News

Flagship OnePlus 3T replaces not-so-old OnePlus 3

Published

November 16, 2016

Marvin Velasco

It took only half a year for OnePlus to discontinue its best-ever phone and add a “T” to its immediate successor. Welcome the OnePlus 3T, a somewhat faster and better-equipped OnePlus 3.

The plain OnePlus 3 was very well-received and has been in demand since it’s launch last June, so it’s a surprise to see it scrapped so soon. We did our own unboxing and hands-on of the handset, and we were wholly impressed.

Changes are actually quite minor; so much so that the newer model looks identical to its predecessor. Some fans may be turned off by the higher price tag, but the updated internal hardware hopes to justify the slight increase.

Shelling out $439 for the 64GB storage variant or $479 on the 128GB storage model (both have 6GB of memory) gives you a faster chipset in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (compared to the original’s Snapdragon 820), a jump to a 3400mAh battery from capacity of 3000mAh, and double the front camera’s resolution at 16 megapixels.

Looks exactly the same as the original

The only glaring omission is Android’s seventh-generation Nougat operating system, meaning you get the same old 6.0 Marshmallow the older OnePlus 3 has. The company promises a Nougat rollout for both phones by the end of the year, so you’ll have to make do with whatever refinements OxygenOS is offering this time around.

That’s pretty much it; no waterproofing, improved rear camera, or curved display has been added. This is obviously OnePlus’ way of milking its third-generation design before a real successor comes out next year.

And yet, the decision to replace a flagship phone so soon — a fantastic one at that — and offer something more expensive undercuts the company’s own strategy of offering a high-end product at the most affordable price possible.

The same fast-charging technology and fingerprint scanner are still here

Still, critics will appreciate the bump up in specs, specifically the battery’s capacity. As you may or may not know, the only knock most reviews have against the OnePlus 3 was its less-than-stellar battery life. Any sort of upgrade without finding a way to ruin it, like adding a higher-resolution display or making it much thicker, is sweet music to our ears.

Before we forget, there’s also a new color: Gunmetal. That should help distinguish the newer model from the older one — okay, not really. You can get a hold of it beginning November 22 in the US or November 28 in Europe.

[irp posts=”2997″ name=”OnePlus 3 has almost everything you want in a smartphone, including a very attractive price”]

Source: OnePlus

Gaming

You can play SNES games on this Nike shoe

The project celebrates the SNES’s 35th anniversary.

Published

November 27, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Image source: Gustavo Bonzanini / Instagram

Have sneakerheads gone too far? While we’ve seen gaming-related collaborations before, no one has gone so far as to stick an actual console inside a sneaker before. But, then again, there’s a first time for everything. To celebrate the console’s 35th anniversary, a designer has packed a playable Super Nintendo Entertainment System (or SNES) inside a pair of Nike Air Max 90 sneakers.

Most collaborations of the same type usually incorporate inspired visuals onto the shoe. Some, for example, just add a console’s colors into the shoe’s design. The SNES-inspired show goes beyond by adding the console (or a version of it) into the shoe.

Designer Gustavo Bonzanini, who designed the SNES-packed shoe, added a small Raspberry Pi Zero W into the shoe’s tongue. The microcomputer was then programmed to emulate 16-bit games like Super Mario World. It even has the classic RCA cables so you can plug into an old TV for that additional nostalgia.

View this post on Instagram

The one thing it can’t do, however, is have a wired connection to the classic SNES controllers. Instead, Bonzanini customized the controller to have wireless connectivity. It’s a touch of modernity but ultimately adds to how impressive the effort is.

To top it all off, the console-slash-shoe can power gameplay for up to 30 minutes. It’s tiny, but it’s an art project after all.

That said, it’s not for sale. As cool as it is, the SNES Nike is only to celebrate the console’s 35^th birthday.

If you really wanted to, it’s not too difficult to play SNES in today’s age. Nintendo even offers the console in its Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions.

News

Qualcomm unveils the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

The first phone to have the chip will be the OnePlus 15R.

Published

November 27, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Back in September, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. As the “Elite” in its name says, the new processor is meant for a crop of premium smartphones. However, Elite is only part of the entire scenery of the smartphone business. What about the non-Elite version? Today, Qualcomm is finally unveiling the slightly smaller sibling: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

Though it lacks the Elite branding, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is still a powerful chipset. Built with a similarly customized Oryon CPU as the Elite, the new processor tops out at 3.8GHz of performance. It’s a step below its predecessor, but it’s just as good for performance.

In comparative terms, Qualcomm says that the new chipset has 36 percent faster CPU performance and 11 percent better GPU performance, when compared to the Gen 3 chipsets. It’s a slightly dated comparison, but it’s good to know that it’s some way away from the older chips. Overall, though, it’s a bit less than the Elite.

