Reviews

adidas SL20 review: Feel like running as fast as The Flash

adidas’ best running shoe so far!

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About a month ago Adidas released a new running shoe called the Adidas SL20 — this shoe was part of the recent Adidas “Faster Than” campaign where they talked about how being “fast” is not something that’s only reserved for elite runners, and that speed isn’t always just about distance and time.

Instead, Adidas emphasises that “fast” is more of a personal feeling, which everyone can experience, even if you don’t think of yourself as a “fast” runner. They backed this up with a series of videos from all types of people, who run just because they enjoy it.

I have been really intrigued about this shoe because I saw a bunch of people post about it in the Adidas Runners Kuala Lumpur group. As you might already know Adidas has their own Runners group in major cities around the world and they can be super useful to keep you motivated — like right now in Malaysia we’re under a lockdown because of the current pandemic.

All runs are on pause but the Adidas Runners KL group has been posting live workout at home sessions which is pretty good and definitely motivates you to stay in shape and workout even from home.

Starting with a bit of a history lesson, the SL20 is a spiritual successor to the ol’ Adidas SL72 that dropped way back in 1972. This was a shoe that was designed to be used in the German Olympics at the time, and was worn by a bunch of athletes back then.

SL stands for “Super Light” and it lives up to its name. With the SL20, Adidas designed a lightweight running shoe that is meant to cater to all types of runners, and all speeds, made just for anyone who wants to feel fast. It weighs just about 238 grams, making it one of the lightest running shoes around. Though it is slightly heavier than the Adios 5.

You realize this from the second you slip these on. The SL20 is a shoe that just makes you feel fast, and you really feel like running when you’re wearing them which is a really good thing for a running shoe.

This is my first pair of really lightweight running shoes. If you’ve never worn a pair of lightweight running shoes before, this will feel like a whole new dimension. That being said, I should mention that these are meant more for short, fast runs rather than long-distance ones.

Design and Construction

When you first pick up the SL20 it’s very clear that the choice of materials was meant to make sure the shoe is as light as possible. There’s a new Light Strike midsole which is much lighter than Boost. But it also has the torsion system, a heel counter, and Continental just like what you’d find on the much more expensive Adidas Ultraboost, which is sweet.

You can see we got the awesome Black-White-and-Orange colorway which is the main marketing colorway for the SL20.

The shoe also comes in a cool black-white-and-gold colorway, along with a more formal all-black colorway as well in case you want something a little more low-key.

Starting with the upper, the SL20 is made of an engineered mesh material which feels extremely thin and a major contributor to the whole lightweight nature of this shoe.

The material seems tough enough but as with any shoe with a thin, breathable upper you’ll want to make sure you wear thicker socks or keep a close watch on your toenails, so you don’t end up accidentally poking through it.

Similarly, the tongue also has no padding, being just a thin piece of lightweight fabric. The laces are also pretty soft and there are two extra eyelets up top in case you want an even more snug fit.

One small detail that I really liked was the SL20 branding on the lace tips that is color matched to the three stripes on the shoe.

I also noticed that the lacing is also slightly asymmetrical with a bias towards the medial side which helps with that lockdown feeling, and medial support.

Moving on to the heel area, the SL20 has an integrated heel counter which means that unlike the external heel counter which you’d see on the Ultraboost 20, this one is all internal. The heel counter is made of a hard material which allows you to easily slip your foot into the shoe, but also does a great job at locking your heel into place.

Coming to the midsole, as mentioned earlier, it’s made out of a new material called “Lightstrike ” which is significantly lighter than Boost, which most of y’all have probably heard about. But I’ll talk about the midsole later on.

Underneath that, you have the Continental stretchweb outsole with the red torsion propulsion system integrated into the sole. This gives the shoe more structure and control.

Then there’s the heel, which is more stiff and supportive but I’ll talk about the entire midsole and outsole later on. And for those of you who aren’t as familiar with Adidas sneakers, yes it’s that Continental, the tire maker.

All in all it’s a great looking shoe, with a lot of visual attention to detail in its design.

Quite snug, go up at least half a size

In terms of fit,  the SL20 is supposed to fit true-to-size but it’s a bit of a narrow shoe with a rigid toe-box. Since I have wide feet, Adidas sent me a size up which fits pretty well. I’d definitely advise trying these on in a store if you could, because the engineered mesh upper here is not a very stretchable fabric.

