News
ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom gets official price
We got our hands on the highly anticipated ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom last week, and although we learned all of its tricks, one important piece of information was missing: Pricing.
Until now, that is. During the just-concluded launch of the ZenFone Pegasus 3S in Taiwan (more on that later), ASUS execs revealed the price of the 128GB storage variant of the ZenFone 3 Zoom: CNY 3,699 or roughly $535.
That’s a tough price to swallow for a smartphone equipped with a midrange Snapdragon 625 chipset, which can be found in phones priced much, much lower. Still, a high-priced ZenFone 3 Zoom would have an iPhone 7 Plus-like dual-camera setup and large 5000mAh battery to its credit.
On the bright side, the expected starting price of $380 may still push through with the official rollout of the ZenFone 3 Zoom’s 32GB storage version next month. And since the phone comes with a microSD slot, you can push the total space to 2TB if you’re desperate enough.
Going back to the recent launch in Taiwan: What we earlier thought was going to be a next-generation ZenFone, turned out to be the ZenFone Pegasus 3S, a lower-end Android Nougat smartphone with a price of CNY 1,999 (about $290).
Similar to the ZenFone 3 Zoom, the Pegasus 3S has a generous non-removable 5000mAh battery, but settles for a much weaker MediaTek processor to manage the 5.2-inch HD 720p display, 3GB of memory, and pair of 13- and 8-megapixel rear and front cameras.
Nothing out of the ordinary, but what really makes it stand out is the fingerprint scanner on the clickable home button. That and the all-metal body make the Pegasus 3S stand out from the multitude of similar-looking ZenFones out there.
Like other handsets in the Pegasus line, the new model will see a limited release, with China getting first dibs on the device.
[irp posts=”9208″ name=”ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom: Hands-on and sample photos”]
Gaming
Horizon Hunters Gathering is an upcoming co-op roguelite spinoff
If you liked Nightreign, you might like this.
Like Valve, the PlayStation’s tentpole franchises are allergic to the number 3. The Last of Us, the ongoing God of War arc, Spider-Man, and Horizon all don’t have a third game yet. These franchises, however, have all gotten rumors of spinoffs. Now, Horizon is getting more than just a rumor; an official co-op spinoff is happening. Say hello to Horizon Hunters Gathering!
Today, Guerilla unveiled Horizon Hunters Gathering, an official co-op roguelite set in the Horizon universe. The game will feature multiple players working to take down difficult enemies, bosses, and dungeons.
The title shares similarities with Elden Ring Nightreign. For one, players can choose between six characters with different roles. The main mode, called Machine Incursion, takes players to a wide map with powerups and roaming monsters. The map then has a shrinking ring that… well, you know what a shrinking ring does.
Horizon Hunters Gathering also has a different game mode called Cauldron Descent. Compared to the Nightreign type of gameplay, Cauldron Descent is a more traditional roguelite mode. Players enter a dangerous dungeon and choose alternate paths that vary in challenges.
Both game modes will be available through an upcoming closed playtest through the PlayStation Beta Program.
Because this is from Guerilla themselves, this is an official game. But it’s far from the only spinoff for the universe. Previously, NCSoft, a South Korean gaming studio, announced Horizon Steel Frontiers, an MMO set in the Horizon universe. Like Horizon Hunters Gathering, Steel Frontiers has an unknown launch date.
SEE ALSO: Horizon Steel Frontiers is an MMO set in the Horizon universe
News
Report: HONOR tops global smartphone shipment growth in 2025
HONOR also improves overall market share
HONOR topped last year’s global smartphone shipment growth, according to an Omdia report. The manufacturer achieved an 11% year-over-year growth, which ranked first among the world’s top 10 smartphone vendors.
Furthermore, as per data from IDC, in the first three quarters of 2025, HONOR also led all top brands in overseas shipment growth across these premium segments:
- Smartphones priced above US$ 300 (premium and upper-mid-tier)
- Tablets in the US$ 300 to US$ 600 price band (upper-mid)
Such growth enabled HONOR to improve their overall market share to 6% in 2025. They’ve already edged Lenovo (5%), HUAWEI (4%), and realme (3%) after a strong calendar year.
Unarguably contributing to their performance are the releases of the flagships HONOR Magic V5 and HONOR Magic7 Pro, as well as mid-rangers like the HONOR 400 series and a handful of HONOR X series devices.
Meanwhile, Transsion, which holds the Infinix, TECNO, and itel brands, have an 8% market share combined, which is the same as OPPO and vivo. Xiaomi is at 13%, while giant players Apple and Samsung both have a 19% market share each.
Building on their growth, HONOR is set to unveil groundbreaking products at MWC 2026 in Barcelona this March.
These include the HONOR Robot Phone and the brand’s latest flagship foldable, the HONOR Magic V6. The impending releases accelerate the momentum of HONOR’s Alpha Plan.
Gaming
Valve is delaying the launch of the Steam Machine
But it’s still scheduled for the first half of 2026.
Overshadowed only by the Nintendo Switch 2, the upcoming Steam Machine was one of the most exciting gaming devices announced last year. Unfortunately, especially if you were waiting intently for the console’s launch, Valve is delaying the device by an undisclosed amount of time.
Initially, Valve anticipated a launch for the Steam Machine sometime in the first half of 2026. However, as the calendar rolls on into the second month of the year, the company has yet to announce either a price or a launch date for the console. Valve says that both should be out by now.
In a recent update, the company confirms that ongoing chip shortages have forced a reevaluation of the Steam Machine’s price and shipping date. This also goes for the Steam Controller and the Steam Frame. Valve is going back to the drawing board to figure out what is feasible for the console market.
On the bright side, Valve is still aiming to launch all three devices in the first half of the year. It’s just a matter of determining when that is.
The Steam Machine is just the latest in a growing line of devices affected by the chip shortage. Today, chipmakers are funneling their supplies to the supposed demand for AI servers. Naturally, more infrastructure means less chips reserved for regular consumers.
Also recently, NVIDIA was rumored to skip this year for a new GPU launch because of the AI “boom”. It’s the first time that this has happened in thirty years.
SEE ALSO: Valve announces its own console called the Steam Machine
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