Life has a habit of throwing you into challenges you never trained for.

Smartphones should do the same. They should keep up and evolve with you, and sometimes surprise you with strength you did not expect.

I have used devices that moved backward when the world kept sprinting ahead, so I felt nervous when I first saw the OPPO Find X9.

I judged it instantly. The same distrust you give a contestant who looks too smug before a grueling Physical: Asia round. I thought I knew how the story would end, but I was wrong.

For more than a month, I carried the Find X9 like a teammate who reluctantly joined my squad. It traveled with me to Shenzhen, powered through my errands and deadlines, and survived my messy blend of workouts, airport transitions, and late‑night scrolls.

Halfway through, I realized that the OPPO Find X9 was not the timid underdog I imagined. It felt like watching a contestant who starts slow, then suddenly reveals a strength that makes you want to cheer.

Settling into its role like a seasoned contender

The Find X9 is OPPO’s premium flagship and it carries itself like someone who trains in silence and performs only when it matters.

It keeps the familiar slate form of its predecessors, although the camera bump shifts back to a square layout that aligns with the rest of OPPO’s lineup. It feels like the brand wants its roster to share a common uniform, the way Physical: Asia teams arrive coordinated and ready for the cameras.

The boxy silhouette I loved from the Find X8 returns. It feels more refined and softened enough to sit comfortably in the hand.

It reminds me of my boxy iPhone 16 Pro, although the Find X9 is thinner and lighter. That difference becomes a blessing once you carry it through an entire day.

I even found myself playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Magic Chess: Go Go longer than I planned. I tapped the screen with the intensity of an elimination round and only noticed the fatigue half an hour later.

Now Playing: Netflix’s Physical: Asia

This is where the Find X9 became my sanctuary. The year‑end grind pushed me from plane to cab to hotel and kept me drifting between destinations like I was competing in my own endurance course.

I barely stayed home, so I clung to the glowing screen whenever I needed a break. The 6.59‑inch AMOLED display feels familiar, although the ultra‑thin bezels create a stage that looks wider and more immersive.

It made watching Netflix’s Physical: Asia feel larger than life. I watched Orkhonbayar Bayarsaikhan rally Team Mongolia with a conviction that made me forget where I was.

The crisp visuals pulled me into every challenge and moment of grit. Soon enough, my TikTok algorithm surrendered and fed me everything related to Team Mongolia, especially Orkhonbayar, who looks like a polar bear who can protect you while still being soft enough to lean on.

The only moment the illusion cracked was when the audio tried to catch up. The Dual Dolby Atmos speakers were loud, although they lacked the fullness I wanted. It felt like watching a high‑stakes challenge with a crowd that forgot to cheer.

Thankfully, I always had earbuds with me, so the storyline continued uninterrupted.

Knows when to push or hold back

Flagships do not get second chances. They need to perform on command the way Physical: Asia contestants must explode into action the moment a round begins.

The Find X9 understood this assignment. It runs on MediaTek’s 3nm Dimensity 9500 chipset, which feels like a regular Reno 14 that trained for months with the best coaches and came back transformed.

It handled multitasking, gaming, creative work, and frantic app switching with the focus of an athlete who knows exactly when to conserve energy and when to unleash power.

The 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB storage, combined with another 12GB of RAM expansion, give the phone an almost excessive strength that reminds me of challenges where every team sends its strongest member.

It mirrored my facet as an athlete. It’s capable, balanced, and ready for anything–just like yours truly.

Stamina that goes the distance

The smoothness from the Find X8 carried over beautifully. Nothing shocked me in terms of performance, which is exactly the point.

Flagships should feel consistent and quietly powerful, like contestants who never brag yet always outlast everyone.

The battery felt like the unexpected plot twist. During my trip to Shenzhen, the 7025mAh battery lasted two full days.

I used mobile data, scrolled endlessly, took photos, and filmed videos. I am so used to charging my phones every night while I shower that I instinctively reached for a charger and realized I did not need one.

The Find X9 kept going like I was watching a contestant breeze through a challenge you expected them to struggle with.

It didn’t ask for a break. It simply kept up and stayed with me through everything I wanted to do.

Support team that moves with you

After living with the OPPO Find X9, everything moved with a sense of intention, as if the system knows when to sprint and when to conserve energy.

Animations feel fluid and continuous, and scrolling feels lighter. App launches feel quicker without drawing attention to themselves.

This smoothness comes from OPPO’s new Luminous Rendering Engine, which renders visual elements in parallel so nothing stutters or breaks the flow. It feels like watching a well‑trained team move in sync.

Alongside it, the Trinity Engine manages resources intelligently, keeping the phone responsive even under pressure while controlling heat and power use.

The interface itself feels refreshed and calmer, and customization finally feels playful again. I could set Motion Photos or videos as wallpapers, explore more font options, and even let AI suggest text styles that matched my overall theme.

The Flux Home Screen became a small joy. App folders could be resized into different shapes and the surrounding icons adjusted dynamically, making the layout feel alive rather than rigid.

The Always‑On Display also stepped up with full‑screen support, more widgets, and style options that felt personal instead of ornamental.

