Features

Huawei Mate 30 Pro vs iPhone 11 Pro Max: Which flagship is your GadgetMatch?

Battle of two of the best smartphones on the market

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Announced just a day apart, the Mate 30 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max are two of the best smartphones on the market today. They are the newest and best that Huawei and Apple have on offer. Not only do they offer the most advanced and optimized chipsets right now, they also offer a lot of new features.

Let’s see how they fare when compared side by side.

Display and design

Both the Mate 30 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max have gigantic displays at 6.53” and 6.5” respectively. The Mate 30 Pro’s Horizon Display is gorgeous, with the edges tapering that you don’t see the small side bezels when using the phone. The iPhone 11 Pro’s Super Retina XDR OLED Display is flat, with proportional bezels all around.

The Mate 30 Pro’s curved OLED display is not just for aesthetics, however. Having the display taper on the sides allow for side-touch interaction, so you can adjust the volume without having physical buttons. This can also be used as controls in certain games, such as aiming and shooting at the enemy.

They both have big notches that house not only the selfie camera but a variety of sensors for fast and secure face unlock as well. The Mate 30 Pro’s notch also allows for air gestures, so you can navigate your phone without touching the screen. This also allows for a Dual Biometric Authentication. Aside from face unlock, you also get a fast in-display fingerprint scanner as a biometrics option.

Flipping the phones around will show two completely different designs and finishes: Huawei has a glossy glass back, while Apple switched to a matte finish. The Mate 30 Pro also features a round camera module centered at the top of the phone. They’re calling this the Halo design and it gives the Mate 30 Pro a unique look. The iPhone, meanwhile, has a square module on the upper left corner of the phone.

Both Huawei and Apple make their own chipsets and both the Mate 30 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max get the latest and best they have to offer: Kirin 990 and A13 Bionic respectively.

The Mate 30 Pro offers bigger memory at 8GB, while the iPhone only has 4GB. The Huawei flagship also has expandable storage through a nano memory card, if the 128GB or the 256GB options are not enough. With the iPhone 11 Pro Max, you get either a non-expandable 64GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage.

User Interface 

Both Huawei’s EMUI 10 and Apple’s iOS 13 are fast. They both have dark mode, and a wide variety of new features.

On the Mate 30 Pro you can activate the Always On Display, so you don’t have to turn the display on when you want to check the time or certain notifications. 

Multiscreen collaboration is another useful feature on EMUI 10. If you own both a Mate 30 Pro and a MateBook X Pro for example, you can mirror your phone’s screen on the laptop and control the apps from there. You can drag and drop files easily and send and receive texts from your laptop as well. Using Huawei Share OneHop, you can transfer images, videos, and documents wirelessly as well. OneHop Screen Recording allows you to record the screen of your laptop by simply shaking your phone. OneHop Clipboard Sharing, you can copy any text on your phone and paste it on your laptop, and vice versa.

With the iPhone 11 Pro Max you can also do a similar integration with any Apple laptop as most things are synced. You can transfer files via AirDrop, send and receive messages and calls on your laptop, and with Universal Clipboard you can copy and paste text from your phone to your laptop, and vice versa. 

Battery life and charging

Huawei flagships have always been known to have long lasting batteries and the same can be said about the Huawei Mate 30 Pro. With its massive 4500 mAh battery, the phone can last a day and a half of heavy use, or two days with moderate use. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a smaller 3969 mAh battery, which lasts about a day of heavy use. 

When it comes to charging, the Mate 30 Pro is capable of Dual SuperCharge. It comes bundled with a super fast 40W charger that can get you to 100% full charge in a just a little over an hour via its USB-C port. A 15-minute top-up charges the phone to up to 40%. It’s also compatible with Huawei’s new 27W Wireless SuperCharge Go, which can charge the phone faster than most wired chargers available today.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 Pro comes bundled with an 18W fast charger. Plugging the phone for 15 minutes will render over 25% charge, while a full charge takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Cameras

Most smartphones nowadays can already take amazing photos comparable to those taken with a professional camera. Both the Mate 30 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max have reliable and versatile cameras that you can depend on.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max has three 12MP rear cameras: wide angle lens, 2x telephoto lens, and an ultra-wide angle lens. It also supports 4K video up to 60 fps and 1080p slow motion at up to 240 fps.