So if you have wide feet like I do, you might want to go up half a size or even up a full size. In case you were wondering, the heel-to-toe drop here is the usual 10mm with a stack height of 29/19.

The light in Lightstrike is truly light

Coming to performance, as I have mentioned — the SL20 feels incredibly light, and you feel it immediately as you start running with them. The engineered mesh upper is weirdly lightweight as if it’s not even there, and the new Lightstrike foam has a good amount of energy return as well.

The Lightstrike foam itself is pretty interesting. It was originally designed for use in basketball shoes, with the thought being that the foam would have enough cushioning, lightweight, but still be very responsive with some court-feel especially with the kind of lateral movement you see in basketball.

It was first introduced in 2018 in the signature sneakers of former NBA MVP James Harden, before also moving on to the Adizero series of running shoes.

With this purpose in mind, Lightstrike is slightly harder than Boost cushioning, sacrificing some of that soft comfort for better energy return instead. This cushioning, along with the lightweight upper, is the reason why you want to go faster in these shoes.

I found myself running slightly faster with these on, and I’m not even sure why. Maybe it was just a psychological feeling of wearing such lightweight shoes, or maybe it’s the overall package of the SL20.

The Torsion system allows for a nice, springy toe-off, and also helps with the energy transition from heel to toe, allowing your foot to go back into its normal state during each strike, and the heel counter keeps your feet firmly locked in.

The slightly harder midsole does mean these are best suited for short distance runs. You could still wear them for long distance or marathon running, but the Lightstrike foam midsole is not as soft a cushion as one would like for a long distance running shoe.

For sprints and everyday jogs, the SL20 is freaking fantastic. But for long distance runs, you might want to check out the Ultraboost 20 or even the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 22 instead.

These shoes really are a lot of fun to run in because they’re just so darn lightweight, with great energy return, that push-off sensation really is amazing so maybe some of y’all might actually like them for long distance runs as well.

Coming to the SL20 outsole, it’s worth noting that you can also feel any stones or pebbles under your foot with these so they really aren’t meant for off-road or cross country runs either — just a road or street runner.

The Continental stretchweb outsole is a great addition, just like what we’ve experienced on Ultraboost for a while now. These are some of the grippiest rubber outsoles around and this means running on even wet roads is not an issue.

I wouldn’t recommend testing these out on icy streets. I’m always paranoid about falling where ice is involved because I’ve only lived in tropical weather countries, but apart from that, the outsole has no issues gripping and keeping traction even on the rainiest of days.

Overall the Adidas SL20 falls more in the stable end of the spectrum, compared to many other lightweight running shoes. While I still think of it as a neutral running shoe, it has a pretty reasonable amount of stability.

Is this your SneakerMatch?

The Adidas SL20 is just a fantastic running shoe designed for runners who want to run fast. It doesn’t matter what your definition of fast is, because this pair will honestly just make you feel fast when you’re running with them.

If you’re looking for a pair of lightweight running shoes, this is pretty much one of the best options out there right now.

The only real alternative comes from Adidas itself — the Adidas Adizero Boston 8 and the Adidas Adizero Adios 5 — both of which look very similar now to the SL20.

All three belong to the lightweight running shoe category, and they weigh almost the same but the primary difference is their uppers and midsoles, and how they feel when running. Both the Boston and Adios have slightly more premium upper construction, and both have Boost in the midsole, which also means they cost a lot more than the SL20.

The Adios feels more like a racing shoe and offers the least in terms of comfort, whereas the Boston is more of an all-round running shoe. It’s firmer and harder than the SL20 but also softer and more comfortable than the Adios.

Out of all three, I think the SL20 is the most comfortable, though of course not as comfortable as the heavier SolarBoost or Ultraboost sneakers.

Bif you’re looking for a lightweight running shoe to get you started with running or just to be your first lightweight running shoe, I think the SL20 is for you. Even if you are a trained runner who wants a secondary pair of “fast” shoes — these are definitely for you.

The Adidas SL20 is just for anyone who wants to feel fast, without shifting too far away from a comfortable daily running shoe, but still wanting a pair of lightweight running shoes.

Definitely recommended.

Cameras

Insta360 Luna Ultra review: My new solo coverage camera

Changed my workflow

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Insta360 Luna Ultra

I’ve been using the Sony a6500 with a 35mm f/1.8 lens for the past six or seven years. There’s a certain level of comfort and familiarity that comes with using the same camera for that long. My workflow with it is automatic at this point.

That’s why it took some time for me to get comfortable with the Insta360 Luna Ultra.

