Features

Best Premium Smartphones (February 2017 Edition)

Published

February 1, 2017

Marvin Velasco

If you’re looking for the very best high-end smartphones available, you’ve come to the right place! Every month, GadgetMatch updates this list with the finest devices money can buy, no matter how much they cost.

As the first edition in the series, the premium smartphones found here feature the cream of the crop released since last year, but don’t include those launching later this month at Mobile World Congress 2017 (MWC) just yet. Are some possibly old? Yes, but they’re as powerful as the day they were rolled out.

Here they are in no particular order:

Google Pixel

While the Pixel has its shortcomings — the lack of serious water resistance and oddly plain design spring to mind — you can’t find a more optimized Android smartphone right now. Everything about it is snappy, from the incredible camera to its witty Google Assistant. It’s also got the most up-to-date operating system, and unlimited storage for all your photos.

REVIEW: Google Pixel (3 months later)

OnePlus 3T

OnePlus’ flagship killer is truly living up to its name. The 3T is near the top of the charts in terms of raw performance to this day, has one of our favorite implementations of Android, and feels absolutely solid in our hands. Best of all, it’s the most affordable premium smartphone in this compilation — what’s not to love?

HANDS-ON: OnePlus 3

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

You can’t complete a selection like this without including Apple’s latest handset. And it’s not because an iPhone has to be included; the iPhone 7 Plus is so fast and so smooth, there’s no way we could ignore it. It also gets the nod over the regular iPhone 7 thanks to its far more impressive dual-camera setup.

REVIEW: Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

Huawei Mate 9

If you’re out for a larger-than-usual screen size, the Mate 9 is your best bet in the premium segment. And yet, Huawei’s 5.9-inch smartphone isn’t that massive when you get a hold of it. Factor in its equally generous battery life, sleek Android interface, and pair of Leica-branded cameras at the back, and you have the most capable phablet in the market.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Despite being nearly a year old, nothing feels outdated when it comes to the Galaxy S7 Edge. Samsung’s best still runs well against everything else on this list, and it’s arguably one of the most attractive phones ever made. Several manufacturers have been attempting to imitate Its perfectly curved display, but nothing comes close to the original.

HANDS-ON: Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

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Related Topics:Apple Galaxy S7 Edge Google Huawei iPhone 7 Plus Mate 9 OnePlus Pixel Samsung

Hands-On

Xiaomi Mi 9 Hands-On: 2019 Flagship Killer?

BEAST!

Published

February 20, 2019

Chay Lazaro

Top of the line specs, amazing cameras, and high-speed wireless charging. MWC hasn’t even officially started yet, so it might be premature to say this, but has Xiaomi just unveiled the 2019 flagship killer?

We recently got to spend time with Xiaomi’s latest flagship and this is our hands-on video.

Hands-On

Samsung Galaxy M20 hands-on: Give the users what they want

Awakening of the sleeping giant

Published

February 18, 2019

Shivam Vahia

Samsung has been the smartphone market leader for half a decade now, and its flagship phones continue to be an inspiration for everyone. However, while the brand is dominating in developed markets, it has taken a massive beating in the developing ones.

Thanks to players like Xiaomi, the South Korean brand has consistently lost market share in countries like India. Samsung slowly prepared itself to change strategy by the end of last year and intends to go hard in 2019. It announced the new Galaxy M-series lineup of phones in the budget segment and the M10 and M20 are the first ones to roll off the shelf.

The M20 has been launched in India for INR 10,990 (US$ 154) and comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The option with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage costs INR 12,990 (US$ 182). The phone goes up against the Redmi 6 Pro, Realme U1, and even the Mi A2.

To start with, Samsung has opted to go with a basic design, consisting of a plastic body that is curved at the edges and is pretty glossy. The phone is extremely comfortable to hold, and the build quality is top-notch. Even the buttons are very tactile and bezels are smaller.

On the front is a 6.3-inch TFT display with a Full HD resolution and small water-drop style notch on the top. This is the first Samsung phone to feature a notch, and the display quality is surprisingly good. The color production is vivid and satisfying, while the viewing angles are perfect. It is easily visible even under direct sunlight.

For authentication, a fingerprint scanner is located on the rear and it is fast enough. You also have the option of face unlock and it works quickly in well-lit conditions. It has dual-SIM support and there’s a separate slot for microSD card, as well.

Powering the phone is an octa-core Exynos 7904 processor, which is considered to be on par with the Snapdragon 636. It is a very power-efficient processor with more emphasis on the cameras. Day-to-day tasks are handled smoothly and games like PUBG are playable with low graphics.

It has a dual-camera setup on the rear, consisting of a 13-megapixel primary shooter and a 5-megapixel wide-angle sensor. The pictures clicked during daytime are decently saturated but lack sharpness. Even focus tends to get slow in low-light conditions. The wide-angle lens works best in bright surroundings only and is a very handy tool. For selfies, it has an 8-megapixel shooter with built-in beauty enhancements.

It ships with Samsung Experience 9.5 out of the box and is actually well optimized. There is barely any lag and the UI offers a plethora of customizations and features. The company announced that the Android Pie update will be landing soon. Lastly, it has a massive 5000mAh battery that’ll get you through two days of usage.

Xiaomi has been successful because it offers users a balanced product that suits everyone’s needs. With the M20, Samsung goes down the same road. While the recently announced A-series phones were for photography enthusiasts, the M20 is good enough for everything.

The M20 is no disruptor, but an indication that Samsung is gearing up. And as a generation-one product, it’s performing fairly well.

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Cameras

Fujifilm Instax SQ20 hands-on: How good is it?

Trying out the new Motion Mode on doggies!

Published

February 14, 2019

Isa Rodriguez

Fujifilm’s sequel to their first ever digital/analog hybrid is here and it’s looking better than ever. The Instax SQ20 is one classy-looking instant camera but what can it do? With a set of built-in filters and new features like the Motion Mode, it looks like a promising device.

I finally try it out, with help from some doggies, on our hands-on video.

The SQ20 retails for US$ 199 in the US, PhP 12,999 in the Philippines, and SG$ 299 in Singapore.

In case you’re having trouble viewing, watch HERE.