Laptops

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro (2019) review: Slimmer and evermore dependable

An upgrade that allows you to make time for things that are more important

Published

November 23, 2019

Chay Lazaro

Editing on a 4-year-old laptop that wasn’t made for that purpose will take a toll not just on the machine itself, but on anyone using it. That’s the situation me and my 2015 13-inch MacBook Pro found ourselves in this year. As with any Mac device, it’s still usable if all you have to do is web browsing, word processing, and maybe some minor photo editing.

Pushing an underpowered notebook to do heavy multimedia tasks will suffice for a while but won’t benefit you nor the laptop in the long run. When you find yourself compromising not just speed but creativity, that’s when you know enough is enough. An upgrade is no longer a luxury but a necessity.

Number talk

For a little bit more context, the 2019 MacBook Pro that I upgraded to is the 13-inch one — stay with me here — with 256GB SSD storage, powered by the 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor. I know that just sounds like a bunch of words and numbers mixed up, but to help you visualize: it’s the second one in the current 13-inch MacBook Pro lineup:

You might be thinking — who would give up a severely underpowered MacBook Pro for yet another Core i5 laptop? I’m well aware there are more much better options, including the last two in the infrographic. If power-hungry tasks like video editing are my only consideration for upgrading, I would have easily gone for the most expensive MacBook Pro. Heck, I would have waited for the cheese grater-looking Mac Pro and set up a workstation at home instead. But aside from performance, portability and price are important to me, too.

Beautiful design in a slimmer body

Laptops are made to be portable. Their very reason for being is to allow the user to get things done despite being away from a power source for extended periods of time. For a girl of average height who carries not just a laptop, but a whole gamut of equipment on a normal work day, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is just the perfect size.

When weighed on its own, the weight difference between the new MacBook Pro and the 2015 model or the 16-inch variant is negligible. When combined with a camera, lenses, tripod, hard drives, at least two smartphones, a bunch of cables, makeup, keys, wallet, and a few documents here and there, it will all feel like a whole day of workout.

The weight Apple shed off by making the new MacBook Pros thinner, no matter how miniscule, matters. As someone who also spent more time at airports than at home for the first half of the year, carrying a slimmer, lighter laptop for the latter half made a lot of difference. Every half pound lost is a half pound off my carry on bag.

I’ve been traveling around Asia and Europe with this thing since September. I’ve carried it with me to cafes, restaurants, airbnbs, hostels, meetings, work events — even to trade shows — and it got the job done without doing damage to my back. I can see myself using the bigger model — eventually, when I’ve managed to exercise my way to a stronger back and upper body.

Not to mention the tall order of finding stylish bags that fit bigger laptops — there’s just not a lot of options for women that not only suits my personal style, but also my budget. I remember using a 15-inch MacBook Pro briefly last year. Having to carry a heavier machine in a utilitarian bag that doesn’t go well with anything bogged me down. It just didn’t let me walk with the same confidence as this more portable laptop in a cute briefcase does. Needless to say, the struggle was real.

Apple took the port out of portable

Whether it’s a smartphone or laptop, making a device less hefty usually means making compromises on things that are essential to the user. Upgrading from the 2015 MacBook Pro meant losing two ports that I use the most when editing videos: the SD card reader and the USB-A port.

There is an easy fix, of course — a dongle — but easy doesn’t come cheap. I’m not gonna lie, having to spend extra on a USB-C dongle to add two ports that used to come free with any laptop purchase does not feel like an upgrade. It’s backwards. I can’t even use any of the accessories that came with my iPhone XS with this laptop — something that iPhone and Mac users used to be able to do with older models.

While I love how thin this laptop is, connecting a dongle to a portable device defeats the purpose of it being, well, portable. It’s not entirely impossible for a laptop to have ports built in and be extra portable at the same time. I’ve seen Windows laptops that are of the same heft, if not thinner, that still managed to include a USB-A port.

Thinner body, better battery

While the lack of ports is a big issue for my workflow, battery life on the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is actually commendable — another thing that normally gets sacrificed when devices become thinner.

It would be unfair to say that the 2019 MacBook Pro lasts longer than the 2015 model. The latter understandably has poorer battery life as it’s been through whatever the equivalent of a world war is when it comes to laptops.

Still, I’m pleased to report that despite losing the extra weight, the 2019 MacBook Pro is so efficient that it lasts me more than a whole work day of writing, managing social media, web browsing, with an hour or two of the Spring Awakening soundtrack in the background.

