Philippines

Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro Review: Twice the power, still affordable

But is it worth the hype?

Published

October 12, 2019

Vincenz

The year is far from over and neither are phone manufacturers from releasing smartphones. Although Mi 9T Pro isn’t the newest smartphone release from Xiaomi, it’s one of the most talked about smartphones around and is still the flagship killer to, well, kill.

If you previously read our Xiaomi Mi 9T review, you’d know by now that I’m exactly an Android user. I loved the Mi 9T Pro’s smaller sibling however because of its camera prowess and seamless experience despite its cheap price tag.

Now that I have the more powerful Mi 9T Pro on hand, I took it out on adventures the past few weeks to see whether it can actually live up to its flagship killer title.

Same design, different vibe

If you compare the Mi 9T and Mi 9T Pro side-by-side, it’ll be difficult to tell them apart. The symmetry is there. I like the Carbon Black option for its stealth while the Glacier Blue option is striking, in a good way. Although I’m not a fan of flashy design and colors, I love how there are subtle gradations flowing from both sides.

The red power button is still there, giving it a touch of contrast against its blue metallic body.

Speaker grilles, microphone, USB-C port, and SIM card slot below.

The Mi 9T Pro has a Gorilla Glass 5 back. It’s not the newest generation of Corning’s technology but it’s good enough to protect the phone from accidental scratches. The Mi 9T had none, which was a drawback for a smartphone with a glass back. I loved flaunting its back that I decided not to use the included black case. It’s still good as new and has not acquired any scratches. It feels right in my hand and doesn’t slip easily.

Same screen size, different display

Even Suzy looks confused with the differences in AMOLED and Super AMOLED

Xiaomi’s Mi 9T wowed me before because of its 6.4-inch AMOLED display. It’s an excellent panel, for such a cheap phone, with great viewing angles and contrast.

The Mi 9T Pro still packs a similar 6.4-inch display, but with a Super AMOLED display technology. Watching videos even outdoors is a great experience because it’s brighter and overall a better panel.

The Super AMOLED display is drop-dead gorgeous, so is Yoohyeon

I love its fullscreen display. Not having a notch or punch-hole camera makes a difference for me especially when watching videos. Color calibration is accurate and vibrant, making visuals pop.

Watching TWICE’s Feel Special in 4K made me miss Mina more #GetWellSoonMina

There are only a handful of smartphones with 4K resolution — and it’s not the basis of having a great display. It may not be the best display on a smartphone, but the Mi 9T Pro still delivers excellent entertainment experience even with its Full HD+ display. It’s also more power efficient than the AMOLED display found on the Mi 9T.

Flagship performance at half the price

The Mi 9T was already a great smartphone with the Snapdragon 730, but Xiaomi made the Mi 9T Pro even better. This phone is equipped with a flagship Snapdragon 855 chipset — something you can only find on more expensive smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and OnePlus 7 Pro.

The Mi 9T Pro feels snappier than the Mi 9T — something I noticed immediately. Opening apps, the animation — they all feel faster. The experience is oh-so fluid and smooth. I can now play my favorite Asphalt 9 game at the highest settings that I couldn’t do (or even install) on the Mi 9T before.

Just like the Mi 9T, it also has 6GB of memory, so switching between apps is seamless.

Having a 3.5mm audio jack feels special (pun intended)

A lot of “Pro” products don’t seem like they meet expectations of actual pro users. If you’re the type of person who prefers the traditional way of listening to music, this phone has a 3.5mm jack — something you don’t see in many smartphones these days.

While I can always connect a wireless pair of headphones, the good ol’ audio jack is still very handy in a lot of scenarios. I find it useful when playing music in parties that don’t have wireless speakers. Some people still use wired microphones for audio recording as it’s more reliable. Some monopods require wired cables for you to control shutter releases.