The Mate 30 Pro has four: a 40MP wide angle lens, 8MP 3x telephoto zoom, 40MP ultra-wide Cine Camera, and a 3D Time-of-Flight camera for depth sensing and low light images. This combination takes amazing photos, that DxOMark gave the Mate 30 Pro an impressive score of 131 points, making it the best smartphone camera for stills. The 40MP Cine Camera supports ultra low light video of ISO 51200, comparable to cameras used by professionals. It’s also able to take ultra slow motion video of up to 7680 fps which can capture bursting bubbles previously only possible with professional cameras.

During the day both phones take great photos, but sometimes differ in processing depending on the lighting condition. Food looks more appetizing on the iPhone, while backlit photos are handled better by the Mate 30 Pro.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max takes ultra-wide angle photos at a 4:3 aspect ratio, while the Mate 30 Pro captures them at 3:2.

At the front the iPhone sports a 12MP selfie camera, while the Mate 30 Pro sports a 32MP selfie camera. Selfies on the Mate 30 Pro have a slightly wider field of view, while the iPhone selfies are little bit tighter. Using the front facing 3D Depth Sensing Camera, it can capture a more accurate depth of field information when taking selfies as well.

Blue hour photos taken with both night mode turned on

When it comes to taking photos in the dark, while both the Mate 30 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have night mode, they can hold their own even on auto mode. On the Mate 30 Pro you can switch to night mode manually if you want to, while on the iPhone the phone will have to detect it automatically. The Mate 30 Pro takes more vibrant photos at night and it also produced less noise compared to the iPhone. The Mate 30 Pro’s large sensor and RYYB color filter array allows it to let in more light making it the best smartphone for taking low light photos. 

At the end of the day, which phone takes better photos will depend on your preference. One will have an advantage over the other in different scenarios. 

The iPhone 11 Pro Max is a good choice especially if you already have other Apple products to compliment it with.  The Huawei Mate 30 Pro offers versatility and solid features all around. Its battery life is unparalleled and doesn’t make you waste precious hours just to get it all juiced up. Its camera also takes consistently amazing photos regardless of the amount of light source available. With all the camera features available on the phone, you can even get creative and capture images you’ve never been able to before.

Whichever phone you choose, whether it’s for camera, battery life, price, or other features, the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the Huawei Mate 30 Pro are phones you can depend on that you will be plenty happy with.


This feature was produced in collaboration between GadgetMatch and Huawei Philippines.

Apps

Are Roblox, MLBB, Call of Duty, Genshin Impact on AppGallery?

Huawei’s App Library gets deeper

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Is it on Huawei AppGallery

This is the question we get asked most when people are curious about a Huawei smartphone. 

It’s no secret to anyone the challenges that Huawei faces.  But they’ve done a wonderful job beefing up their own library of apps. The essentials are there. And now, we’re happy to report that they also added these apps for your mobile gaming pleasure. 

These are: Roblox, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Genshin Impact. 

Here’s how easy it is to download these apps through the Huawei AppGallery.

WATCH HOW TO DOWNLOAD HERE.

Roblox

Roblox describes itself as “the ultimate virtual universe that lets you create, share experiences with friends”. 

It appears to be very popular with kids. And some K-Pop groups have even launched partnerships with the game during their mini album releases.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang 

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang or simply Mobile Legends is a game many of you should be familiar with, especially if you live in Southeast Asia. 

It’s become the de facto MOBA game for many in the region. So much so that huge tournaments have been held over the past few years.

Call of Duty: Mobile

Call of Duty is already a popular franchise on its own. It also found huge success in Asia with its mobile version. 

Call of Duty is no stranger to seasonal content as even their flagship titles operate in the same manner year after year. This is likely why players keep coming back. 

Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact took the world by storm when it first launched in 2020. The anime-like art style along with the engaging gameplay and story made it a huge hit. 

HoYoverse continues to provide fresh content to this day, expanding the already vast world in the game. 

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Automotive

Why the next-gen Ford Ranger is a Spartan-approved vehicle

Packed with creature comforts that make driving and being a Spartan easier!

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Ford Ranger

A few years ago, I was only dreaming of becoming a Spartan. I took a leap of faith by taking on a Spartan Race back in 2022 in the midst of a hurricane, running through a 10-kilometer muddy trail.

In case you didn’t know, Spartan Race is the world’s premier obstacle course race hosted across the globe. It tests the limits and grit of an athlete, transforming anyone to be their strongest and most unbreakable self.

Three races in and I’ve clocked a total of 36 kilometers, ending the year as a full-fledged Spartan. A 10-kilometer muddy trail in Vermosa; a 5-kilometer trail run inside Timberland Heights; and a 21-kilometer mixed trail in Alviera.

