MWC 2018

ASUS silently introduces ZenFone Max (M1) as their new budget phone

It could be their ‘Battery Prince’

Published

February 28, 2018

Daniel Morial

Alongside the new ZenFone 5 series, ASUS also announced their new budget phone (probably why it’s not in the spotlight) that’s basically a slightly smaller sibling of the already available ZenFone Max Plus (M1).

The ASUS ZenFone Max (M1) is the latest member of the ZenFone Max series which is probably the most popular among ZenFones and known for its high battery capacities. The new ZenFone Max has a 5.5-inch HD+ 18:9 display in a body that’s no larger than conventional 5-inch smartphones.

Like before, the specs of the phone will depend on which variant is available in your region. It’s powered by either a Snapdragon 425 or Snapdragon 430 and has 3GB of memory with up to 32GB of expandable storage. Lower-end options will be available in some markets.

It has a 13-megapixel main rear camera with an f/2.0 aperture and phase detection autofocus, paired with an 8-megapixel secondary shooter with a 120-degree ultra wide-angle lens to make a dual camera setup. For selfies, the 8-megapixel front camera will be able to handle those.

Since it’s part of the Max series, it’s main selling point is its beefy 4000mAh battery. Thankfully, it runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box with ZenUI 5.0. There’s also a fingerprint reader at the back of the phone.

The handset has three colors: Deepsea Black, Sunlight Gold, and Ruby Red. Pricing and availability are yet to be announced.

Hands-On

Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 8 Sirocco Hands-On

Testament to Nokia’s craftsmanship

Published

March 13, 2018

Chay Lazaro

Two years after making its big comeback, Nokia is slowly filling in the pieces of its Android smartphone lineup. The star of course has to be the new Nokia 8 Sirocco, the most premium from the announcements at Mobile World Congress.

But our favorite is the Nokia 7 Plus, a near-borderless Android One phone with Zeiss optics and a beautiful build.

MWC 2018

Samsung Galaxy S9 Review

Are these new features worth the price increase?

Published

March 10, 2018

Chay Lazaro

In our Samsung Galaxy S9 Review video, we hope to answer questions you may have to help you make an informed decision before buying the phone.

Is Dual Aperture a gimmick? How good is the S9’s camera? S9 or S9+? Is it even worth it?

MWC 2018

YouTubers React to the Samsung Galaxy S9

Do they look like their AR Emoji?

Published

March 3, 2018

Chay Lazaro

A new color, internal camera upgrades, and a few minor changes here and there don’t necessarily make the S9 look or feel new.

But is retaining the same beautiful, sleek design such a bad thing? Are the subtle improvements worth the high price tag? Is AR Emoji a gimmick?

YouTubers Mrwhosetheboss, Joshua Vergara, GadgetsBoy, GadgetsJon, The Tech Chap, David Imel, PC Centric, and Isa Rodriguez tell us what they think about the the Samsung Galaxy S9.