The universe is continuously expanding — and does the tech scene especially with the limitless innovations being announced in a span of just a year.

And much like a parent star that has a lot of planets orbiting around it, the same thing can be said to me who has a lot of gadgets spinning around me — whether that may be a smartphone, tablet, camera, TV, a pair of earbuds, and more gadgets over the horizon.

But just like how most planetary system works, only a selected few only gives the most habitable life — very similar to some of the gadgets that matched my actual needs.

#BackgroundCheck

For those who didn’t know, I’m Vincenz — or often called by GadgetMatch members as ‘V‘ due to my name’s lengthy pronunciation. But to avoid confusion between the stranger ‘V’ and the wildly popular ‘V’ (*coughs* Taehyung from BTS), I decided to just use my real name for this write-up.

ICYMI, I’ve been GadgetMatch’s in-house video editor, (kinda frustrated) photographer, and full-fledged K-Pop connoisseur who joined the team way back in 2018 as an intern.

But this blog isn’t totally about me, it’s about my favorite devices of the year. While I haven’t tried and tested a lot of gadgets this 2023, there are some that totally matched my lifestyle and needs.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

In a wide array of phone brands that offer photography-centric smartphones, the Xiaomi 13 Pro matched well with what I wanted in a camera smartphone. Sure, it may not have the best of the best video stabilization nor the clearest zoomed shots past 10x, but undeniably, it exceeded my expectations.

The fusion of Leica’s long-time excellence in imaging, Xiaomi’s focus on bringing the best of photography through AI algorithm, and Sony’s snappy 1-inch sensor all resulted to an excellent camera packed in such pocketable slab.

If you’ve read my long-term review, you’ve probably seen how I gave a lot of praises for how this smartphone performed. While the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Xiaomi 14 Pro are all ganging up the Xiaomi 13 Pro, it’s still a very commendable smartphone with one of the best cameras around. This wonder of a smartphone was able to bring back my passion into photography.

READ: Xiaomi 13 Pro: Frustrated photographer’s review

HUAWEI P60 Pro

Another phone in this list is HUAWEI’s P-flagship of 2023. And yes, I know what you’re thinking. How come I consider this a favorite gadget if it lacks the most “basic” functions of an Android smartphone.

Well, hear me out. There are workarounds to fully maximize the use of Google Mobile Services (GMS) in this phone. Lack of 5G? 4G+ is still thriving in most countries. But again, those aren’t the reasons why I picked this as one of my faves.

As I’ve already mentioned earlier, the Xiaomi 13 Pro isn’t the right smartphone when you take a lot of zoomed photos past the 10x mark. This is where the HUAWEI P60 Pro comes into the spotlight. Despite not having a dedicated 10x periscope zoom lens, the P60 Pro was still able to deliver astounding shots — prevalent when I brought the phone with me during TWICE’s concert.

READ: TWICE Ready To Be in Bulacan: Shot on HUAWEI P60 Pro

Don’t @ me. Me (and my concert-obsessed friend) also tried Galaxy S23 Ultra’s zooming prowess but HUAWEI’s AI tricks actually made the zoomed photos more pleasing to the eyes. That’s with the fact that HUAWEI P60 Pro only relies on its 3.5x telephoto zoom lens for zooming in.

I just wish Samsung could keep up with AI software magic like HUAWEI does other than actually flaunting its long telephoto module to spec-obsessed nerds. But that might be for another story as the Samsung Galaxy S24 series is just around the corner.

READ: HUAWEI P60 Pro review: Picture perfect

GoPro HERO12 Black

Honestly, I’m not the biggest fan of taking videos as I really prefer shooting photographs more than ever. But the GoPro HERO12 Black definitely made me enjoy recording a lot of memories. That’s especially thanks to its sizable and lightweight form factor that my iPhone couldn’t achieve.

Never have I imagined that GoPro can go even farther than what it already offers with its ultra-wide lens. With the Max Lens Mod 2.0, it gave me an even wider and more appreciative view of the world around me that most smartphones fail to provide with their measly UWA focal length.