Whenever I go to the office for our weekly meetings, I find myself never having to take my charger out of my bag. The rest of the team, meanwhile, would take their respective positions beside sockets to plug theirs after just 3-5 hours of use — even when they’re using the newer, high end Windows laptops that they review.

On days when I’m editing, I would normally have to charge the laptop twice as a YouTube video usually takes at least 12 hours to edit. That’s an entire work day of Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Photoshop and After Effects.

Despite my protests against the lack of essential ports on this machine, it needs to be pointed out that the two built in Thunderbolt 3 ports are made equally. This means no matter which port I end up plugging the charger to, it will work as expected. The same goes for external storage devices. This consistency is something you won’t get on other laptops that killed other ports in favor of USB-C.

Charging is also fast — with the bundled 61W adapter, plugging it for 30 minutes charges it from 10% to 42%. It takes just about an hour and 40 minutes to juice up from 10 to 100%, even while I’m writing a full feature article on Notes.

A laptop that can handle video editing, and more

Graphic design, illustration, and video editing are three things I need a laptop for. Other tasks like writing and photo editing I can manage to do on a smartphone, albeit at a slower pace.

Importing even short 1920×1080 clips to FCPX on my older MacBook Pro used to take such a long time, that I can finish reading a news article or browsing latest tweets before the pinwheel disappears. Editing on an underpowered machine didn’t just slow me down — it affected my focus, too.

I remember getting derailed from editing so many times while waiting for clips to render. Then came the time when I couldn’t animate or track even the shortest clips anymore and had to rely on someone else to do it for me. Not being able to execute what I had in mind because my laptop couldn’t handle it was not only frustrating — it was draining.

The 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro surprisingly handles anything I throw at it without hiccups — even when I have three projects on FCPX at the same time, and both Photoshop and After Effects running in the background. That’s something the 2015 model could not handle.

The videos I edit are usually just 1920×1080, but I’ve recently edited a one-minute 4K video and it worked out just fine. FCPX renders fast, exports fast, and doesn’t freeze at the most crucial moments. The bump in power has allowed me to be much more efficient and creative; I’ve been able to experiment without fear of apps crashing or having to wait for things to render.

The infamous keyboard

Another design change that allowed this laptop to be so thin is the controversial Butterfly keyboard. I’ve read and heard of complaints about it from so many people. Frankly, it was one of the things I was worried about having encountered that problem on a 2017 model in August.

A reliable keyboard is not just for writing; I use the keys for shortcuts on Photoshop and FCPX as well. Thankfully, I haven’t run into the same problems that plagued 2018 models and older. Any typos made with this thing has nothing but human error to blame. As far as the shorter travel that irks a lot of nitpickers, it’s something that I easily got used to once muscle memory kicked in.

The function keys on the newer MacBook Pro models are also gone. Replacing them is yet another controversial design decision: the Touch Bar. The only time I used any of the function keys was whenever I needed to adjust volume or brightness. I don’t feel like I’m missing out now that they’re gone as I can still do those on the narrow secondary screen that replaced the physical keys.

The Touch Bar still has a long way to go when it comes to functionality. Even when I’m editing videos, I default to keyboard shortcuts instead of the convenient keys that appear on it when I’m on FCPX. Strangely, I find it most useful when I’m on social media duty as suggested emoji are one tap away, eliminating the need to Google them one by one.

The physical power key is also gone — replacing it is a glass button that also doubles as a Touch ID sensor. It’s a tiny life-changing hardware change that I didn’t know I needed. Logging in with just a tap of a finger is not only so much faster, it’s also more secure.

What’s essential is visible to the naked eye

The 13-inch MacBook Pro gives 4K displays on other high-end laptops a run for their money. What Apple proves, time and again, with every piece of hardware they make is that it’s the quality of pixels that matter, and not the number.

Mac displays’ color accuracy has always been unmatched, and the same can be said about this device. The last thing I want is to oversaturate video footage or photos because my laptop display is too dull — a problem I haven’t had since switching to Mac.

While some people would prefer to turn off True Tone when editing photos and videos for better color accuracy, I keep it perpetually turned on. True Tone is designed to make whites easier on the eyes. It adjusts automatically depending on the ambient light.

The display is also bright enough that the only time I crank it up to full brightness is whenever I’m working outdoors — under direct sunlight — which rarely happens anyway. Indoors it stays at around 30-50%, and only 10% at night when I’m winding down before sleep.