As the 2023 season begins, I was dead-set on taking my first Age Group (competitive) category and a back-to-back race on the same day. All my gears were Spartan-ready, and all that was left was a vehicle appropriate for a Spartan.

Spartan-grade vehicle

In my quest to prepare for my most enduring race yet, Ford lent me the Next-Gen Ford Ranger. The Next-Gen Ford Ranger arrived in a Blue Lightning colorway, emanating strength and speed. It was instantly a head-turner, catching the attention of other commuters and passersby.

Ford Ranger

Everything about the Ranger screams Spartan. The vehicle exudes the same ethos we live for. It’s battle-ready, extremely durable, and insanely powerful.

Previous races L-R: Vermosa 10K Trail (September 2022), Timberland 5K Sprint (November 2022), Alviera 21K Trail (December 2022)

Not to mention, it has striking looks — which I always exude whenever I take on a race. How can you get noticed by event photographers if you won’t play with colors, right?

It looked strong and it made us feel powerful. “Us” as a collective because the emotional state doesn’t just pulsate with the driver, but also with its passengers. One weekend with the Ranger and we felt like warriors. Ready to take on any challenges that we can conquer.

Made for Spartans

Just because I’m a Spartan doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the creature comforts the Next-Gen Ford Ranger brings. In fact, I am trained to be uncomfortable but the vehicle’s features allow me to pursue the Spartan lifestyle.

Call it a paradox but we take the convenience of having a comfortable ride and/or drive so we can train our minds and bodies to be familiar with pain and discomfort. As a modern-day Spartan, life isn’t all about battles and preparing for war under the heat of the sun.

We wage our fights through our day jobs, balancing our personal lives, while also developing our bodies to be ready for sports.

Having a tech-infused vehicle enables me to freely pursue the life of a Spartan. If you’re familiar with Ford’s driving experience, which we have mentioned several times here in GadgetMatch, it’s always buttery-smooth.

Ford Ranger

Even with a humongous body, I can maneuver the steering wheels easily. As someone who drives small cars, I felt the heft and the pain of driving a bigger automobile. But the features packed inside the vehicle made driving smoother — both for rookies and seasoned drivers.

When a smartphone and a vehicle match!

With every technology update to Ford’s lineup of automobiles, it’s becoming more of a tech machine each year. The Next-Gen Ford Ranger is no exception with the ability to use FordPass Connect. If you’ve been living under a rock, FordPass is Ford’s newest technology utilizing remote control functions for the vehicle through an app.

When I was in a hurry and I couldn’t locate my keys, I used the FordPass app on my iPhone to remotely unlock the Ford Ranger. Through the app, I was able to remotely start the vehicle so I can turn on the air conditioner even before I step in. I was also able to stop the engine, lock the car, and check the fuel level — all in one space.

What I like the most is the vehicle locator feature, which allows me to find the Ford Ranger in crowded parking areas. Thankfully, I didn’t have to use the feature when the Ranger was parked in Vermosa’s gravel lot since I was the only one with a vehicle in a striking blue colorway.

Ford Ranger

Aside from FordPass, the accessibility and ease of use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allowed everyone to connect with the vehicle to help in navigation and music playback. We sang “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus while on our way to Alabang so we can hopefully shake our pre-race jitters.

I personally love the bigger, best-in-class 12-inch portrait touchscreen that allows me to see an overview of the map, adjust music playback, and even have a space for responding to calls and messages.

The perfect companion for an endurance race

For a pick-up truck, the Ranger offers extremely comfortable space for its passengers. We picked up Alison — my friend, a teacher, and an elite athlete — partaking in the first race of the weekend. Alison competed with elite and national athletes, hopefully qualifying for the national team.

Ford Ranger

Alison, together with other competitive athletes, gleefully took some rest in the back seat while in transit. They loved the leg space and the coziness the couches offered. The same experience goes for the front passenger seat, which I took as I was playing with the car’s features while my friend Betty took on the wheels.

When female Spartans are lovin’ it

Ford Ranger

Perhaps, the people who enjoyed the Ranger the most are Spartan women that I befriended after my first race. Jomi and Betty, competitive athletes who are consistently part of the Top 10 of their respective age groups, took over the wheel while I was exploring the Ranger’s features and technology.

Recently, I have learned that the Next-Gen Ford Ranger is officially the best 4×4 and pick-up according to the Women’s World Car of the Year judges. It won for a multitude of reasons; the same reasons that Jomi and Betty loved when they experienced driving the Ranger.