I wasn’t familiar with using a gimbal camera. When I first started using the Luna Ultra, it felt awkward. I was also trying to figure out too many things at once.

But after several weeks of using it for different kinds of coverage, I’ve reached a point where I’m comfortable leaving my old reliable behind, especially when my priority is making Reels.

And it was my most recent overseas work trip to Shenzhen, China, where I finally realized that.

Finding my footing

Insta360 Luna Ultra

I brought the Insta360 Luna Ultra to three events almost immediately: Samsung Vision AI, the TCL A400 Art Launch, and an ROG event.

That first week was really experimental. I was trying out multiple features of the device for this review. I tried shooting horizontally because it seemed like that’s what the Luna Ultra was made for.

But my work over the past few years has focused heavily on vertical short-form video, so that contributed to the awkward feeling.

I also defaulted to PureVideo after a while because I tend to shoot in really not-well-lit locations. The colors look good as is, anyway.

I experimented with I-LOG, too. That taught me that it should probably be reserved for actual experimental outputs, rather than anything tied to a deadline. Our workflow is built for speed with quality, and I-LOG adds another step that isn’t always necessary for the kind of news-oriented Reels we make.

The detachable controller, meanwhile, was a godsend when I’m shooting by myself and want the Luna Ultra to be at a distance. I still had the preview and controls nearby, and that was extremely helpful.

The biggest thing I learned during that first week was that I was trying to speed-run through all of the features instead of figuring out which ones actually made sense for the Reels I needed to make.

It was only when I decided what I actually needed for each coverage that the Luna Ultra really clicked with me.

@gadgetmatchThe best way to test a creator camera? Use it while creating. We brought the Insta360 Luna Ultra to multiple media events to see how it handles real-world coverage. From low-light venues to fast-paced launches. Here’s what we learned so far. Full review coming soon. #Insta360 #LunaUltra♬ original sound – GadgetMatch

Getting more comfortable

Insta360 Luna Ultra

Most of the learning curve came down to overall usage and figuring out how I could maximize the camera.

There’s still plenty that I don’t know about the Luna Ultra. There are camera tricks and shots that can certainly elevate some of my footage. But I’ve decided to lock in on how it’s useful to me during fast-paced coverage and slowly unlock its capabilities as I spend more time with it.

Getting reps with a device is the best way to become familiar and comfortable with it.

For now, I can say I’ve found my preferred base settings that cover most of my needs. The next goal is to slowly level up, learn its capabilities more, and figure out how I can apply them to the Reels I make.

That process continued outside of traditional tech events.

Putting it to work

Insta360 Luna Ultra

I brought the Insta360 Luna Ultra to a pottery session arranged by Shokz. It was a completely different kind of environment from the launches and media events I usually cover.

For the most part, I just set it up, pointed it at me, and let it roll.

My hands were busy, so I found myself wishing it had a way to automate certain capture features. Hands-free controls would be useful, for example. I’d also love an option to automatically record 30-second clips at a time for a set amount of time.

That would be useful when you’re shooting solo and doing an activity.

It was also around this time that I started figuring out some of the conditions necessary to get the bokeh effect I wanted.

@gadgetmatch Came for the pottery. Stayed for the vibes. 🏺 Featuring the Shokz OpenDots 2, because apparently good audio is required while discovering you have zero pottery skills. #PowerMacCenter @Power Mac Center @SHOKZ ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch


While unboxing the Shokz OpenDots 2 right before the pottery session, I got a sense of the distance needed when using 1x zoom to get that bokeh effect. Not long after, I also figured out the conditions necessary to get that effect with 3x zoom.

That was crucial for the mostly product-focused stuff that I shoot.

The more I used the Luna Ultra, the more I started understanding not just what it could do, but what I could realistically ask it to do during my work.

Then came the real test.

Shenzhen was the turning point

When I went to Shenzhen, China, to cover the launch of the HONOR Robot Phone, I didn’t have my old reliables as a crutch.

It was a make-it-or-break-it situation.

I needed to get as many product shots as possible. I had to show the design of the phone, its mechanical gimbal camera, and what it was like to shoot with it.

And the Luna Ultra was very capable.

The real issue was my unfamiliarity with it.

Once I figured out the settings I needed and narrowed down the shots I had to take, everything flowed rather smoothly.