Of course, a great display translates to a great Netflix and chill experience. I’m no display expert, but even the gloomiest episodes of The Crown registers as accurately as a colorful animated movie like Frozen. I’m also no audio expert, but the speakers are more than loud enough for my needs.

My only complaint about the display is how easily it picks up grime and fingerprint smudges. It’s not a deal breaker; it’s just the only thing that’s not aesthetically pleasing in an otherwise beautifully designed notebook.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

It’s such a relief when you can just do what you need to do without waiting or worrying. Even when things need to be rushed or they happen at the last minute, I know I can deliver because the 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro can. It’s that capable and reliable.

As a Mac user what I appreciate the most about this upgrade is the same thing nitpickers hate about it — its familiarity. The changes between this and the 2015 model are significant enough, but all done in a similar form factor. The slimmer body and its more efficient internals make it feel like what I’m using is new, without having to deal with a learning curve that usually comes with any hardware upgrade.

If you are using a 2015 MacBook Pro or older, and have noticed that it’s slowed you down, consider upgrading to the 2019 MacBook Pro. If you prefer the 13-inch model like me and have an extra SG$ 700 to spend, go all the way and get the maxed out model. You’ll benefit from better speeds, graphics, and more storage. If what you do requires more power, Apple just announced the new 16-inch model that we will also be reviewing shortly.

When life requires you to be on the go, there’s no better machine to help you accomplish your tasks than the 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro. It’s thin, light, and narrow enough to be taken and used anywhere — even on an economy class flight’s tray table — yet powerful enough to execute your creative vision and help you get the job done.

What you’re buying when you get the 13-inch MacBook Pro is not just a new laptop; you’re investing in peace of mind, time, and other resources for matters that are more important. Little by little, it’s created space in my life for more ideas, hobbies, self-care, even in-person interactions, that used to be occupied by waiting for clips to render or images to resize. When you have a tool that’s this dependable, you get to do things you never thought you could do again.

Laptops

Apple introduces Apple Upgrade leasing program

Flexible leasing arrives

Published

July 31, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Apple has introduced Apple Upgrade, a new leasing program that makes it easier to get an iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch through monthly payments. The program also gives customers more flexibility to upgrade to newer devices over time.

Apple Upgrade replaces new enrollments for the iPhone Upgrade Program with a single offering that covers four product categories. Apple partnered with Klarna to power the service.

Customers can lease an iPhone or Apple Watch for one or two years. Mac and iPad leases are available for two or three years.

At the end of the lease, customers have three options. They can upgrade to a newer device, purchase the leased device by paying the remaining balance, or return it with no further obligation.

Monthly payments start at US$17.99 for iPhone and US$24.99 for Mac, depending on the selected model and configuration. Customers must also qualify through Klarna before enrolling.

More than iPhones

Apple Upgrade expands beyond the company’s previous iPhone-only financing program. It brings iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch under one leasing service, making upgrades more consistent across Apple’s hardware lineup.

Customers can manage their lease through Apple, while Klarna handles financing and lease administration. They can also pay off their device early, although additional terms and fees may apply depending on the agreement.

Apple Upgrade is currently available only in the United States. Apple has not announced plans to expand the program to other regions.

Accessories

OBSBOT’s Meet Flip is your next best pocketable 4K webcam

Fold the Flip for further protection

Published

July 29, 2026

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Several months ago, you might remember that OBSBOT revealed the Tiny 3 series of web cameras.

Six months after, they also unveil the all-new Meet Flip. From the name itself, it’s the company’s latest foldable 4K webcam that puts hardware privacy front and center.

Foldable and pocketable

Despite weighing just 37.7 grams, the Meet Flip aims to deliver premium webcam features for all types of users. Be it remote workers, professionals, or content creators.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Undoubtedly, the biggest highlight has got to be the webcam’s folding design. Not only it’s portable, it protects your privacy too.

Closing the device physically blocks the lens, giving users a visual confirmation that the camera is no longer active. When it’s time for a meeting, simply unfold it and it’s ready to go.

That lightweight body also features a built-in mounting clip that works with laptops, monitors, and tripods. Users can mount it in landscape, portrait, or even upside-down orientations depending on their setup.

Despite that absurd amount of lightweightness, the OBSBOT Meet Flip is still able to house a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology. That’s something more commonly found among bigger and higher-end web cameras.

