Hands-On

Surface Pro 4 Hands-On

Published

October 7, 2015

GadgetMatch

Microsoft calls Surface Pro 4 the thinnest, lightest, and most powerful PC ever made. It also comes with an improved type-cover keyboard that now features a fingerprint scanner. The Surface Pro 4 also comes with a pen that actually has an eraser… *cough* Apple Pencil *cough*

It’s been more than 2 years since Microsoft unveiled the original Surface Pro.

A device category that was unique to Windows until late this in 2015 when Apple and Google entered the fray with the iPad Pro and the Pixel C. The entry of its closest rivals further validates Microsoft’s gamble on a class on a new kind of computing that’s in between tablets and laptops. And with the updates to this year’s Surface Pro 4, Microsoft hopes to maintain its supremacy.

What’s new about the Surface Pro 4? It’s thinner, lighter, and more powerful. While the footprint remains the same…the screen is actually larger. Up from 12 to 12.3 inches. Inside there’s a more powerful processor and up to 16GB of RAM and 1 TB of space. Not the kind of specs you’d find on your average tablet. In some cases better than what you’d find on your average laptop.

Microsoft says its 30% faster than last year’s model and 50% faster than the MacBook Air. There’s also an innovative liquid cooling system – that guarantees the laptop stays cooler and quieter. Even with heavy use.

[irp posts=”8643″ name=”Microsoft is bringing the feature we’ve always wanted to Windows”]

One of the key features of the Surface Pro is using it with the Surface Pen which this time around is better than ever.

If Apple has the Pencil, the Surface Pen does one better with an eraser, that works like a normal pencil eraser would. It’s also a button. Click it to bring up One Note.

Sensitivity and latency has improved giving you an experience like writing on paper. And if you’re serious, you can purchase nibs of different sizes or pens of different colors.Microsoft has done away with the pen loop. Now the pen just sticks magnetically to the tablet.

The Surface Pro 4 has 8MP and 5MP cameras. The front facing camera supports Windows Hello allowing you to log-on to the device using facial recognition.

The keyboard flip case has also receives a major upgrade. It now feels like a full laptop keyboard. Keys are crunchier. Travel distance is better. And the keys are now backlit. The glass trackpad is also 40% larger and supports multitouch gestures.

Related Topics:Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Windows 10

Hands-On

OPPO Reno15 F 5G hands-on

More question marks than exclamation points?

Published

March 6, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G made its way to the Philippines last month, and reception has been pretty great so far.

With a powerful camera package, AI, and a slew of upgrades, there’s a lot to love and not much negative to say. But that’s with both the standard and Pro models.

On the other hand, with the Reno15 F 5G — the series’ supposed budget-friendly “lite” variant —there were more question marks than exclamation points.

I attack this piece once more from a consumer standpoint: shelling out PhP 23,000 to PhP 26,000 for a midrange smartphone that feels and performs like it’s a few notches below its segment doesn’t sound too pleasant.

Performance

With a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, the OPPO Reno15 F performs pretty much like any sub PhP 20,000 mid-ranger. It’s acceptable, but does not punch above its weight as expected.

No major hiccups for light and casual usage. But performance struggles a lot for demanding video games.

It also heats up significantly just 10 minutes into a title like Honkai: Star Rail. This is a stark contrast to the marketed 25℃ and up to 10 hours straight of smooth gameplay.

Although, the experience was still enjoyable with several wins and MVP runs in Call of Duty Mobile. It only means the F variant remains a more camera-centric phone rather than an a hard-hitting all-arounder.

As with other devices, the 7000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC is a strong suit. You’re fueled from dawn ’til dusk, with much to spare. Recharging takes a breeze, too.

Display

The OPPO Reno15 F has a 6.57-inch 120Hz display, with a 92.8% screen-to-body ratio. At least, that allows you to focus on content on the screen.

Content leans more towards the cooler tone, so you’ll have to adjust it manually if you want a warmer or more vivid look.

The 397ppi pixel density is fine to ensure sharper visuals, while the 1400 nits peak brightness is helpful outdoors.

Camera

The device’s 50MP main camera captures decent quality. The color science leans on being natural anew, without being too dull nor washed out. You can pull off smooth portraits too.

I hardly used the phone for stills as I focused on videos, but here are some samples, on the occasions I was able to take the handset with me:

The 50MP front camera is an intriguing add-on, as it is capable of up to 4K video and a wide 100° field of view.

What this does is it essentially removes the need to flip your phone for the popular “0.5” shots. And the quality doesn’t get compromised given the pixel count.

Here are some selfies from different focal lengths:

To its credit, filming with the back camera at 60fps does look and feel smooth, although it can be improved.

Same with the front camera; and the zoom range can be switched from 0.6 to 2x without cutting the recording.

Although, it’s still best to use a selfie stick or small tripod if you’re just after talking head videos.

Speaking of which, here are a few I’ve made with just this device:

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But for travel and on-the-go captures, as OPPO markets for the series in general, even the Reno15 F can cover a lot of background along with your or your groups’ faces.

Make no mistake, there are some useful AI editing features here. In particular, AI Portrait Glow gives your raw capture an effect to make it look it was taken with flash.

I do not recall the device heating up as well when taking many photos or videos, so you can say it’s more optimized for that task rather than gaming.

Connectivity issues

Meanwhile, AI LinkBoost 3.0, as in the case of the OPPO A6 Pro, doesn’t seem to punch above its weight either.

Once, I also played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and the session opened to a jittery start despite being on Wi-Fi and having a stable connection. I don’t know what triggered this.

Design, feel

We got the Aurora Blue variant which does kind of resemble the northern lights when you tilt the phone a certain way and when light hits its back panel.

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The cursive “Reno” on the large, protruding camera island gives it more style.

However, it’s all just aesthetics. On the downside, the phone is all sorts of slippery.

I couldn’t hold it properly without think of it slipping away from my hands; nor could I put it on my lap with confidence.

So I guess it’s good that it has structural integrity and waterproofing, because you’ll need that.

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The 6.57-inch body does have a good balance between being too compact and too large, like ultras and pro maxes.

It has a squarish body and has already adapted to the premium, aluminum frame look from the sides.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Sadly, the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is a Swipe Left unlike its bigger, more capable siblings. There are plenty of plus points for the camera package but take that away, and I don’t see much difference between the Reno15 F and something like the A6 Pro.

Granted, the asking price of this phone will drop significantly in a few months. But throw in a little more, and you’ve got a legitimate mid-ranger that’s more on the premium side rather than the cheap end of the spectrum.