Battery life is outstanding

I’m not proud of it but I’m *that* power user. I fiddle around with my phone and browse my social media feed every five to ten minutes. When I’m bored, I watch videos on YouTube or at least two episodes of a series I’m following on Netflix at around 75% brightness. I also play graphics-intensive games every now and then. Despite all of this, the Mi 9T Pro’s battery lasts me my entire day.

Fast charging just got faster

The Mi 9T already has a USB-C port and an 18W fast charger right out of the box — but the Mi 9T Pro ships with a faster 27W charger with Quick Charge 4+ technology.

It takes around 35 minutes to charge the phone from 0% to 50%. It reached 100% after around an hour and 30 minutes. That’s fast for a smartphone with a 4000 mAh battery.

Modern problems require modern solutions, except for these two

The Mi 9T Pro still features an in-display fingerprint scanner and it works most of the time. Not that I’m complaining, but it will never be as fast as a traditional scanner. A side-mounted scanner is always my alternative pick over this type of reader.

I thought there will be at least a difference when it comes to Face Unlock but it still performs sluggish. I would rather use the fingerprint scanner instead of the inconvenience of swiping and waiting for the camera to pop-up. Face unlock isn’t even as secure as it just relies on camera recognition.

The pop-up camera itself performs well

Don’t get me wrong, the pop-up camera is not bad, well at least in taking selfies. It captures decent selfies even when beauty mode is completely turned off.

I like how the selfies don’t look as saturated as other selfie shooters, which gives it a nice touch in persuading your crush to give you a chance to date you.

People who have shorter arms wouldn’t have a problem as the selfie camera is wide enough to accommodate four (or more) people in the frame — just like how a lot of you accommodate people that will never be a part of your life.

Same triple camera setup, but now snappier

You get the same triple camera setup as the Mi 9T that I loved: 48MP f/1.8 wide, 8MP f/2.4 telephoto, and 13MP f/2.4 ultrawide.

: Ultrawide

: Wide

: Telephoto

: Ultrawide | HDR

: Wide | HDR

: Telephoto | HDR

There’s a small difference though: the Mi 9T Pro has laser autofocus. This might not sound like much but taking photos with the Mi 9T Pro felt snappier and photos turn out sharper. It’s an understated but very important improvement.

Unlike with the Mi 9T, I didn’t experience errors while using the Mi 9T Pro’s camera

: Macro AI

: HDR on

: Portrait Mode

The camera does well with food subjects

But it’s honestly even better with the telephoto lens

Night Mode works really well

But sometimes, it doesn’t do photos justice

The highlights in the neon signs were dimmed after turning on the Night Mode, which made the shots worse.

Using Night Mode on the telephoto lens is great, too

I really love how it captured the filament in these two light bulbs and produced the right amount of shadows and blur in the background.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The maxed-out 128GB/6GB configuration of the Mi 9T Pro is priced at PhP 20,490, while the 64GB/6GB configuration currently retails at PhP 18,990 — which is just a PhP 1,500 difference from Mi 9T’s 128GB/6GB.

A lot of people have been calling the Mi 9T Pro as 2019’s true flagship killer, not just because of its top of the line specs but also because of its affordable price tag.

If you want to have a powerful smartphone with a bright display, snappy cameras, and unparalleled software experience without spending that much, the Mi 9T Pro is for you. If you don’t need the faster chipset and just want an overall great device, then go for the Mi 9T.

Related Topics:Mi 9T Pro Xiaomi Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro

Philippines

Smart cuts 5G Home WiFi price

Comes with free Unlimited Data

Published

September 5, 2026

GadgetMatch

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is making its 5G Home WiFi offering more accessible with a limited-time 40% discount.

The Smart 5G Max Home WiFi now costs P2,995, down from P4,990. The promo runs until November 20, 2026.

Powered by Smart’s nationwide 5G network, the device delivers speeds of up to 600Mbps and supports up to 40 devices. It also comes with 15 days of free unlimited data.

