Hands-On

Wandering in Taiwan through the lens of the HONOR 200 Pro

Portrait, move over! We’re here to explore the sceneries~

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The HONOR 200 Pro has just been unveiled in Paris, France, promising studio-level portrait photography experience since it was co-created with Studio Harcourt.

While I admire HONOR’s pursuit of excellence in that department, I never fawned over a smartphone’s portrait capability. Let’s face it: I don’t take portraits. I have no use for it since I capture sights, sceneries, and moments that evoke certain feelings, especially when traveling.

That said, we still know that the HONOR 200 Pro features a 50-megapixel Portrait Main Camera coupled with a Super Dynamic H9000 sensor. It also comes with a 50-megapixel Portrait Telephoto camera with a Sony sensor.

With that in mind, we used the HONOR 200 Pro to spectacularly capture our trip in Taiwan.

I get mystified by how this city screams your name

The HONOR 200 Pro takes vibrant shots. That was the first thing I said upon seeing the photos on my laptop. It looks even more colorful at its 1.5K quad-curved floating OLED display.

It was also able to give off dramatic shots, once you found a perspective that uses natural light. Whether on auto or ultra-wide angle, the HONOR 200 Pro knows how to set the mood even with a vivid profile.

The city looked and felt alive, even when enveloped by a gloomy sky. Colors continuously pop, giving justice to the Pride-themed pedestrian walkway in Ximending.

Alleys, streets, and even the platforms inside the train stations looked lively. Normally, you’d use a smartphone’s Pro Mode to capture a subject with moving background.

The HONOR 200 Pro captured the moving vehicles — both cars and train — while focused on a subject splendidly, even on an ultra wide angle mode.

I’m not one to complicate the process of taking photographs, especially when traveling. My number one rule is if it looks good in its default/auto setting, it’s a fantastic camera for the average consumers.

Let’s be frank here: People like to do point-and-shoot when traveling. Complicating the process means taking away the beauty of the present. A smartphone must have capable cameras to snap on the go, and make every sight worth capturing when passing by.

The HONOR 200 Pro, somehow, delivers. Especially in helping me relive my memories vividly in Da’an and Nangang District.

A food to remember

Taiwan is home to clean, good food. I swear, my gut has always been feeling great every time I visit the country. That said, one of the highlights of any trip will always be the food you order and eat. It’s a showcase of what the place offers.

Even with rich-colored photos, I had trouble with the sharpness for all the food shots we took. They come off soft, with less contrast, albeit still mouthwatering to look at. I have to believe it’s because the smartphone’s cameras were built for taking portraits.

This is why the cup of coffee from Logos looked like it was taken out of a mirrorless camera. The f/1.9 aperture gave a beautiful depth of field that was usually present in flagship smartphones.

Take note: We didn’t even use Portrait mode for it. The bokeh is just so good.

I picked the petals, he loves me not~

Interestingly, since the HONOR 200 Pro is equipped with the HONOR AI Portrait Engine, it’s excellent in isolating its background to provide a rich depth and blur, without compromising the picture quality.

Even on places with busy backgrounds such as trains and platforms, it produces a balanced photo that manages exposure in bright areas, while preserving details in the darker parts.

Houtong Cat Village

On a rainy day, I took the train going to Houtong Cat Village, a mountainside village located in Ruifang District in New Taipei City. The place is known for, well, cats.

Every cat cafe comes with their own cats that you can play around as you dine and caffeinate. That said, most cafes are dimly lit.

The HONOR 200 Pro managed to take somewhat sharp yet vividly bright photos. When the photos were posted on Instagram Stories, it still piqued curiosity for folks planning their visit in Taiwan.

The Old Street

When in Houtong, find your way to Jiufen Old Street which is roughly 20 minutes away from the Cat Village via Train and Bus.

We didn’t halt our visit even when it was raining hard. Instead, the atmosphere gave off dramatic vibes captured vividly using the HONOR 200 Pro.

Most alleys were empty, since people hate getting soaked in the rain and getting their shoes wet. We took the opportunity to capture the lively streets and establishments.

The popular spot known for the Spirited Away vibe still looked fantastic even when fog was enveloping the place. It was the only challenge when shooting during a foggy and rainy atmosphere since the exposure gets tricky. Nevertheless, the HONOR 200 Pro still managed to give a picturesque shot.

Eventually, we sought solace at SIIDCHA Teahouse, a modern-esque teahouse with rooftop view of Jiufen. Since there were no overlooking views to watch, we sat around and dried ourselves after being drenched in the rain.

We enjoyed a good cup of coffee and a slice of cupcake, since we’re coffee-holics.

Leaving Jiufen, we were able to catch a glimpse of the fog enveloping the street. We were hauntingly stunned by the scene unraveling before us.

The night is still young

Going back to Taipei, the city is most alive at night. The lights give life and love to the mesmerizing streets filled with stories of people frolicking and passing through.

So long, Taiwan. I’m glad that your beauty and the experience was captured fondly using the HONOR 200 Pro. Even for a Portrait-focused smartphone, the HONOR 200 Pro proved to be a worthy travel companion.

HONOR 200 Pro

That said, the HONOR 200 Pro was able to give us a spectacular performance while out on a trip. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, supported by a 12GB RAM with 512GB of storage.

Not once did it lag, and we got to capture our favorite moments through photos and videos. It also lasted a while, thanks to its 5200mAh Silicon-carbon battery.


The HONOR 200 Pro comes in Ocean Cyan, Moonlight White, and Black. It retails for £ 699.99 via HONOR.com/uk.