Ford Ranger

From excellent ride and handling, a suite of advanced driver-assist technologies and other safety features, an upgraded chassis and suspension, and the bold and confident look that resonates with strong, independent women. What more can they ask for?

Fostering a sense of community

Ford Ranger

What I love about the Next-Gen Ford Ranger is how it builds a sense of community, the same way a Spartan race brings people together. Parked in the gravels of Vermosa, the Ford Ranger became a holding area for my friends and teammates.

Ford Ranger

We used the cargo box to house our bags, equipment, and food. We were able to gather behind, passing jokes and drinks after an exhilarating day.

I used to do things alone and now, I’m surrounded by like-minded people — which was the best plot twist I’ve had so far. And even if it’s just for a weekend, I’m grateful that the Next-Gen Ford Ranger helped in making my first competitive and back-to-back race memorable.

Even with an aching body, the Ranger offered a smooth, safe, and reliable ride on our way home. It’s definitely a Spartan-grade vehicle, made for modern-day Spartans.


The Next-Gen Ford Ranger comes with a 5-year warranty. The longer warranty offering will cover the Next-Gen Ranger for up to 5 years or a total mileage of up to 150,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.

For more information, visit the Ford Ranger page on the website to reserve the next-gen Ranger through www.ford.com.ph or check your nearest Ford dealer.

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Features

Exploring wonders and falling in love with Barcelona

Spectacles of the cosmopolitan capital through the lens of the OPPO Find N2 Flip

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Barcelona was never quite the city I wanted to fall in love with. But that’s the beauty of love, isn’t it? We don’t get to decide whom we fall for.

With its quaint abodes, cobblestone streets, fine architecture, evergreen trees, and naked branches — the sights are perpetually picturesque.

Everywhere you look is a marvel; buildings glimmering from the sun’s glow. But there’s something about its nook and cranny that are filled with love and charm, and it only shows up when you take the time to get to know the city.

In love with the streets of Eixample

Every street in Eixample brims with magic. It is, after all, one of the busiest districts in Barcelona known for its iconic grid pattern and octagonal blocks.

It’s dubbed as the trendiest neighborhood — home to streets of stylish boutiques and restaurants.

It’s impossible not to feel wonderstruck when you wander, most especially when you cross its main thoroughfare, Passeig de Gracia, and my favorite street: Rambla Catalunya.

Sunny days around Fira Gran Via

Every year, technology journalists from around the world convene in Barcelona to cover the annual Mobile World Congress.

This year, I was able to join other delegates from the Philippine press. The annual technology conference was set at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, a contemporary exhibition and trade center.

The majority of our days were spent in and out of this area, and I was lucky to experience sunny days around Fira Gran Via even in the middle of winter.

The sheer cold was balanced by the heat of the sun’s rays, allowing me to admire the district amidst the busy crowd.

A blend of architecture across Barcelona

Barcelona is home to towering pieces of architecture — contemporary, art nouveau, and historic landmarks blending in the beauty of the city.

These pieces of architecture stand the test of time; a wish we all make for the connections that we have in our lives.

In most explorations, I accompanied my friend Nathan as we dilly-dally around Barcelona, hoping to stumble upon undiscovered gems.

Unexpected beauty of Plaça Reial

Going past Mercado de La Boqueria, we found ourselves wandering La Rambla to get to the Gothic Quarter — the historic center of the old city of Barcelona — until we discovered Plaça Reial.

Believe me, I was only looking for a beautiful cafe so we can sit and sip some good coffee when we came across this paved square with towering palm trees.

I was astounded by its lampposts designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, the man behind historical landmarks such as Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, and Casa Milà.

Plaça Reial, in a way, reminded me of how love works. It catches you when you least expect it. A risk and a gamble. What’s waiting for you can end up being the best decision you ever make.

Now, it’s my favorite spot in the city of Barcelona, so far.

Midnights became my afternoon

With my companions, the city was alive and well by midnight.

I’m still reeling from the number of dinners I attended, filled with stories and new memories to bring home.

The highlight would probably be the old and new faces I met, and the shrieks of laughter passed in between.

Overlooking, overview

I’ve had plenty of opportunities to stand in good spots, overlooking Barcelona from different destinations.

While I find myself in awe, I still took the time to be grateful for the beauty that unfolds in front of me.

Gratefully, I had the OPPO Find N2 Flip to capture the spectacles of Barcelona. It’s a city I didn’t expect to fall in love with. And a place I’d be glad to come back to in the future. Hopefully, with someone to hold hands with in the middle of winter.


All photos were taken using the OPPO Find N2 Flip.

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