Built for flexible connectivity

Smart positions the 5G Max Home WiFi as a Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solution for households that need broadband connectivity in areas where fiber is not yet available.

The router is plug-and-play, so users do not need professional installation. They can simply set up the router, insert the included Smart SIM, and connect their devices.

The package includes the Smart 5G Max Home WiFi Router, Smart SIM, and 15 days of free unlimited data. After the free data period, users can reload with UNLI 1299, which offers unlimited data for all sites and apps for 30 days.

Smart expands its 5G network

Smart says 5G Fixed Wireless Access is gaining traction globally as telcos look for ways to extend broadband connectivity to more households, particularly in areas with limited fixed-line infrastructure.

As of the end of June 2026, Smart had 12.5 million 5G-capable individual devices on its network. This represents a 30% increase and 21% of individual devices on the network.

Smart also continues to invest in its nationwide network. The company says these efforts helped it earn Ookla’s recognition for Best Mobile Video Experience in the Philippines for the first half of 2026, with a Video Score of 72.82.

The Smart 5G Max Home WiFi is available for P2,995 at Smart Stores and through the Smart Online Store.

News

POCO F9 Series: Price, availability in the Philippines

POCO’s latest flagship duo is here.

Published

September 1, 2026

GadgetMatch

POCO has officially launched the F9 Series in the Philippines, bringing the POCO F9 Ultra and POCO F9 Pro to the local market. The new lineup focuses on flagship performance, 185Hz displays, upgraded cameras, and longer battery life.

Both phones are now available through Shopee, with an Early Bird promo running from September 1 to 16, 2026. Buyers can also get a free REDMI Buds 8 Active, 1+1 Years Warranty, and up to six months of screen replacement at any Xiaomi Service Center. Shopee also offers a rebate on top of the Early Bird promo.

POCO F9 Series pricing and availability

The POCO F9 Ultra comes in Dark Cherry and Black, with three storage configurations:

12GB + 256GB: PhP 55,999 SRP | PhP 45,999 Early Bird | PhP 41,920 with Shopee Rebate
16GB + 512GB: PhP 59,999 SRP | PhP 48,999 Early Bird | PhP 44,600 with Shopee Rebate
16GB + 1TB: PhP 89,999 SRP | PhP 79,999 Early Bird | PhP 73,600 with Shopee Rebate

Meanwhile, the POCO F9 Pro comes in White, Aurora Green, and Black:

12GB + 256GB: PhP 49,999 SRP | PhP 33,999 Early Bird | PhP 30,600 with Shopee Rebate | PhP 29,300 with Lazada Rebate
12GB + 512GB: PhP 54,999 SRP | PhP 35,999 Early Bird | PhP 32,400 with Shopee Rebate | PhP 31,500 with Lazada Rebate

POCO F9 Ultra

The POCO F9 Ultra is the higher-end model of the two. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform and pairs it with the VisionBoost D8 chipset. This enables Smart frame rate of up to 185FPS, with Smart frame rate and AI Super Resolution able to run simultaneously. POCO says the F9 Ultra also achieved an AnTuTu score of 4,165,108, the highest recorded on a POCO smartphone.

For gaming, the F9 Ultra supports 185FPS across more than 20 titles natively, while five additional games can reach 185FPS through Smart frame rate. It also features a 4,800Hz instant touch sampling rate, 480Hz 10-point touch sampling rate, 200Hz gyro sampling rate, and POCO 3D IceLoop cooling.

It also gets a 6.9-inch 185Hz HyperRGB AMOLED display. The panel uses POCO HyperRGB technology and the new M11 luminescent material, reaching up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness and 10,000 nits for HDR content. The phone also supports Xiaomi Vision Care and TÜV Rheinland Quadruple Eye Care certification.

On the back, the F9 Ultra introduces dynamic lighting that can react to calls, notifications, gaming, and music.

For audio, the F9 Ultra uses dual symmetrical 1115D stereo speakers and a 1620 independent subwoofer to deliver a 2.1-channel audio setup. Sound by Bose tuning also brings Dynamic and Balanced sound profiles.