@gadgetmatch HONOR Robot Phone 🤖📱 ✅ 4DoF mechanical gimbal ✅ 200MP Agile Gimbal Main Camera ✅ 200MP periscope telephoto camera ✅10-bit ARRI LogC3 recording ✅ 50MP ultra-wide camera ✅ Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform ✅ 7,060mAh silicon-carbon battery #HONORRobotPhone @honorglobal ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch


Some of it still felt unnatural because I’m used to using my camera for both photo and video. This time, I focused on shooting video with the Luna Ultra and used a flagship smartphone for the photos.

That whole setup still needs refinement, but I feel like I found a workflow I can lean on.

Most importantly, I got all the shots I needed.

Any challenges I faced were mostly due to the shooting environment and my own general familiarity with the Luna Ultra. As for the tool itself, it was fantastic.

The moment that really solidified this for me was when I started reviewing the footage and saw that many of the shots came out better than I expected.

That’s when I realized I could actually use this as my coverage camera.

 

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A different kind of coverage camera

Insta360 Luna Ultra

My usual event workflow is pretty straightforward. I secure the device, then get as much footage of it as possible from different angles, show different use cases, and capture its features as quickly as I can.

The Luna Ultra fit into that workflow better than I expected.

For one, I can include myself in the frame while still being able to preview what I’m shooting. That’s something I couldn’t easily do with my old reliable setup.

It’s also much lighter and thinner, making it easy to position in ways I couldn’t with my old setup.

I think the video quality is overall better than the smartphones I use, too. The bokeh I get is also natural.

That doesn’t mean my Sony a6500 is suddenly obsolete.

I think dedicated mirrorless cameras, paired with the right lenses, just have a certain look to them that I generally prefer. I’d definitely still reach for the a6500 for photos and shoots where I have a team with me.

But for solo coverage, my go-to video gear will now be the Luna Ultra.

That’s the biggest change for me.

The Luna Ultra didn’t necessarily change what I consider worth shooting at an event. That’s still a case-by-case thing.

Instead, it enabled me to shoot better even when I’m on my own, which honestly isn’t always the case.

There’s still room to grow

I don’t think I’ve come close to unlocking everything the Luna Ultra can do.

I-LOG is one obvious example. But that feels like something for a different type of project rather than the generally news-type Reels we do.

Our workflow is built for speed with quality, and the Luna Ultra, even when using its basic settings, fulfills that.

I definitely want to try more experimental shots, more shots with movement, and the like. I just haven’t found the right opportunity for them yet.

There are also some things I’d like to see improved.

As mentioned earlier, hands-free and preset shooting automations could help, especially for solo creators. That could make it easier to capture activities without having to comb through too much footage with enormous file sizes.

I also wish it had some form of open-gate recording. That would give the footage more versatility and make it easier to use the same footage for multiple aspect ratios.

And while the Luna Ultra is now my preferred tool for solo video coverage, I’d still choose the a6500 for photography or when I have another team member shooting with me.

Is the Insta630 Luna Ultra your GadgetMatch?

Insta360 Luna Ultra

For anyone looking for a dedicated video-taking tool.

Content creation focused on video has skyrocketed. If you’re part of that movement, the Insta360 Luna Ultra is certainly a good investment to add a little extra to your videos.

It’s fairly easy to use, but it also supports deeper features that can elevate your footage and your content.

I think you should consider the Luna Ultra if you want to upgrade from shooting primarily with a smartphone, or if you want a video-shooting device that’s much easier and lighter to carry around than most traditional mirrorless cameras.

For me, the answer is a little more specific.

It’ll be my go-to now, especially for solo coverage trips.

If you asked me to leave just one camera at home tomorrow, though? Oof. Just one?

Maybe still the a6500. It’s hard to break a habit.

But the Luna Ultra is a very close second.

Still discovering what’s possible

After using the Luna Ultra for all of this, I think it’s opened up new possibilities for the way I personally handle solo shoots.

It’s unlocked certain shots for me, and I haven’t even used it to its full potential.

That’s what excites me most.

I already found a workflow that suits the way I cover events. I already know I can leave my old reliable behind when the priority is video.

Now I want to see what happens when I actually learn everything else the Luna Ultra can do.

Pricing and availability

The Creator Bundle comes with the Insta360 Mic Pro which is great but I haven’t had the chance to use all that much because I am not a yapper on video.

The Insta360 Luna Ultra starts at US$799 (₱46,790) for the Standard Bundle, while the Creator Bundle retails for US$999 (₱59,490). It is available now through Insta360’s official channels and authorized retailers.

