Her GadgetMatch

Meizu Pro 7 Review: Twice the fun

Published

August 14, 2017

Isa Rodriguez

I took one look at the Meizu Pro 7 and I knew I wanted to try it out. You see, unlike other folks at GadgetMatch who look to specs and features as basis for wanting to try a phone, I look at form factor and novelty. A phone with a secondary AMOLED display was obviously right up my alley.

But, what good does a secondary display do? How does it work? Does one actually need a second display and if so, when will one ever need it? I spent a few days with the Pro 7 in an attempt to answer all these questions.

Secondary AMOLED screen

Meizu’s secondary display is a cute little panel on the back of the phone (which I will, from here on, call “cutie screen”). It’s around the size of a big person’s thumb or a lipstick tube — but just right for displaying time and phone notifications with a certain pizzaz.

Girl holding Meizu Pro 7 with back screen alerting with a notification

Yeah, this pizzaz

The screen isn’t always on; you can activate with a double-tap. Initially, the display will show you the time, but a swipe right will give you the temperature in your location and another swipe will display the pedometer. When turned on, phone actions like charging will also randomly show on the cutie screen with different animations.

My favorite function, when it comes to this display, would be its selfie capability. A swipe up will activate the rear camera and the cutie panel turns into a display! Swiping will switch through the three modes available: blur which is the bokeh mode, beauty mode, and original. A tap on the screen triggers the shutter after a countdown of three seconds. Think of all the selfie possibilities!

Unfortunately, the camera view on the cutie screen doesn’t support video — a shame since this was something I was looking forward to using; just think of all the vlog possibilities if this were doable! I also wanted to customize the standby screen animation or wallpaper, but the phone wouldn’t allow me to do that, so I was pretty much stuck with the serious-looking preset clock face and a blank screen on downtime.

As expected, I did enjoy the extra selfie screen — it helped with framing, and selfies were generally easier to take, though you can’t really see much detail on such a teeny screen. Size does matter at the end of the day, at least for selfie screens!

The cameras

The Pro 7 is equipped with a 16-megapixel front-facing camera plus a dual-cam setup at the back with two 12-megapixel shooters. These numbers are never really indicative of how good a camera is so you know what that means: shootout!

The selfie camera is, of course, equipped with a beauty filter that may be toggled according to your filter preference. Unlike other selfie smartphones, the Meizu Pro 7 only has one beauty mode setting that you’re stuck with — no separate toggles for skin smoothening, face thinning, or complexion. Not that I’m complaining; the filter does its job.

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Of course, if that’s not enough for you, the phone also has a built-in beauty edit feature which allows you to make certain changes to your selfies — just make sure not to go overboard!

Meizu Pro 7 photo and beauty edit samples

Don’t over do the editing, it can turn really bad, real quick

The rear dual-camera setup allows for monochrome photos and a bokeh mode. By experience, however, the front-facing camera does a better job with the beauty filters, as the rear camera filter is too subtle for my taste.

Though the Pro 7’s camera does well overall, it doesn’t seem to do too well with low-light shots. Sample shots in low light with the Meizu Pro 7

Here are other sample shots of my fabulous life (ha ha ha!) taken with the Pro 7:

: Meet my doggies!

: Random night out

: More of my doggies!

: What’s for lunch?

: View from the GadgetMatch HQ

: My plant babies

: Black and white

: Another black and white photo

The Meizu Pro 7 boasts a monochrome function owing to the dual-cam setup, though I was not really impressed by it — especially after seeing other brands do it better.

Look and feel

I’m pretty particular about how a phone looks and feels in my hands. The Meizu Pro 7 has a sleek aluminum back and a good weight to it; this makes it feel pretty premium.

Meizu phones run on the Flyme operating system on top of Android, and this particular one runs on Nougat, which means a distinct phone interface. But, the most peculiar thing about the Pro 7 — and Meizu phones in general — is the fact that there is only one home button on the phone’s front that’s used for most commands. This one physical button to rule them all, equipped with a fingerprint reader, is something that may need a little getting used to.

The Pro 7 also has a USB-C port and headphone jack. Of course, the second display screen is a beautiful, unique touch.

Performance

Unlike the Pro 7 Plus powered by a MediaTek Helio X30 processor, the Pro 7 is powered by a Helio P25. Now, my non-techie friends, stay with me: All you need to know is that this phone is comparable to most new midrange smartphones in the market today (Examples: OPPO R11, Moto Z2 Play, ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom).