Hands-On

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Series Hands-on

And everything announced during Apple’s September 2026 Event

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The latest Apple event isn’t just about the shiny new Apple Duo. There’s a lot to talk about!

In this video, we break down everything Apple has announced during their September 2026 keynote.

First, there’s the updated iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. That’s alongside their design and color changes, battery and performance improvements. Even that massive camera upgrade.

There’s even the ANC-infused AirPods 5 alongside the newer Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. Plus, the latest software updates coming to both these wearables.

So, are these worth the upgrade?

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Accessories

OBSBOT Meet Flip Hands-on

It’s tinier and folds this time

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Phones flip and fold. Now webcams do too.

Foldable screens have found their way into phones, tablets, and laptops in recent years. Now, OBSBOT is taking that idea in a considerably smaller direction: the webcam.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is the company’s first foldable 4K webcam packing:

  • 1/2-inch stacked CMOS sensor
  • intelligent audio
  • a collection of AI-powered meeting tools

All of these inside a body weighing just 37.7 grams.

A fold that does something, not just a gimmick

The OBSBOT Meet Flip isn’t foldable just to make it easier to throw into a bag.

Closing the webcam physically blocks the lens and puts the device into sleep mode. Open it when you want to be seen, flip it shut when you don’t.

A physical privacy cover isn’t novel in itself. What’s clever here is how it’s part of the folding design.

As someone with a love-hate relationship with data privacy, I almost always keep some physical barrier over my laptop webcam. And if I can avoid having a webcam there entirely, even better.

Serious camera hardware in a pocket-sized webcam

Despite its size, OBSBOT hasn’t treated the Meet Flip like a basic laptop-camera replacement.

Inside is a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology, capable of recording 4K UHD at 30 fps or 1080p at 60 fps. It also packs an f/1.8 aperture, HDR, PDAF autofocus, ISO 100–6400, and up to 4x digital zoom.

At its core is a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology.

It can record:

  • 4K UHD at 30fps
  • 1080p at 60fps

You also get:

  • f/1.8 aperture
  • HDR
  • PDAF autofocus
  • ISO 100–6400
  • up to 4x digital zoom

On paper, that gives the Meet Flip a better shot at handling the situations built-in laptop webcams often struggle with: dim rooms, harsh backlighting, changing lighting conditions, or simply moving around in front of the camera.

HDR helps keep faces visible against bright backgrounds, while PDAF autofocus continuously adjusts focus as you move closer to or farther from the lens.

The wider f/1.8 aperture should also help in less-than-ideal lighting.

The point is that once the Meet Flip is set up, you shouldn’t have to spend much time thinking about the camera itself.

It listens differently depending on the room setup

The Meet Flip also uses an intelligent dual-microphone system combining omnidirectional and directional microphones.

Instead of relying on one pickup pattern for every situation, it offers four audio modes for different setups:

Directional Mode focuses on sound coming from the front, making it the obvious choice for solo calls.

Dual-Directional Mode listens to both the front and rear of the webcam, which could be useful for interviews or conversations between two people sitting across from each other.

Conference Meeting

Smart Omni Mode is designed for group meetings, picking up voices from around the room.

And Pure Audio Mode provides unprocessed left and right stereo channels for users who would rather handle the audio themselves in post-production.

Auto Gain and AI Noise Reduction also work across the first three modes, helping clean up audio without requiring much manual adjustment.

It gives the Meet Flip more flexibility than a typical webcam microphone, especially if you regularly switch between solo calls, interviews, and group meetings.

AI that doesn’t intrude

AI has become an almost obligatory addition to new hardware in 2026, but several of the Meet Flip’s features put it to work on real-world meeting annoyances.

AI Auto Framing keeps you in frame, with options for:

  • Group
  • Single Close-up
  • Upper Body
  • Full Body

Gesture controls can also toggle Auto Framing or adjust the zoom without reaching for a keyboard or mouse.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

More interesting is AI Magic Notes.

Through OBSBOT Center, it provides real-time transcription and can automatically generate meeting summaries with key points, decisions, and action items. It works across Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

Although AI Magic Notes is offered as a subscription service, every Meet Flip includes 120 complimentary minutes to get started.

MORE with OBSBOT Center & OBSBOT Live

There are plenty of other software features as well. OBSBOT Center includes:

  • Background Blur and Background Replacement
  • Real-Time Beauty Mode
  • Picture-in-Picture overlays
  • Smart Eye Tracking
  • Teleprompter support
  • Detailed image adjustments

The Meet Flip isn’t limited to laptops or desktops either. Through OBSBOT Live, it can connect directly to smartphones and tablets over USB-C for mobile streaming and content creation.

Flip it open. Fold it away.

None of those features reinvent the webcam on their own.

Taken together, though, they make the Meet Flip a more thoughtful take on a piece of hardware whose basic design and features have barely changed.

The flip may grab your attention first, but it’s how OBSBOT uses that design alongside its camera, audio, and software features that makes the Meet Flip interesting.

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is now available at US$ 119 and is currently available through OBSBOT’s official store, Amazon US, and select retailers.

&

@gadgetmatchPhones flip. Now webcams do too. 👀 Meet the OBSBOT Meet Flip, a tiny foldable 4K webcam with a lot packed inside. ✨

♬ original sound – GadgetMatch

If you buy one, here’s what you’ll get out of the box!

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DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.

The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.

Freedom behind the lens

The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.

On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.

FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.

ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.

It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.

None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.

And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.

The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.

The trade-offs in touch

The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.

DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.

You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.

Finding your ideal workflow

The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.

Price, availability

DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.

  • Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
  • Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
  • Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.

Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.

If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.

Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.

Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.

And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.

Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.

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