes to treble. It’s only one step down, though, because I can hear that these cans are capable of impressive treble. However, the focus on bass can drown out the other end. I’ve tried adjusting the equalizer, but it made too little difference to elevate the experience for audiophiles.

Additionally, the soundstage feels more centered than immersive. This pair isn’t what I’d pick for long listening sessions. Then again, this wasn’t made for that. This shines more brightly for gamers.

With THX Spatial Audio, these headphones feel more alive during FPS gaming sessions. Another audio enhancement can amplify footsteps, too. The audio adjustment feels weird at first, but it does give a competitive edge for shooters. It’s also compatible with a few other games, including Civilization VII, which gave a pleasant auditory experience.

A much better mic than I expected

The BlackShark V3 Pro comes with a detachable microphone you can snap on to the 3.55mm port. As a pro gaming peripheral, the attachment is expected but not even necessary for a headset of this caliber already.

It’s a fairly decent, well-thought-of accessory. The audio input was, according to people I played with, clear for in-game comms.

Even better, the Razer Synapse app comes with its own equalizer just for the mic. If you need more control over how you want your voice to be broadcast, these headphones give a surprising level of customization. Being easily accessible through the app is a huge plus, too.

In terms of quality, I might still default to a dedicated external mic. However, if you don’t have one, Razer’s premium pair is a great alternative.

Battery good enough for almost two weeks

Razer promises that the BlackShark V3 Pro can last around 70 hours on a single charge. This is a fairly accurate prediction which aligned with how I used the headphones.

As I mentioned, I can withstand around five hours straight of using the headphones. By the end of the first week, I still had a lot of juice. And if I didn’t push it to my absolute limit, I could make this last even longer than two weeks.

Ultimately, the battery’s life depends on how you use the headphones, which differ greatly from person to person. And, at the end of the day, I had no problems with keeping the headphones connected to the long and braided wire.

Is the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro your GadgetMatch?

The Razer BlackShark V3 Pro is one of the most comfortable pair of headphones I’ve ever tried. It’s also a premium gaming peripheral that reflects its price point well at US$ 249.99.

Sure, you won’t get a pair of headphones worthy for an audiophile, which makes this a Swipe Left if you are. But as a gamer, these are more than what you need, which makes it a hardy Swipe Right.

As someone who’s both, I’d still give this a Swipe Right. My audiophile side already has a more balanced alternatives, after all. But the BlackShark V3 Pro is excellent as a tough-as-nails daily driver.

I used to turn my nose up at ultra-light wireless mice. I preferred the heft of a traditional mouse. The tactile sensation of pushing a heavier mouse makes me feel that my efforts are mechanically moving the cursor on the screen. In contrast, a lighter mouse eradicates that connection, making itself invisible. You no longer feel connected to your PC via a mouse; your hand itself becomes the cursor. I needed that connection.

It wasn’t until the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro that I realized how silly it is to keep that extra weight.

As if nothing was there

The Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro is built for pro gamers. It’s extremely lightweight and impressively fast through its wireless connection.

To be more accurate, the mouse itself, minus the wire and the dongle, weighs only 56 grams. Coming from a chunkier mouse, my hand just flies through my desk mat. It’s like taking off ankle weights and suddenly feeling the weightlessness of a run.

Despite the reduced resistance, I never felt disconnected from the cursor on the screen. The mouse has a maximum polling rate of 8,000Hz. Personally, I didn’t go beyond the default 1,000Hz much. It’s more than enough for casual to slightly more competitive gaming. And in any case, the higher settings are just there for those rare times I want to dabble in more intense games.

Immediately, the DeathAdder V4 Pro’s weight and polling rate were enough to melt my worries over ultra-light and wireless mice.

A simple, no-frills layout

As a competitive mouse, the DeathAdder V4 Pro sheds off any extemporaneous buttons that some gaming mice have.

For input, the mouse has the two traditional left-and-right mouse buttons, a scroll wheel and middle mouse button, and two extra buttons near the thumb. For non-gaming purposes, the two extra buttons can act as the back and next buttons.

Right near the bottom’s optical sensor, you can find a button that doubles for turning the mouse off and changing the sensitivity. I adore this layout. My previous mouse had its DPI button near my grip, leading to a lot of accidental presses. Now, I understand that the layout might favor some types of games, but it just wasn’t it for me. The DeathAdder V4 Pro keeps it out of sight and out of mind.

 

A remarkably useful app

Initially, I bristled at needing another seemingly unnecessary for a new peripheral. However, the Razer Synapse app is surprisingly useful.

It’s remarkably good with fine-tuning. In the traditional DPI settings, you can adjust all the way down to the last digit. It’s all about making the experience as tailored to your tastes as is possible.

Besides the sensitivity, the app also has settings for mouse mat surface calibration for when you lift the mouse off the mat. It also has dynamic sensitivity and rotation calibration to tailor mouse movement based on what angle you hold the mouse with.

Even the dongle is useful

Traditionally, a mouse dongle is just to ensure that the mouse is well connected to the PC. The DeathAdder V4 Pro’s dongle is more useful. For one, it uses the same USB-A to USB-C wire to charge the mouse, so you don’t need to take off the wire every single time.

Secondly, it has three LED lights for three customizable displays. By default, it shows connection quality, battery level, and polling rate. You can rearrange these three, take out one to add DPI stage, or turn them off altogether. To me, these displays are very useful. They even use multiple colors and shades, so it’s not just red, orange, and green to show the battery, for example.

Most importantly, it’s small enough to keep out of the way. Since the wire is long, you can just hide the entire thing.

Optional grip tape

This is such a small thing to add, but I love it so much. The box includes grip tape for the left-and-right mouse buttons and both sides.

Besides adding grip, the tape also keeps the main body clean from the dirt on your hands over time.

The best part is that it’s replaceable. Some mice have the rubber built in. So, in those other mice, when your finger inevitably rub them smooth, you’re stuck with a slippery rubber piece until you replace the entire mouse. The replaceable grip tape is such a godsend against this problem.

Battery for weeks

The DeathAdder V4 Pro lasts an absurdly long time. It took me two weeks before the dongle showed a color that hovered perilously closer to red. Even then, it still had juice to keep going on. For reference, I usually keep my PC on the entire day for five to six days a week. I also don’t turn the mouse off with the PC because it has a low-power state that preserves battery life.

If you keep the mouse at the default 1,000Hz, Razer promises that a full charge can last 150 hours. If you’re more diligent in turning the mouse off after every use, you can probably squeeze out a bit more, too. Alternatively, the lifespan at the maximum 8,000Hz is reportedly 22 hours, which isn’t too bad if you need the mode for long competitive sessions.

Regardless, it’s not too much of a big deal to charge the mouse. It can still work perfectly when connected to the included cable.

Is the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro your GadgetMatch?

The Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro made me eat humble pie. After years of snobbery towards ultra-light wireless mice, Razer’s latest peripheral mended my ways and convinced me to drop the weightier mouse.

But that’s just me. If you’re already a fan of wireless mice, the DeathAdder V4 Pro is a no-frills gaming mouse that brilliantly prioritizes function over form. It’s simple, fast, and reliable as a plug-and-play peripheral. But when it needs to be better, it can tailor your entire experience to give you a competitive edge.

The only aspect that might make you think twice is its price. At US$ 169.99, the DeathAdder V4 Pro asks you to pay for a bit more than other alternatives. It’s still within the range of its contemporaries, but the price tag is a heavy ask.

It’s still a Super Swipe for me, though. Price aside, it’s a perfect mouse for all occasions.