 

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And with the world heavily relying on short-form videos in TikTok or Reels, it’s built-in vertical mode shooting actually made more sense than trying to shoot with the action camera rotated. My Bangkok trip summarized in 60 seconds could attest to that.

READ: GoPro HERO12 Black: Making heroic shots with the new HERO

JBL Tune Beam

While I do commend the HONOR Earbuds 3 Pro (that Rodneil gave me) with its rich sound quality and very adequate noise-cancelling capabilities, its lackluster battery life is what had me concerned in the long run.

Fortunately, JBL gave away these cool AF Tune Beam earbuds in the Ghost White (or Transparent) colorway that I really adore — much like the Nothing ear. Despite its less heavy price tag, JBL’s superior sound quality still remains. There’s also a decent amount of Noise Cancelling happening when it’s actually in use.

Moreover, its software prowess and compatibility towards most devices make the experience seamless. Best of all? Its battery life that felt like it never lasts out even if I use it for long K-Pop music sessions for more than six to seven hours (and counting).

Honorable Mentions

I consider this list more as my “2023 Tech wishlist” as I wasn’t able to try these products but still garnered much of my attention mostly due to what they offer on paper:

• Insta360 Ace Pro
• OnePlus Open / OPPO Find N3
• Sony A7CR
• JBL Authentics 300
• Apple Vision Pro
• TCL C845 Mini LED TV

Finding the right gadget that matches your wants, needs, and lifestyle is difficult to achieve — but not impossible. This year, I’ve got my hands on playing around with the latest in the consumer technology industry. But of course, a few stood out and were etched into my mind and heart.

Everything I list down here is my GadgetMatch for 2023. And no, I don’t have “one” GadgetMatch. My life is too vast to be confined to a single match.

Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2)

Becoming a full-fledged athlete means stepping away from stuff I used to do and like. That includes being overly concerned with my style to look presentable.

Ditching my Apple Watch was probably the best thing I did this year. Not only did I stop caring about how I looked, but I focused more on improving my performance as an athlete.

Instead of being the athlete on the race course who is always being praised for his unique outfits, I rose to the top of my age group’s leaderboard.

From Rank 28, I jumped to Rank 13 at the end of Spartan Race Philippines’ National Series for Age Group 25-29. That age bracket is dubbed as the most difficult since the athletes are at their peak condition.

I also made new Personal Records (PR) for my 21KM and 10KM races, thanks to the improvements I made while studying my data brought by the Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2). Who knew that changing my smartwatch would transform me from a sports enthusiast to a hybrid athlete who gives his heart and soul to the sport he chooses?

READ: I ditched my Apple Watch for the Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2)

GoPro Hero12 BLACK

My life isn’t always just running, lifting, and racing. I still permit myself to have an activity that doesn’t involve preparing for my next Spartan race.

During my off-season, I toured the countryside of Bohol, went island hopping, and jumped plenty of times during my canyoneering adventure in Cebu.

 

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Having the GoPro HERO12 BLACK allowed me to document my travel without being overly attached to my smartphone. It helped me stay present in making and capturing memories.

And when I was about to run out of storage, I transferred the photos and video clips to my iPhone through the app.

READ: GoPro HERO12 Black: Making heroic shots with the new HERO

OPPO Find N3 Flip

Having a smartphone that can keep up with your lifestyle is a must nowadays. It’s not a matter of having a smartphone to stay connected.

The OPPO Find N3 Flip fits perfectly in my life, thanks to its versatile form factor. Sometimes, it’s a fitness companion. It helps me record my workout routines so I can check my form later, or I can send it to my coach whenever I’m in a different gym.

But most of the time, it’s a pocketable camera that captures my daily life and outdoor adventures. From running errands to running on mountainous trails, the OPPO Find N3 Flip kept up with my activities. It’s certainly the smartphone that I can call my GadgetMatch.

READ: OPPO Find N3 Flip review: Fits my life perfectly

Canon EOS R8

Life took another 180 when I got accepted as a race photographer for the sport I love. I took the Canon EOS R8 along with the RF 15-30mm and RF 70-200mm lenses during my photography gig for Spartan Race Philippines.