Other camera features include:

4K video recording / 30fps
1080p recording / up to 60fps
HDR support for challenging lighting
Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)
4x digital zoom
f/1.8 aperture with ISO 100-6400 support for low-light environments

Beyond just video calls

The OBSBOT Meet Flip isn’t just packed with serious camera hardware, it’s seriously intelligent as well.

The Meet Flip supports AI Auto Framing. This automatically keeps users centered during meetings — regardless if they are presenting alone or with a group. Gesture controls also let users activate framing or adjust zoom without touching the keyboard or mouse.

Another standout feature is AI Magic Notes which provides real-time meeting transcription and automatically generates summaries, action items, and key discussion points.

The feature works with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams through OBSBOT Center. Every webcam includes complimentary transcription of 120 minutes.

With that being mentioned, OBSBOT Center also makes users gain access to software features such as background blur, virtual backgrounds, beauty mode, and picture-in-picture overlays for presentations.

Those who want more advanced controls can enable Smart Eye Tracking, teleprompter support, and manual image adjustments.

Audio also gets an upgrade through an intelligent dual-microphone system that offers four recording modes:

Directional Mode / solo calls
Dual-Directional Mode / interviews
Smart Omni Mode / group meetings
Pure Audio Mode / unprocessed stereo recording

AI Noise Reduction and Automatic Gain Control are also available across most modes to help improve voice clarity.

OBSBOT’s Meet Flip is also compatible with mobile devices through the OBSBOT Live app and supports integrations with accessories including Elgato Stream Deck, Nintendo Switch 2, and UVC-to-NDI/HDMI adapters.

Pricing and Availability

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is available starting today for US$119 through OBSBOT’s online store, Amazon US, and select retailers worldwide. Regional pricing may vary.

Laptops

The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra wins you over

The laptop sneaks up on you

Published

July 3, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

This is coming from someone who has done countless unboxings and has touched a wide variety of devices — the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra was… alright.

My first impression was that it certainly didn’t wow me as much as I expected it to after having read the brief, nor even after attending the tech seminar where ASUS laid out its vision for the laptop.

That’s probably the strangest thing about the ExpertBook Ultra. Because after having spent more time with it, the laptop grew on me.

Put cheekily, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra wasn’t the laptop that made my head turn. Instead, it was the laptop that kept showing up consistently. Before I realized it, it’s become the one I wanted to keep coming back to.

And I think that’s the best way to describe my experience with ASUS’ flagship business notebook.

The laptop sneaks up on you.

Built to be carried

I got the laptop right after Computex 2026 coverage. That meant my days were closer to how they normally are. That also meant I had to be more intentional about going out and bringing it with me as I tackled my day-to-day duties.

I normally carried it using my trusted EDC — the Alpaka Bravo Tote — and I have to say it definitely felt lighter than my usual laptop, which is the MacBook Pro M4.

The Apple laptop I regularly carry is, I have to admit, chunkier than I would prefer. So having the ExpertBook Ultra for about a week or so literally felt like some load was taken off my shoulders.

Did I ever forget it was there? I wouldn’t go that far.

But if you’re asking me which one I’d rather carry based on build and weight alone, I would, with no hesitation, reach for the ExpertBook Ultra.

That says a lot considering how attached I am to my usual setup.

ASUS likes talking about how light the ExpertBook Ultra is. Normally, that’s the sort of marketing line I acknowledge and quickly move past.

This time, I actually felt it.

The Nano Ceramic effect

One of the first things ASUS will tell you about the ExpertBook Ultra is its Nano Ceramic finish. I’ll admit, it felt like one of those things that sounds good on a slide presentation.

It’s one of those things that look gimmicky at first but actually feels incredible once you come across it on a daily basis.

It’s still early, so you can consider this very much part of the honeymoon phase with the laptop. Even so, the Nano Ceramic finish continues to inspire a bit of awe every time I pick it up.

I do feel like a little weirdo caressing the laptop ever so gently before I begin the day’s work wherever I may be. But that’s just a testament to how good it feels to touch.

And yes, it does reinforce the feeling that, “Hey, I’m working on a pretty fancy piece of machinery.”

It’s easy to underrate the effects of that feeling, but it’s those little intangible things that can sometimes help unlock perspectives and possibilities.

That’s not something you’ll find on a spec sheet. But it’s absolutely part of the experience.

A display that’s difficult to stop staring at

It also helps if STAYC Isa is on screen.

The display is magnificent.

As Captain America would say, “I can look at this all day.” Not the exact phrase, but you’re smart. You get it.