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Reviews

TECNO MEGAPAD 2 review: Eyes on the size

The MEGA pad for two base users

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With lesser options around, choosing your next best tablet shouldn’t be as daunting as buying a shiny new smartphone.

However, that seems like a misconception. Buying the right budget tablet that matches your needs is still, and will always be, a hard task.

But, the presence and existence of the all-new TECNO MEGAPAD 2 might just persuade and prove you otherwise.

Luring allure

The TECNO MEGAPAD 2 review unit I rock comes in this Light Green colorway.

Personally, I prefer this a whole lot better over the overhyped Cosmic Orange hue or the plain ol’ Space Grey shade.

Now, despite the category it belongs to, TECNO’s MEGAPAD 2 is surprisingly built premium.

As opposed to icky plasticky budget tablets (or a mix of metal and plastic), this pad features a full metal build — buttons included.

And now that it’s mentioned, the trim is oh-so-slim at just 6.6mm — which is one of (if not) the slimmest in its class so far. Most tablets measure close to or beyond 7mm.

Whether you use it one-handed (or two), holding it won’t be too sore with its heft of 547 grams.

And with the given material, it feels solid enough when held without the budget feel.

Its size is the prize

Unlike usual 10- or 12-inch tablets, the TECNO MEGAPAD 2 features the sweeter screen spot.

On paper, it’s an 11-inch 90Hz LCD display with a 2.5K display resolution. This makes it sharper than other Full HD+ tablet displays in the market today.

Of course, the main purpose of a tablet’s existence is none other than its visual immersiveness.

Admittedly, I enjoyed binge-watching Netflix’s Spooky In Love — which is starred by the very versatile Park Eun-bin together with the uprising actor, Yang Se-jong.

They both perfectly define what TECNO and the MEGAPAD 2 are in a nutshell: an uprising brand that offers a versatile tablet in both features and price range.

Color accuracy looks settling enough with colors that truly pop. Display bezels are surprisingly narrow too.

However, under harsh sunlight, that 550 nits of maximum brightness simply won’t make the cut. The panel is just too glossy and reflective for it to not to be mentioned.

The MEGAPAD 2 also boasts quad speakers powered by DTS. It’s a complete delight to make this tablet a portable music player.

On my queue are none other than Young K’s jampacked ‘YOUNGEST’ full-feature album consisting of 15 tracks.

That goes together with summer-studded comeback tracks featuring KISS OF LIFE’s ‘SWEAT’.

Let’s not forget fromis_9’s long overdue full album after three long years starred by ‘Vitamin ME’.

Although this isn’t the best-sounding in any tablet I’ve tried as it doesn’t have such thumps and oomphs. However, loudness is more than enough to fill the void of my room — reaching all the way to the nearby living room and bathroom.

Also, having four speakers are still better than the usual (two) stereo speaker setup of most tablets in this segment.

Passable and plausible

The elephant in the room is none other than the inclusion of MediaTek MT8781 — or popularly known as Helio G99.

Obviously, this SoC (System on a Chip) can only do so much. That excludes power-hungry games.

Albeit, it can still run most titles — as long as you set it in lowest graphics settings possible. Lucky if it runs medium at best, like how it did in Bus Simulator: EVO.

That being said, the MEGAPAD 2 can still do more than just the basic of tasks.

Given my weeks with this tablet, it surprised me how TECNO’s HiOS 16 felt fast. Animations are fluid. Scrolling was buttery-smooth. App-switching was also a breeze.

This proves that benchmarks aren’t everything — and not all mall promodisers go past beyond the usual sales talk.

This is also me trying to say that the brand of chipmaker and number of cores in a processor aren’t enough basis to say how “fast” and “capable” a device is. Software optimization shouldn’t be downplayed as it’s also an important factor to consider.

Sentiments aside, the MEGAPAD 2 has a slot for one nano SIM card that can provide speedy 4G LTE speeds. That’s a good addition if you work outdoors a lot.

Aside from the usual 128 or 256GB internal storage, it also supports a microSD card (up to 2TB) just beside the SIM slot — which is something you cannot have in modern smartphones and high-end tablets nowadays.

Base pad for two base users

The MEGAPAD 2 is a tablet that can be for everyone. However, two base users came up to my mind when writing this piece.

1. Learners and yearners

Students are obviously one of the biggest target markets of budget pads.

First, there’s the AI Problem Solving feature. Feed it your complex problem through typing or use its 8MP rear camera to capture the whole page and let TECNO AI do the process for you.