The experience helped me remember what it was like to shoot and capture important moments. It also gave me a better appreciation of the photographers I stumble upon on the race course, seeing how they spend the early morning up until the sun sets.

I experienced bearing the heat and exhaustion to capture every racer a photo they will treasure as part of the race they signed up for.

To be part of their journey is what elated me as a race photographer, and I managed to do my role when I had the Canon EOS R8. Simply put, I had the time of my life with it.

READ: On the other side of the race course

Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium

Most of what I listed here became my daily drivers for some time. This is why the Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium deserves a spot in my list of favorites this year. Having had the privilege to road test various cars, the Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium stood out the most for me.

I drove it from Manila to Clark and back for a weekend getaway with a detour to one of Spartan Race’s toughest challenges with people close to my heart. It has a spacious compartment that fits our luggage and comfortable passenger seats that make the SUV feel like our home while on the road.

The tech features made driving a humongous vehicle so much easier, keeping us safe and sound and doing the extra legwork so we could all have a cozy ride. There’s nothing quite like it — finding a home wherever you are.

READ: Home away from home: Next-Gen Ford Everest makes long trips cozier

The year is coming to an end so that means it’s time for the team to list their favorite gadgets of the year. Personally, this has been an exciting year for me learning about the type of gadgets that personally fits my needs (and wants, of course). 

Without further ado, here’s my GadgetMatch for 2023.

Legion Go/ ROG Ally 

I’m pretty sure the ROG Ally is MY GadgetMatch.

I am absolutely overjoyed that major brands have thrown their hats into the handheld gaming arena. This was just a concept back in CES 2020 with the Alienware UFO. But different brands like Ayaneo, GPD have kept the idea going. 

The form factor hit a fever pitch and mass interest when Valve released the Steam Deck. And then things went into overdrive in 2023 with the release of both the ROG Ally and the Legion Go. Valve has even followed up their handheld by releasing an OLED edition.

The Handheld Gaming space is just getting started. As good as they are now, both the Legion Go and ROG Ally still have room to grow. On the software front, Armoury Crate SE and Legion Space have a long way to go before being ideal Game Launchers. Microsoft, for its part, has gone on record saying they will develop a version of Windows to accommodate this new form factor.

Hardware-wise, AMD will surely improve the Z1 and Z1 extreme chipsets and we’ll certainly see more iterations of these in the future addressing ergonomics, cooling, battery life, and more. It’s a very exciting time for gaming and it’s a space I’ll personally be watching closely. 

OPPO Find N3/OnePlus Open

“Parting with the OPPO Find N3 Flip felt like a break-up”, need I say more? Before I got my hands on the OPPO Find N3, I was already eagerly anticipating it. Having used the OPPO Find N2, HONOR Magic Vs, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, I was convinced this is a form factor perfect for my needs. 

The book-style foldable addresses many of my needs, and the software has evolved to a point that it’s perfectly functional now. What lifts the Find N3 above the competition, for me personally, are its cameras. It easily has the best cameras of any book-style foldable as of writing. Next is the form factor, it’s chunky when folded, sure. But it’s my kind of chunky. 

I’ve held my fair share of foldables in 2023, and the OPPO Find N3 is the only one I yearn to hold again. 

Samsung HQ-Q600C Q Soundbar

Ever since I got my LG C2 TV in 2022, I’ve been eyeing a soundbar to pair with it. And then, Samsung reached out for us to check out the Samsung OLED S95C TV, it came with the HQ-Q600C Q Soundbar. 

Long story short, I loved how the Q600C sounded, adding a surrounding effect and thumping bass to my humble home entertainment system. Ever since I got one for myself, watching my favorite shows, movies, and even short-form videos have been elevated. 

This applies to gaming too! My current set-up is now almost as good as using headphones with support for 3D audio. My ears have been blessed and I can never go back. 

Honorable mentions

Other gadgets that personally caught my attention are the following:

• GameSir G8 Galileo 
• Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine vacuum
• Legion Glasses
• OSMO Pocket 3 
• Sony A6700 

That’s it for my GadgetMatch 2023. The Tech space feels extra exciting again and I’m personally looking forward to what will make my personal list of GadgetMatch for 2024.