The OLED and matte coating is just a killer combo. Kind of like the Chaewon and Yeji “That’s a No No” challenge collab. Pardon the months-old K-pop reference. I’ve been so busy I haven’t really kept up with what’s new.

Anyway, the combination just comes at you unapologetically and you have no recourse but to bask in it. Maintaining the deep blacks and crisp colors is such a gift to your eyes.

I often sit right next to big windows when I’m out in cafés and the light did nothing to dull the effect of the display.

Two love, two love. I’m falling.

It was so good I often found myself fully diving into STAYC’s 2 LOVE music video in between writing this very review and coordinating with my team.

The matte coating deserves special mention here.

OLED panels already look fantastic. Pairing one with a matte finish that helps cut reflections without sacrificing the strengths of OLED makes for one of my favorite laptop displays in recent memory.

Typing just clicked

This is one of my favorite keyboard experiences. Things just clicked right from the start. No awkward feeling-out phase whatsoever.

I was touch typing like I was Doctor Strange trying to look into over 14 million possible outcomes and still landing on the right key every single time.

The keys feel closer to chiclet-style keyboards than anything else. Even so, the spacing is perfect and the travel satisfying.

Then there’s the haptic touchpad.

I typically don’t like using mice, especially when I’m out and about. With most Windows laptops I’ve used in the past, that eventually becomes a necessity.

That wasn’t the case with the ExpertBook Ultra. It’s easily one of the best-feeling touchpads I’ve used in recent memory.

My standard for touchpads has always been MacBooks. While the software is also doing some heavy lifting in that particular setup, the ExpertBook’s own comes pretty close.

That’s not praise I hand out lightly.

Performance that feels like overkill

Performance is one area where I cannot claim I fully pushed the capabilities of the ExpertBook Ultra.

Most of my tasks are browser-based. Plenty of tabs open, sure, but I don’t think I ever came close to really testing the capabilities of this business notebook. I imagine that would be the case for most of ASUS’ target audience.

Upon seeing the specs, I already knew this was going to be a bit of an overkill for my own use case. My time with it only proved that assessment.

The most I did with it was jump between browser tabs and chat apps, letting ChatGPT help me process unresolved feelings and questionable timing while I dealt with coordinating shoots, writing scripts and reviews, and dealing with external forces that leave me feeling drained.

Never once did the laptop feel slow. Never once did I find myself waiting.

What noise?

Speaking of things I didn’t notice, let’s talk about fan noise.

Again, since I didn’t really push this thing to its absolute limits, the fan never really kicked into high gear at any point during my time with it.

The same goes for thermals.

No task I did ever raised the temperature to uncomfortable levels. The laptop simply went about its business. Which, come to think of it, is probably the most business-laptop thing I can say about it.

Battery life that simply works

I was very impressed with its overall efficiency.

When I go out to work, I typically don’t stay out longer than five to six hours. Most of the time that’s five to six hours of really focused work—with some K-pop loving in between.

Being generally risk-averse, I still always brought my usual charger with me. Not once during my time with the device did I feel the need to plug in while working outside.

I would typically end my café work days somewhere between 30 to 40 percent and only juice the thing up once I got home while it was closed and not in use.

That’s exactly the kind of battery experience I want from a business laptop.

The AI question

The thing I struggle with when it comes to AI features on this machine is that a lot of them are Windows-based and that’s just not the AI I find reliable.

Right now, many of these features are nice-to-have.

I’m sure one of ASUS’ target users will likely find a use case for them.

As for me personally, this is one area I’d have to dig deeper into to actually find ways to integrate them into my workflow and general usage.

And honestly, that’s okay. The AI features weren’t the reason I kept reaching for the laptop.

Who is this actually for?

That’s a loaded question. Really, it’s built for anyone who can afford it.

With a starting price of PhP 129,995, this device comfortably sits in aspirational territory.

What I know for sure is that this is a machine for someone who’s already built some momentum in their chosen field and would like to level up.

The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra gives you a machine that can handle your business now and inspire you to dream bigger about your future.

Is the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra your GadgetMatch?

The thing I kept coming back to with the ExpertBook Ultra is that there is no one thing that made me turn to it.

Instead, it’s the combination of everything that it brings to the table. The premium-feeling build, lightweight design, wonderful display, excellent keyboard and touchpad. efficient performance, and the thoughtful extras. Together, they make it a laptop that’s easy to recommend to anyone who’s ready for it.

But what does ready for it actually mean?