Also, OPPO’s growing AI ecosystem, including AI Mind Space, AI Mind Assistant, and Smart Collections, helped organize content quietly in the background.

Screenshots and notes felt easier to find, and suggestions appeared when they actually made sense. Integration with Google’s Gemini through Gemini Live added another layer of intelligence, allowing real‑time interactions that felt natural instead of forced.

What sealed the experience for a flagship device was its cross‑device connectivity. Features like Phone Connect and PC Connect let me share files and mirror my screen across phones, iPhones, Macs, and Windows PCs.

A steady hand when the stakes are high

The Find X9’s camera feels like the teammate who understands the game. It knows when to push and when to let the moment breathe.

I noticed it first when taking portraits, especially in low light. The AI Portrait Glow steps in gently, balancing lighting and skin tones without flattening texture. Faces looked natural and skin tones stayed true, which felt flattering without feeling edited.

Beyond portraits, the suite of AI photo tools is best used when traveling. AI Eraser helped clean up distractions that would have ruined an otherwise great frame.

In busy streets or low‑light environments, AI Unblur helped rescue shots taken in motion. AI Reflection Remover did exactly what it promised, saving photos taken through glass without leaving obvious traces behind.

But what I appreciated most was how easy it was to trust the camera. I didn’t need to overthink angles or second‑guess results.

I lifted the phone, framed the shot, and let the Find X9 do the rest. It’s the best point‑and‑shoot smartphone camera for casual users or anyone learning the ropes of photography. It’s smart enough to call itself a smartphone.

Here are sample photos I’ve taken:

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Battery life that lasts through two full days of heavy use
• Flagship‑level performance that handles multitasking with ease
• Immersive, vibrant display perfect for streaming or gaming
• Intelligent, user‑friendly AI camera features
• Smooth, refined ColorOS 16 experience
• Customization tools that feel personal, not gimmicky
• Seamless cross‑device connectivity

Cons

• Speakers are loud but lack premium depth
• Performance might feel overkill for light users

Is the OPPO Find X9 your GadgetMatch?

The OPPO Find X9 is like that teammate who shows up consistently and performs under pressure.

Its performance is nothing short of flagship‑level, and it’s ready to handle anything you throw at it. It’s not perfect. No other smartphone is. But the minor flaws do not outweigh its endurance, consistency, design, and flagship performance.

Some may hesitate and consider it a Swipe Left. But for anyone who wants a smartphone that keeps pace with your life, performs without complaint, and quietly gets the job done, this is a Swipe Right.

And for us, it’s definitely a Super Swipe. The Find X9 earns the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval because it does more than look good and deliver excellent captures.

It’s one of the best flagship smartphones around that you won’t second‑guess buying at its price.

The OPPO Find X9 retails for PhP 69,999 for the 16GB + 512GB variant. It’s available nationwide through OPPO’s official stores, its official Shopee store, and partner channels.

To find your GadgetMatch you first need to think about your needs.

As a frequent traveler, Michael Josh’s GadgetMatch is a phone that he can take with him on ALL his trips.

Insert the latest and greatest OPPO Find X9 Pro.

On a recent trip to Mexico, he took thousands of photos and tested it out.

The HONOR Magic8 Pro, HONOR’s latest flagship smartphone, has been officially launched Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Customers can place preorders starting December 11 across UAE via the HONOR Online Store, Sharaf DG, Emax, Ecity, Jumbo, Virgin Megastore, Amazon, Carrefour, e&, Eros, Noon, and Lulu.

The pricing are as follows:

• 12GB+512GB (Sunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, Black): AED 3,999
• 16GB+1TB (Sunrise Gold, Black): AED 4,699

Those who preorder will get the following as part of a preorder gift package worth AED 2,299:

• HONOR VIP Care+ with 12-month damage protection
• 3-month Google AI Pro trial
• HONOR Watch5 Ultra

HONOR Magic8 Pro: AI imaging, mobile intelligence, creator-focused tech

The introduction of the HONOR Magic8 Pro reinforces the company’s leadership in AI Imaging, mobile intelligence, and creator-focused technology.

The phone boasts of groundbreaking on-device AI innovations, including Low-bit Quantization Technology for AI Models and Next-Generation Hybrid Retrieval Technology.

Powering the Pro model is the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform. It is the first phone in UAE to have the processor.

HONOR’s agentic AI capabilities and Qualcomm’s mobile platforms make it possible for the device to be more efficient and packed with computing power.

The phone also comes with a 7100mAh Silicon-carbon battery. More advanced features include the AI Button, AI Search, and AI Documents, all designed to enhance productivity and support AI-driven workflows.

For its camera package, the HONOR Magic8 Pro has a 200MP AI Ultra Night Telephoto camera and an upgraded AI Ultra Night Portrait mode.

The device also introduces AI Magic Color and a new AI Editor, enabling refined color optimization and on-device creative adjustments.

For more of the innovations on the HONOR Magic8 Pro, read: HONOR reveals 1st images of Magic8 Pro, introduces new AI technologies