On the other hand, the Meizu Pro 7 Plus’ X30 processor puts it on the same range as most flagship smartphones now (Examples: Xiaomi Mi 6, OnePlus 5, HTC U11 which all run on a Snapdragon 835). Though there are Meizu Pro 7’s equipped with the X30, you’d be hard-pressed to find one, since they’re only available in China.

This shouldn’t be a problem at all because as it stands, the Meizu Pro 7 gives a pretty smooth user experience for my needs — I’m a fairly heavy smartphone user, though my apps aren’t that demanding. On this phone I could have 15 to 20 apps all open in the background without issue, although some of them refresh when I reload the app. Our specific Pro 7 has 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage, for reference.

With a capacity of 3000mAh, the battery on this thing is good, too. It goes from zero to 100 percent in around an hour and thirty minutes, and it lasted me a whole day’s use (8 to 14 hours depending on my needs). Turning the second AMOLED screen off does very little difference to battery time, but as I mentioned earlier, that cute second display only does so much at this point, so I wasn’t really expecting a significant difference.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The Meizu Pro 7 is a definite show-stopper because of the extra screen. Though I did expect much from the cutie screen, I was a bit let down by its limited capabilities. But, that definitely doesn’t mean I was not impressed by it, nor am I giving up hope that the secondary features will be improved on in the future. *cough*second screen video selfie mode*cough*

Do I need the second cutie screen? My answer: Does it matter? Meizu played this well; there were no sacrifices made for this additional display, and that makes it a welcome feature whether you’d want it or not. And really, at the end of the day, you could always just turn it off.

For what it’s worth, the Pro 7, even without the cutie screen, is a pretty decent phone. As of writing, international pricing has not been released, but if priced the same way as in China at CNY 2,880 (US$ 425), it’s definitely a phone you should consider.

[irp posts=”16822″ name=”Meizu Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus go official with secondary display”]

Accessories

Razer fully unwraps these limited BLACKPINK Edition gaming gear

They are finally coming in your area!

Published

January 22, 2026

Vincenz

Initially teased a month ago, the much-awaited BLACKPINK x Razer collab has finally been revealed for all the BLINKs to see (and purchase).

Hitting the ‘DEADLINE’

ICYMI, BLACKPINK (or K-Pop’s biggest female quartet composed of Jennie, Lisa, Rosé, and Jisoo) started their highly-anticipated ‘DEADLINE’ World Tour just last year.

With Razer’s signature dark black styling paired with BLACKPINK’s bold and iconic pink scheme, this collaboration felt like the perfect match.

Now, if you’re the type of BLINK who still has a severe sepanx (like yours truly), all these limited BLACKPINK-themed gaming gear by Razer might just be the cure.

That said, here are all the BLACKPINK Edition gaming accessories you should expect from the Singaporean-American gaming giant.

Ornata V3 Tenkeyless – BLACKPINK Edition

A low-profile RGB keyboard with clicky Mecha-Membrane switches.

DeathAdder Essential – BLACKPINK Edition

Gaming mouse with ergonic comfort and precision alongside mechanical switches and programmable buttons.

Gigantus V2 – Medium – BLACKPINK Edition

Razer’s smooth and durable mouse mat with that BLACKPINK flair

Enki X – BLACKPINK Edition

Badly-needed gaming chair for all-day comfort combined with BLACKPINK’s aesthetics — made for your marathon gaming sessions.

Pricing and Availability

Here are the SRP of the special Razer x BLACKPINK Edition gaming essentials:

Ornata V3 Tenkeyless – BLACKPINK Edition = US$ 119.99
DeathAdder Essential – BLACKPINK Edition = US$ 49.99
Gigantus V2 – Medium – BLACKPINK Edition = US$ 29.99
Enki X – BLACKPINK Edition = US$ 499.99

These will all be released worldwide (excluding Canada and Japan) by the 2nd quarter of 2026.

Currently, Razer has set-up a pop-up store in Hong Kong. BLINKs in the area can experience all the special gaming gear with dedicated photo zones in the scene.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Richard Lai (@richardlaihk)

This popped right in time as BLACKPINK will hold the Hong Kong stop of their ‘DEADLINE’ tour for three straight days — from January 24 (Saturday) until January 26, 2026 (Monday).

Moreover, these might just be the perfect complement to the quatro’s upcoming ‘DEADLINE’ EP by February 27, 2026.

Might as well, an advanced 10th year anniversary gift this August 2026.

Deals

Trade in your old device and switch to Dyson at SM Podium

A simple trade-in lets you enjoy Dyson’s latest technology with better value!