For the smaller kiddos, there’s a dedicated study hub dubbed “LearnUp” with free learning resources and a child-friendly interface. Another would be the Learning Center featuring thousands of K-12 lessons, stories, cartoons, songs, and so much more.

For those learning new languages, AI Translation can be of a great help.

It’s not limited to just translating texts, images, and app content, there’s even AI Captions that can translate 30+ language offline (and 160+ languages when connected with the cloud) while watching videos.

Thankfully, TECNO has a dedicated OneTap AI button to summon these AI features in one go. Best thing is that, they don’t want to completely lock you in as app assignments are still configurable in settings.

Lastly, if your child is feeling extra artsy, there’s even the TECNO MEGA Pencil that’s sold separately. Fire up the AI Drawing Board and the MEGAPAD 2 can transform your sketches into better ideas.

2. Productive pros

Other than kids and students, the MEGAPAD 2 is also directed towards working professionals. Teacher, manager, you name ’em!

Aside from its rear camera, that 8MP front camera matters too — mostly for video calls and meetings on the go.

AI SnapMemo and MindHub are also helpful tools that do more than just capturing and keeping screenshots. And by that, it can analyze and even summarize the content you kept.

With that bundled Bluetooth keyboard alongside the ability to do split-screen multitasking, it’s easier to switch between two active apps side by side.

One can even scroll through spreadsheet cells or do several slides — especially with the WPS Office pre-installed upon initial set-up.

My only gripe about this accessory is how flimsy and easy it is for the display to fall down.

I just wish the recessed part on the keyboard would have been much deeper for the display stand to sit and lock in securely.

It’s also worth pointing out that it’s paired via Bluetooth and not pogo pins. That means you have to turn on that side switch and charge it via the USB-C port separately.

Still, it’s a bundled accessory that feels solid and also serves as the tablet’s full-on protection.

Moving over, TECNO’s OneLeap Ecosystem is also helpful as a productivity leverage. Not only it eases file transfers across your devices, it even maximizes a triple-screen setup when paired with your TECNO smartphone plus laptop (or PC).

Overall, the MEGAPAD 2 serves a great purpose not limited to doom-scrollers and binge-watchers. It can also be a trustworthy companion for students and paid professionals alike.

Made to last

The TECNO MEGAPAD 2 admittedly doesn’t have a MEGA battery capacity.

Compared to its competitors that boast 9000+mAh, the MEGAPAD 2 has a smaller 8200mAh tank.

Use-case will always vary. If you use the tablet for binging several episodes of a single K-Drama or lengthy documentaries on YouTube as early as 10 in the morning at around 70% brightness, it can last until dinner time.

When placed in standby mode or left to rest overnight on your table top, it won’t consume much and can last more than a day (or two to three days at max). That’s shocking to witness considering it has an aging and less-efficient 6nm Helio chipset.

If its battery completely depletes, TECNO has bundled a proprietary charging brick and cable out of the box.

@gadgetmatch

MEGA in size for 2 base users. Meet the TECNO MEGAPAD 2 💪🏼✌🏼

♬ original sound – GadgetMatch – GadgetMatch

However, it has a painfully slow 18W charging — requiring you at least two hours to fully fill it.

TECNO MEGAPAD 2
8200mAh Battery
18W Bundled Charger + Cable
START TIME (From 0%)
3:40PM
5 minutes
3%
10 minutes
5%
20 minutes
12%
30 minutes
19%
45 minutes
28%
1 hour
38%
1 hour 15 minutes
50%
1 hour 30 minutes
60%
1 hour 45 minutes
70%
5:25PM

I obviously just gave up counting right after going over the 100-minute mark.

Is the TECNO MEGAPAD 2 your BudgetMatch?

With a starting price of PhP 16,999 for the 6+128GB model and PhP 19,999 for the 8+256GB variant, the TECNO MEGAPAD 2 is strategically situated along the budget tablet league.

If you value performance, the MEGAPAD 2 is obviously a Swipe Left. There are other tablets that offer the newer and more power-efficient MediaTek Helio G100 SoC such as the OPPO Pad SE, REDMI Pad 2, and even the TechLife Pad Plus 2.

Samsung even offers the Galaxy Tab A11+ with a 5G-capable Dimensity 7300 chipset. Albeit, it has a higher price mark despite having the same base configuration and smaller 7040mAh battery.

That only means the MEGAPAD 2 still stands a chance.