The phone packs an 8,050mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge. It also supports 27W wired and 22.5W wireless reverse charging.

For photography, the F9 Ultra has POCO’s first 200MP ultra-clear camera system with OIS. It is paired with a 5x periscope telephoto camera, 10x lossless zoom, and up to 20x AI Ultra Zoom. A 32MP front camera handles selfies.

POCO F9 Pro

POCO F8 Pro and POCO F9 Pro

The POCO F9 Pro takes the F Series experience into a slightly more compact package.

It also uses a flagship Qualcomm mobile platform alongside the VisionBoost D8 chipset, enabling the same 185FPS Smart frame rate capabilities. It gets the same HyperRGB AMOLED display technology, but on a smaller 6.59-inch 185Hz panel.

The F9 Pro has a 6,330mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge. It also supports reverse charging at up to 27W wired and 22.5W wireless.

For photography, the phone gets POCO’s first 200MP main camera system with OIS. It is paired with a 50MP 2.5x floating telephoto camera that can focus as close as 10cm, making it suitable for both close-up and long-distance shots.

The F9 Pro also gets Sound by Bose technology, using dual symmetrical 1115F super-linear stereo speakers and a Sealed Cavity Design.

Both phones also support POCO’s new Game Audio mode, which boosts the volume of footsteps while retaining other in-game audio cues to help players identify sounds and their direction more easily.

The POCO F9 Series is now available in the Philippines through Shopee, with Early Bird offers running until September 16, 2026.

Lifestyle

NBA, Salmon team up for multi-year partnership

In the Philippines

Published

August 29, 2026

GadgetMatch

NBA x Salmon Philippines | NBA House Philippines

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Salmon have announced a multi-year marketing partnership that makes the financial technology company an Official Partner of the NBA in the Philippines.

The announcement was made on August 29 at NBA House Philippines 2026 presented by Gatorade in Makati City. NBA Head of Southeast Asia and Asia Marketing Sheila Rasu, NBA Asia Head of Growth and Innovation Ed Winkle, and Salmon Co-Founders George Chesakov, Pavel Fedorov, and Raffy Montemayor attended the announcement.

Bringing NBA experiences closer to fans

Through the partnership, Salmon will engage basketball fans through NBA-themed consumer promotions, fan events, and NBA-branded premiums.

Salmon will also have a presence at major NBA events in the Philippines. This includes serving as a Supporting Partner of NBA House Philippines 2026, a free basketball experience and fan event at SPACE in One Ayala on August 29 and 30.

Starting with the 2026-27 season, Salmon will also become the Presenting Partner of the NBA 3X Philippines Open. The tournament features men’s and women’s 3-on-3 teams alongside NBA entertainment.

“Basketball is a part of our daily lives as Filipinos, from the courts in our barangays to the TV screens in our homes,” said Salmon Co-Founder Raffy Montemayor.

Montemayor said the company wants Salmon to become a reliable partner for Filipinos’ everyday money moments. He added that working with the NBA gives the brand a way to connect with Filipinos through something they already love.

Rasu said Salmon shares the NBA’s commitment to using basketball to bring Filipinos together. She added that the partnership will create new touchpoints for fans through events such as NBA House and the NBA 3X Open.

NBA continues its PH presence

Filipino fans can watch NBA games through One Sports, RPTV, NBA TV Philippines, Disney+, Pilipinas Live, Prime Video, and NBA League Pass through the NBA App. The league also maintains localized social media accounts on Facebook, TikTok, and X.

The partnership comes as the NBA continues to deepen its presence in the Philippines, one of the league’s major basketball markets.

Salmon is a financial technology brand in the Philippines owned by Salmon Group. Its local operations include Salmon Bank (Rural Bank) Inc., a BSP-regulated entity, and Salmon Finance Inc., an SEC-licensed financing company.