AI is, for the umpteenth time, a buzzword for the chipset with the Hexagon NPU. Qualcomm says that it features Sensing Hub technology, which uses AI to detect the user’s intention to speak.

Right now, most brands have not announced specific smartphone models coming with the new chip. However, OnePlus has already confirmed that the new OnePlus 15R, which launches next month, will rock the chipset. Motorola and vivo have also confirmed unannounced smartphones in the coming weeks.

News

POCO F8 Series: Price, availability in PH

POCO’s premium smartphones have arrived

Published

November 26, 2025

GadgetMatch

The POCO F8 Series is now official, with the brand unveiling the dual flagship devices via a global launch event in Bali, Indonesia.

The new smartphones are available in the POCO F8 Ultra and POCO F8 Pro variants; POCO has already made both variants available in the Philippines, for the following prices:

POCO F8 Ultra — Denim Blue, Black (Lazada exclusive)

12GB+256GB: PhP 39,999 (early bird: PhP 34,999)
16GB+512GB: PhP 42,999 (early bird: PhP 37,999)

POCO F8 Pro — Titanium Silver, Blue, Black

12GB+256GB: PhP 29,999 (early bird: PhP 26,299)
16GB+512GB: PhP 31,999 (early bird: PhP 28,299)

The early bird prices above are available for purchases made from November 26 to December 9. Customers can also score limited PhP 500 vouchers for the F8 Pro.

The launch marks POCO’s entry into the premium flagship segment — the brand’s boldest step yet while maintaining its mantra of value through high-performance technology.

During the event, POCO also formally announced its partnership with audio company Bose, bringing Sound by Bose technology to both F8 smartphones.

Ultimate flagship statement

The series headliner, the POCO F8 Ultra defines what a next-generation flagship should be. It is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and an upgraded VisionBoost D8 chipset.

This dual-chipset architecture unlocks the device’s full performance potential. Users can expect Smart Frame Rate up to 120fps, Super Resolution up to 1.5K, and Game HDR.

Meanwhile, the POCO F8 Pro runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform.

Both phones introduce AI Super Resolution through a new GEX module, specifically optimized for five titles, including Call of Duty: Mobile and Honkai: Star Rail.

Speaking of gaming, WildBoost Optimization also fine-tunes CPU and GPU load distribution for lower power consumption and less heat.

All of these are complemented by LiquidCool Technology which features a 3D dual-channel, dual-layer IceLoop system.

Both F8 series devices run on Xiaomi HyperOS 3 for intelligence and connectivity. Features include Xiaomi HyperIsland, Xiaomi HyperConnect for cross-device interconnectivity, and Xiaomi HyperAI for advanced tools for productivity.

Shampoo by Greg Shilling, Jesse Barrera, and Albert Posis

Mobile audio experience redefined

Meanwhile, Bose helped develop a premium triple-speaker acoustic system for the F8 Ultra to enable rich bass, detailed sound, clear vocals, and an immersive soundstage.

On the visuals side, the F8 Ultra debuts the POCO HyperRGB display. Unlike traditional 2K OLED displays, the 6.9-inch panel adopts a full RGB subpixel structure where red-green-blue subpixels are fully used.

This system allows for 19.5% lower power consumption compared to the POCO F7 Ultra. On the other hand, the F8 Pro has a 6.59-inch display with the same features for up to 22.3% lower power consumption.

Ultra-grade photography

Bringing pro-level photography to the segment as well, the POCO F8 Ultra features a 50MP Light Fusion 950 sensor with OIS.

With a large 1/1.31-inch sensor, the main camera has 43% better light sensitivity. The system also reduces lens flare and glare, with its 1G+6P lens setup and precise multi-coating process.

Software enhancements include 1440p ultra-clear dynamic shots with EIS and HDR enhancement.

The F8 Ultra likewise comes with a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto lens for up to 5x optical zoom, 10x in-sensor zoom, and up to 20x Ultra Zoom.

Rounding out the triple 50MP camera setup is a 50MP ultra-wide shooter. In front, meanwhile, is a 32MP selfie camera.

Not to be left behind, the POCO F8 Pro has a 50MP 2.5x telephoto camera and a 50MP Light Fusion 800 main camera with OIS.

New POCO Pads also released

In addition to the new POCO F8 Series, POCO has also launched two new tablets: the POCO Pad X1 and POCO Pad M1.

The Pad X1 is powered by a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and delivers stable 120fps in the most demanding scenarios.

It has an 11.2-inch 3.2K display with up to 144Hz refresh rate and a 8850mAh battery with 45W turbo charging. The quad speakers are fine-tuned with Dolby Atmos and supports 200% volume boost.

For a larger screen, the POCO Pad M1 has a 12.1-inch 2.5K display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. It likewise has a quad-speaker system with Dolby Atmos, and a massive 12000mAh battery.

This slate is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 and runs on Xiaomi HyperOS as well.