Although the HONOR Pad X8b (its closest rival) is compelling enough with its beastly 10,1000mAh battery, the MEGAPAD 2 still gains a Swipe Right with its larger memory (6GB versus 4GB). How can I even forget the keyboard bundled when you purchase this mighty pad?

And in all honesty, it still surprises me how TECNO managed to make their latest pad run a smooth, well-optimized, and even AI-powered software suit despite its aging core.

HONOR Pad X8b | 2026

Given that HONOR’s Pad X8b rocks a Snapdragon 680 4G chipset, it only has the a limiting AI ability with Google Gemini — which cannot do everything for users who rely on AI assistance for the apps they use and/or tablet tasks they do for work or school.

Let alone, the MEGAPAD 2 is an afforda-blet with a full metal body and full-on audiovisual experience — especially with its brighter and sharper display. Camera flash for document scanning not even forgotten.

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Cameras

30 days with the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

This is the camera that made solo travel filmmaking finally feel possible.

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Not too long ago, I had my hands on the DJI Osmo Pocket 4, and I’ve taken to calling it a solo creator’s very own production crew. Rumors about a two-lensed Osmo Pocket had circulated for months. I’m not one to revel in hot goss, so I waited. And waited.

And while waiting, turning 30 crept up on me. The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P arrived like a small, well-machined reminder of a life I didn’t end up living.

If I’d pursued filmmaking the way I once wanted to, this is the camera I would’ve dreamed up for myself. After all, the Osmo Pocket 4P is a creative director’s fantasy, built at the scale of a passport.

The unit landed on my desk just days before launch, with barely enough runway to put it through its paces properly.

Luckily, it arrived right as July began, which happens to be the month I always disappear on a long vacation. It’s my birth month, and I treat it accordingly. There’s no better way to test a device built for cinematic shooting than to hand it a full month of actual life.

The filmmaker I almost was

I always dreamed of directing sweeping cinematic films. As a broke teenager with big ambitions, I strategically pivoted into advertising instead.

I convinced myself it was a clever way to stay close to film sets while guaranteeing a steady paycheck. That creative pull never really vanished. It resurfaced in my early twenties during an extended phase of chasing beaches and climbing mountains.

I spent those trips half-watching travel vloggers and wondering why they were living my dream life instead of me. The Osmo Pocket 4P dug up an ambition I thought I had buried under sensible career choices.

I once wanted to be a National Geographic Explorer, mapping gorgeous terrain for a living. Instead, I became a competitive trail runner who works as a creative director, which brings its own chaotic terrain.

Life did not give me the exact script I wrote as a teenager, but this camera gave me a way to direct my story anyway on my own terms.

Earning its keep

To celebrate my birth month properly, I took the camera to Cagayan de Oro City, sprinted across the wild landscapes of Bukidnon, and boarded a flight to London for a dose of summer style and city architecture.

Both trips are honest reflections of who I am: a person pulled toward nature, and a person who will always, at heart, be a city boy. London doubled as work, too. I was there to cover Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked.

Across both continents, the dual lenses earned their keep. I captured crisp architectural details from miles away using the 240mm 12x zoom.

 

 

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However, I spent most of my time using the 60mm 3x medium telephoto lens. It delivered a natural background blur that made mundane street moments look like movie stills.

In Cagayan de Oro, I checked into a Marrakesh-inspired boutique hotel filled with intricate design details. I relied mostly on the 20mm 1x and 60mm 3x range for the entire stay.

Knowing I had 6x and 12x zoom in reserve gave me a sense of security, like carrying a luxury safety net in my handbag.

A sensor built for the way light actually behaves

The new 1-inch CMOS sensor is what changes the equation for cinematic travel footage. Light does most of the emotional work in a shot, and this is the first Pocket that seems to understand that instinctively.

With the new sensor, I didn’t have to fight to keep a face lit while the background held its own exposure. It also preserved highlight and shadow detail cleanly, even in scenes with harsh contrast, the kind that used to flatten out or blow up on older pocket cameras.

 

 

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That said, auto exposure wasn’t flawless. On a handful of occasions, it leaned toward overcorrecting and blowing everything out a touch too bright. Switching to manual, or Pro Mode, put me back in control and kept the shots true to what I was actually seeing.

 

 

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What I appreciated most was shooting solo for a Samsung campaign and having nearly every take be usable footage for my editor. Fewer discarded clips means less footage lost to the compromises of shooting alone.

