Smartphones

ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe unboxing

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It may be late to the market, but the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe is finally starting to trickle out, with Asia being the next stop for the Taiwanese manufacturer’s most premium — and most expensive — smartphone yet.

ASUS certainly took its sweet time releasing this one, and it shows: The Deluxe is luxe from the inside out and beyond the hardware. Its box alone is likely to elicit “oohs” before it’s even opened, enough to give the impression that what’s inside is valuable. (To be perfectly clear, it is; the $700 5.7-inch Deluxe costs as much as an iPhone 7 Plus or a Pixel XL.)

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[irp posts=”7939″ name=”ASUS ZenFone 3 Max 5.5-inch review”]

Our 5.7-inch Deluxe in gold came in this sturdy navy blue box. The box features a magnetic flap that keeps it closed and holds the package together.

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The inside of the box reveals a fancy interior (accentuated by ASUS’ concentric-circle detailing, of course); it is broken up into compartments with the unit up top, and the accessories and documentation stored underneath. There’s a pull-out tab for the hidden compartment.

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The bundled charger (and Type-C cable) outputs at up to 9 volts and supports fast charging. We’ll reserve our judgment for the review, but so far we’ve been able to consistently get back to a full charge in a little over an hour.

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The white-and-silver wired earphones are housed in a plastic casing. It comes with three sets of additional earbud attachments, so you’re more likely to find one that fits snug in your ear. We like them. A lot. Apart from the phone (duh!), they’re the highlight of this unboxing. We haven’t tested them thoroughly yet so we can’t be sure of their quality. Check back in the coming days.

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The branded SIM eject tool is the same one you’ll find bundled with other ZenFone models released this year.

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First impressions

By now, you must be wondering: “So, what about the handset?” Well, there’s certainly a lot to like about the the ZenFone 3 Deluxe. It’s lightning fast — absolutely the most powerful and responsive ZenFone we’ve used thus far, bar none; the AMOLED display is lovely and incredibly crisp; and the cameras take vibrant, detailed images.

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Everything seems to be in order here. But, as you know, some phones — especially the most expensive ones — deserve a deeper dive than others. And we’ll be sure to take that plunge in the days to come. By then, we’ll be sure to arrive at a definitive conclusion as to whether or not this phone is worth the wait and high price of admission.

[irp posts=”3880″ name=”ASUS ZenFone 3 review”]

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OPPO Find X9 series are now live in China

Global launch to follow on October 28

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Just days after vivo’s widely-anticipated X300 series, its sister brand OPPO releases the Find X9 series. It’s their latest line of flagships for 2025.

Flagship Find

The OPPO Find X9 and Find X9 Pro are the next line of smartphones equipped with MediaTek’s latest Dimensity 9500 SoC based on a powerful and power-efficient 3nm process.

Much like its closest cousins, the base and Pro models of the Find X9 differ in certain aspects.

First and foremost, the Pro has the bigger 6.78-inch display. Meanwhile, the vanilla variant has a “more compact” 6.59-inch.

OPPO says though that both units boast an ultra-thin 1.15mm symmetrical bezels on all sides.

Moreover, battery capacities are also different.

The Find X9 has 7025mAh while the Find X9 Pro possess a larger 7500mAh battery.

These phones are expected to run the all-new ColorOS 16 with primary focus on silky-smooth animation, as well as smarter AI feats, seamless connectivity between PCs, Macs, and other accessories, as well as band overall user experience.

Hasselblad Legacy

Different from what OnePlus is doing, OPPO continues to strengthen its partnership with the renowned Swedish camera-maker Hasselblad.

With this continuous collaboration, both the Find X9 and X9 Pro feature the Hasselblad Camera System alongside OPPO’s all-new LUMO Image Engine.

Furthermore, the Find X9 Pro offers a 200MP telephoto camera co-developed with Hasselblad — both in sensor calibration and optical design.

Additionally, these Find models also deliver exceptional video capabilities with up to 4K / 120fps Dolby Vision support as well as LOG recording with ACES support for that seamless and professional workflow.

The Find X9 series are also concert-ready with cutting-edge telephoto optimizations such as Stage Mode and AI Sound Focus.

Pricing and Availability

The OPPO Find X9 are available in three colorways: Titanium Grey, Space Black, and Velvet Red.

Meanwhile, the Find X9 Pro is being offered in two shades: Silk White and Titanium Charcoal.

In line with the China-exclusive launch, the announcement of the Find X9 series slated for global markets will be held in Barcelona, Spain on October 28th.

Mark your calendars!

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vivo unveils OriginOS globally

Mastery for the Next Mobile Era

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OriginOS 6

vivo has officially launched OriginOS 6 worldwide. The system is built around three pillars—smoothness, design, and intelligence. It represents vivo’s next major step as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Smoothness redefined

At the core of OriginOS 6 is Smoothness Mastery, setting a new standard for responsiveness across every layer of the system. The new Origin Smooth Engine coordinates computing, storage, and display performance for an experience that looks, feels, and stays smooth over time.

vivo’s 8+1 Ultra-Core Computing prioritizes critical tasks, improving app cold starts by 18.5% and stabilizing frame rates by 10.5%. Memory Fusion speeds up data loading by 106%, while Dual Rendering boosts animation performance by 35%. On top of that, touch response is now 41% faster and app launches are 16% quicker, even when opening 50 apps in sequence.