Published

November 25, 2025

Her

Sometimes, the right upgrade arrives at the perfect moment.

Dyson is giving everyone that chance with its Trade to Upgrade event happening from November 25 to 28 at the 2F Atrium of SM Podium.

It’s a limited run designed for anyone who has been waiting to switch to smarter cleaning, cooler airflow, or sleeker styling.

The idea is simple: Bring your old purifier, vacuum, or hair tool from any brand, working or not, and switch to a Dyson machine within the same category.

You can enjoy up to 30 percent off when you trade in a purifier for a Dyson purifier, a vacuum for a Dyson vacuum, or a hair dryer or styler for a Dyson hair tool.

It’s a straightforward way to upgrade your daily routines with technology that performs better and looks better at home.

The event also welcomes shoppers who are not trading in. Dyson is offering flexible payment options with zero percent installment for up to twenty-four months on all machines, including the Airwrap Coanda 2X and the Amber Silk finish.

This gives more room to choose the device that fits your lifestyle without rushing the decision.

Whether you are setting up a smarter home or refreshing your everyday essentials, this event is a chance to experience Dyson’s design and engineering in a more accessible way.

Her GadgetMatch

How the HUAWEI Active Rings run inspired my next streak

One active morning turned into a streak I wanted to keep!

Published

November 24, 2025

Her

There are days when running feels like a routine and there are mornings when it feels like a gift.

The HUAWEI Active Rings Fun Run landed perfectly on one of those good mornings. I woke up before the sun, optimistically laced my shoes, and took my place at the SM Mall of Asia Complex, where a thousand runners gathered with the same intention.

Everyone wanted to move with purpose and enjoy a moment that centered on fitness and a little glow from our smartwatches.

Finding my rhythm with my Active Rings

HUAWEI partnered with RUNRIO and a full roster of lifestyle staples like GCash, Shopee, Nature’s Spring, and URC. It created a space that felt alive even before anyone started running.

There were giant inflatables, interactive photo walls, and booths with snacks and hydration that framed the Race Village.

When the run began, the energy pushed me forward. The seaside breeze reminded me why I loved running outside. HUAWEI designed this event for their community of users and I felt that intention with every step.

It felt easy to check my stats and stay on pace because the watch tracked everything that mattered without distracting me.

I was inspired when seasoned runners passed me by, whereas some of them would later claim the top spots. The runners around me boosted me with energy that I wanted to match. They were competitive in a way that felt inspiring.

The little moments that made the morning sweeter

After crossing the finish line, I wandered around the Race Village again. I watched runners take photos with their medals and chat with friends they made during the route.

The GCash Watch Pay booth became unexpectedly helpful for a lot of participants. It let everyone bind their GCash account to their HUAWEI smartwatch.

It made sense for runners who preferred to go cashless and travel light. Shopee was also present and reminded everyone how modern life blends with fitness.

Every corner of the event touched a part of our daily routines. It showed how technology can help simplify healthy habits.

Keeping the streak alive with Light Up Your Active Rings

The fun run wrapped up the physical celebration but HUAWEI kept the momentum alive through the Light Up Your Active Rings Online Challenge. It runs from November 8 to 30 inside the HUAWEI Health App.

Participants only need to burn 1500 kcal within the challenge period to unlock the exclusive Manila Medal, a new badge inside the app that feels like a digital pat on the back.

Sharing the medal on TikTok with the hashtags #LightUpYourActiveRingsPH and #EnjoyYourMoment also enters participants into a chance to win a HUAWEI Watch GT 6.

HUAWEI will announce the winner on December 15. It feels like an invitation to stay active long after the race banners are packed away.

The challenge is simple and the message is clear: movement matters even when it feels small. Running, walking, cycling, or making your day a little more intentional can change the way you show up for yourself.

A community that runs with you

That morning reminded me that fitness does not need to feel lonely. The run united beginners, athletes, and curious participants who wanted to experience something new.

It gave us a morning filled with movement and reminded us that wearable technology can help us stay accountable in a way that feels supportive.

HUAWEI continues to build a fitness community that encourages healthier habits and celebrates every active streak. The Active Rings Fun Run made that mission feel real on the ground. Meanwhile, the Light Up Your Active Rings challenge brings it online for anyone who wants to keep going.

I left the MOA Complex with tired legs and a full heart. My Active Rings glowed with pride and I promised myself that this would not be the last time I ran for the kind of joy that morning gave me.