 

That’s mostly thanks to ActiveTrack, which now extends to the Med-Tele lens. Shooting portraits at 3x zoom, it delivers precise face recognition and tracking, holding exposure steady and skin tones consistent even while the subject is moving.

Shooting solo is genuinely difficult. With ActiveTrack, especially in portrait framing, it made the footage look more considered than the reality behind it… which was one person, alone, trying to land a single good shot without a crew to call it.

 

 

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Built-in polish, without the retouching pass

This is the section that matters most if you’re the kind of traveler who shoots, stars in, and edits your own content, because you don’t have the luxury of a color grade session or a retouch pass before something goes up. The Osmo Pocket 4P seems to understand that, and builds the polish in at the point of capture instead of leaving it for later.

Glamour and Film Tones work as an in-camera pass on skin, handling softening, brightening, and color temperature so a face still reads clean and true even lit by a random hotel lamp or the wrong side of a sunset.

Paired with that are stylized film filters that lean into an instant Fuji aesthetic. They give that warm, slightly desaturated look that used to take a preset and a few minutes in an app. Here, it’s baked into the file before you’ve even opened your phone.

That instant polish is the difference between going to sleep after a long day of travel and staying up until midnight editing clips. I’d land at a hotel after a full day, pull the footage straight off the camera, and post it with barely any correction. There was nothing to hide, and nothing left to fix.

Fill Light does the same job on the physical side of things. It adds soft, flattering light in night and backlit scenes. It balances uneven indoor lighting that usually ruins a vlog, and gives selfies and portraits a lift without a ring light or a second person holding one.

More importantly, shooting alone at night in an unfamiliar city is usually where a solo creator’s footage falls apart. Here, it held up.

Between the two, the camera is doing a version of the job a beauty producer and a gaffer would normally split between them, in real time, for a crew of one.

Room to actually direct

Beyond the automated conveniences, the Osmo Pocket 4P gives you real creative range if you want to reach for it.

D-Log and the newer D-Log 2 color profiles hold onto far more dynamic range than a standard picture profile, which matters if you’re planning to grade footage later rather than post it straight off the card.

Slow motion goes up to 4K at 240fps, which is enough headroom to pull dramatic, controlled slow-motion out of moments that happen far too fast to shoot deliberately.

Slow-shutter video is the underrated feature here, but it’s the one that can give you the most cinematic frames: light trails pulling through a night street, clouds smearing gently over a skyline. They’re mostly shots that usually needs a tripod and a plan, but done handheld and on instinct.

Made to disappear into a trip

None of this matters if the camera can’t survive the actual mechanics of travel. This is where the Osmo Pocket 4P does the most work. At 230 grams, it’s compact and portable enough to live in a jacket pocket.

The physical joystick and quick shortcuts save the day when you are shooting one-handed on the go.

The 4K Live Photo feature captures a short burst of motion around a photo, which turned out to be the most authentic way to remember my race finishes. Meanwhile, the 37-megapixel stills were crisp enough to capture fine architectural textures across London.

Storage rounds it out sensibly: 103GB built in, with transfer speeds up to 800MB/s. Between a race in Bukidnon and a flight to London, the last thing I wanted to manage was a memory card. This let me not think about it at all.

Is the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P your GadgetMatch?

I didn’t become the National Geographic Explorer I once imagined for myself. I became something adjacent to it instead, a trail runner with a day job in creative direction, chasing landscapes on weekends and screens on weekdays.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P didn’t hand me back the life I once mapped out as a teenager. It just made the life I actually have look, for a month at least, exactly as cinematic as I’d always wanted it to be.

Swipe right if you’re the kind of traveler who shoots alone and needs a camera doing the work of a small crew, handling color, light, and tracking without anyone else in the room.

It rewards creators who jump between wide landscapes and close portraits with zero lens changes. And if you’ve ever landed somewhere with a dying memory card and no laptop in sight, the built-in storage and fast transfer solve a problem you’ll actually recognize.

Swipe left if your bag already has a mirrorless body and a gimbal in it, since the Pocket 4P will mostly repeat what you’re already carrying.

It’s also not the camera for someone who shoots static, tripod-locked setups and wants manual control as the default. And if the price sits well above what you’d normally spend on a pocket camera, it’s worth being honest with yourself about how often you’d actually reach for this over your phone.

For a solo creator who travels for both work and the version of themselves that only comes out on a trail or in a new city, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P earns its spot in the bag. It’s not trying to replace a full production; it’s trying to be one. And for that, it deserves the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.

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