Visually, the Origin Animation System brings more fluid motion through effects like Spring Animation, Blur Transition, and Morphing Animation. vivo’s Snap-Up Engine ensures instant reaction for high-demand actions like mobile ticketing—keeping users one step ahead. The result: consistent performance that’s been SGS-certified for sustained smoothness, simulating up to five years of heavy use.

Design inspired by nature

OriginOS 6 takes cues from nature to create a digital environment that feels effortless and alive. The Origin Design System unifies all visual elements—color, shape, font, and layout—under a single aesthetic built for clarity and balance. The new vivo Sans font supports over 40 languages, with adjustable weight and adaptive legibility across devices.

Dynamic Glow and Translucent Color add depth and natural light behavior to every interaction. Widgets and home screen layouts are now more flexible with the new Lock Screen Grid and 4×7 Home Screen Grid, giving users full creative freedom. Flip Cards add a touch of life, shifting dynamically as the phone tilts.

vivo AI: Personal intelligence, evolved

Working closely with Google, vivo integrates upgraded Gemini and Circle to Search capabilities for a smarter, more intuitive experience. The new Origin Island turns real-time updates into actionable suggestions—letting users copy, drag, or interact without switching apps.

In creative tools, AI Retouch merges AI Erase, Image Expander, and Photo Enhance into one workflow for easy editing. Productivity gets a boost from Smart Call Assistant, DocMaster, AI Creation, and AI Search, while Office Kit and One-Tap Transfer extend these capabilities seamlessly across devices.

Secure and enduring performance

Security takes center stage under the new vivo Security brand, ensuring privacy and transparency through on-device intelligence and data minimization. Meanwhile, upgraded BlueVolt technology enhances power efficiency and charging stability for a cooler, longer-lasting performance.

Availability

OriginOS 6 will begin rolling out globally in phases starting November 2025, with schedules varying by market.

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AI-powered HONOR Magic8 Series launches in China

YOYO Agent, next-gen AI imaging, record-setting performance

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HONOR Magic8 Pro | Sky Cyan

HONOR has officially launched the HONOR Magic8 Series in China. Dubbed the brand’s first Self-Evolving AI Smartphone, the new flagship line introduces next-generation YOYO Agent intelligence, breakthrough AI imaging, and industry-leading performance.

Leading the lineup is the HONOR Magic8 Pro, engineered to redefine the flagship smartphone experience for the AI era.

Smarter living with YOYO Agent

The HONOR Magic8 Series centers around three pillars: hardware performance, system interaction, and ecosystem integration. Its all-new YOYO Agent now supports automatic execution in over 3,000 real-world scenarios.

It can handle simple tasks like “find all my screenshots and delete the blurry ones” or more complex ones like “summarize this week’s expenses and email them to my manager.” The AI agent activates when needed, completing multi-step actions automatically to save users time and effort.

HONOR adds a dedicated AI Button for instant access to YOYO. Long-pressing launches YOYO Video Call, which provides information about anything it sees. Double-clicking opens the camera for quick shots. The button can also be customized for one-touch access to favorite functions.

YOYO Memories builds a personal knowledge base while keeping privacy intact. It uses deep semantic understanding to analyze photos, chat records, and documents—helping users recall key details without exposing personal data.

Redefining AI-powered photography

HONOR raises the bar for mobile imaging with the new AiMAGE Camera System. The HONOR Magic8 Pro leads the way with a 200MP Ultra Night Telephoto Camera featuring a 1/1.4-inch sensor and wide f/2.6 aperture. This allows clearer, brighter photos even at long distances.

HONOR’s AI anti-shake tech makes users seven times more likely to capture sharp zoomed images, even without a tripod. The AI Adaptive Stabilization Model reaches CIPA 5.5-level stability, improving shake detection and response accuracy.

The series also debuts Magic Color, the first AI-powered color engine in the industry. It uses deep learning to extract 16.77 million colors, enabling cinematic color accuracy in real time. With device-cloud collaboration, users can recreate film tones or build their own templates directly in the camera or through Magic Portal.

AI-tuned performance and endurance

The HONOR Magic8 Series runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform. It introduces GPU-NPU Heterogeneous AI super-resolution and frame-generation technology that boosts gameplay from 60fps at 850p to 120fps at 1080p.

The Magic8 Pro carries a 7,200mAh silicon-carbon battery supported by three HONOR E2 power management chips. These chips use AI to optimize power, heat control, and long-term battery health. With 120W wired and 80W wireless HONOR SuperCharge, the device delivers fast, all-day performance.

Refined experience with MagicOS 10

HONOR’s MagicOS 10 powers the Magic8 Series with cross-platform support for Android, HarmonyOS, iOS, and Windows. This enables seamless file sharing, task syncing, and device continuity.

MagicOS 10 introduces a translucent visual design across the interface. It dynamically adjusts lighting and color tones for readability and allows users to customize transparency to their liking.

The phones also meet SGS-certified durability standards, offering 10x drop resistance and IP68/69/69K protection. The design ensures resilience in daily use while maintaining a premium look and feel.

Color, pricing, and what’s next

The HONOR Magic8 Series comes in Sunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, Black, and Glacier White. Pre-orders in China begin in October 2025, with the HONOR Magic8 starting from RMB 4,499 and the Magic8 Pro from RMB 5,699..

The company will announce international availability later this year.

HONOR Robot Phone

HONOR capped the launch with a teaser of the HONOR ROBOT PHONE — an all-new device that merges AI intelligence, robotics, and advanced imaging. Part of the HONOR ALPHA PLAN, this new form factor represents the company’s next step toward leading the global AI device ecosystem.

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