Infinix has launched its newest esports-level gaming smartphone: The Infinix GT 20 Pro. It is the official gaming phone of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Season 13, as well as the PUBG Mobile Super League (PMSL). It is also the brand’s first IRX-certified phone.

The latest device sets itself in its segment, being the only handset to have a dedicated gaming display chip for its price point. The Infinix GT 20 Pro is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate 4nm 5G processor, and a Pixelworks X5 Turbo Dedicated Gaming Display Chip. The latter offers users esports-level performance and a stunning visual experience. This chip can push frame rates from 60fps to 120fps.

With such exceptional performance and efficiency, the Infinix GT 20 Pro can handle popular titles, like MLBB, PUBG, Call of Duty, Genshin Impact, and Honkai: Star Rail. Notably, it can upscale Genshin Impact refresh rates to 120Hz through interpolation for super-smooth gameplay.

The handset also features a bezel-less 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz. The device houses a 5,000mAh battery with 45W of fast charging, while at the back is a 108MP OIS main camera. Sound coming from the device’s dual speakers, meanwhile, is refined by JBL.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro has configurations of up to 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. Pricing and availability details for the Philippine market will be announced later.

Perform like a gaming beast

The Infinix GT 20 Pro’s gaming performance is further supported by its Stable Frame-rate Engine that optimizes gameplay. This engine prioritizes gaming resources and balances temperature and power consumption. It also includes Xboost for sustained performance management. Furthermore, it employs vertical synchronization to prevent screen tearing.

Meanwhile, a meticulously engineered cooling system employs a 68% larger Phase Change Material (PCM) graphite sheet and a 73% larger VC Liquid Cooling system. These improvements lead to better cooling and heat dissipation efficiency. Additionally, more than 66% of the thermal paste is applied to the primary heat source area for targeted cooling.

Designed for gaming masters

The Infinix GT 20 Pro comes in a Cyber Mecha Design. This captures the Infinix GT spirit of metal, power, and speed. It has a unique Turbine Blade pattern in a finish that is distinctively machine-like.

Moreover, the phone sports a customizable Mecha Loop LED Interface where users can choose from eight color combinations and four lighting effects. The Infinix GT 20 Pro is available in Mecha Blue, Mecha Orange, and Mecha Silver color options.

Toward a holistic gaming universe

The Infinix GT 20 Pro’s release coincides with the introduction of the Infinix GT VERSE, the brand’s gaming ecosystem. Aside from the new phone, Infinix has announced the Infinix GTBOOK, the brand’s newest laptop created in partnership with Nvidia. This notebook features top-tier CPU and GPU technology, advanced cooling solutions, and a high refresh rate display.

The Huawei Pura 70 series is out in China. A reinvention of Huawei’s camera-toting lineup, the new smartphones are once again promising huge improvements to the world of phone photography. While the new series is still fresh out of the oven in China, we visited the country to get a quick peek at the Pura 70 Pro.

@gadgetmatch

Unboxing the HUAWEI Pura 70 Pro! HUAWEI

♬ original sound – GadgetMatch – GadgetMatch

A tactile sensation

The whole series comes in a variety of colors and textures. The Pura 70 Pro features a smooth matte texture available in purple, black, or white. Though it’s not the top of its series, it still exudes a premium elegance that feels good in your hand. We weren’t able to see it a lot, but the purple version is to die for.

The Pura 70 in pink!

We also saw the regular Pura 70. It comes with a glossier finish but sparkles in more unique colors like blue and rose red. It’s perfect for those looking to make a statement with their phones.

The Pura 70 Ultra in brown, mint green, and white

Finally, the Pura 70 Ultra features vegan leather and comes in black, white, brown, and mint green. Since the Ultra is at the head of the table, Huawei is pulling no stops at creating the most exclusive feel it can muster in a flagship.

A small reinvention of a classic

The Huawei P60 series still uses a traditional camera island on the upper-left corner. Now, that particular camera setup was impressive, but the layout never shone outside its confines. The Pura 70 series, however, comes with a slight-but-welcome change: a triangular camera setup.

Both the regular Pura 70 and the Pura 70+ feature a hidden-Mickey-like configuration of cameras. The island itself is triangular, rather than last year’s rectangular shape. It’s a unique design that definitely catches your eye right from the get-go. Though without the hidden Mickey, the Ultra version is just as unique.

A colleague also noticed that the island is large enough to rest securely on our index fingers. If you’re worried about pinky dents, the Pura 70 Pro provides some well-needed therapy.

A camera that performs magic

AI is lighting up our smartphone cameras. Practically every device now has AI in some form. While ubiquitous, the new technology can still wow us. Huawei’s AI is no different.

Demonstrating the phone to us, Huawei presented us with a rapidly spinning disk. We were then told to take shots of the disk under the camera’s Snapshot mode. Despite how fast the disk spun, the camera still took clear shots, defining what the naked eye couldn’t see: a surfer riding a wave.

This disc was spinning rapidly when I took it.

The transformation isn’t instant. But therein lies the magic. There are two seconds before the photo transforms from a blurry mess to a recognizable subject. The before-and-after metamorphosis looks amazing every time.

In all other situations, the camera performs remarkably well. If you want more of this impressive camera, check out our further adventures in China.

EMUI versus HarmonyOS

The Pura 70 series will have HarmonyOS out of the box in China. However, we received a few sample units with EMUI onboard. Because the unit isn’t exactly what users might get, we’ll hold off on an official software review.

Still, we have to give a shoutout to the lineup’s new interactive wallpapers. Now, interacting with a wallpaper isn’t new. But Huawei’s latest take uses your eyes, instead of tapping on the screen. One of the best examples of such a scene is a tennis match between two mascots. Every time your eyes land on the ball, a mascot hits it to the other side. It’s absolutely mesmerizing. Plus, if you’re in Challengers mood, you can imagine yourself as Zendaya pitting Art and Patrick against one another.

OnePlus has been fairly consistent when it comes to their positioning. Historically, the brand has offered flagship-level smartphones for a more affordable price point compared to its chief competitors. The OnePlus 11, for instance, did great overall, with just minimal misses here and there.

Now, the brand is back with the OnePlus 12R. It’s technically the “lite” or base model of the latest numbered series, but promises the same smooth, flagship-caliber experience. Users loyal to the OnePlus brand might think, is it time to upgrade? Conversely, is it worthy of a non-OnePlus regular’s consideration?

OnePlus 12R specs

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
• OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14
• 16GB RAM
• 256GB internal storage
• 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 94.2% screen-to-body ratio
• 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, up to 1000Hz touch response rate
• 5,500mAh battery
• 100W SUPERVOOC charge

Appearance, feel: Still needs improvements

It’s good that the OnePlus 12R’s volume keys are now on the right. It makes it easier to adjust the volume when held with just one hand.

The alert slider is on the left, and the selfie camera punch hole is in the middle. Other than that, there aren’t many changes. The rear cameras look exactly the same from the OnePlus 11 series.

I wish OnePlus solved the slippery problem too. Although the unit we reviewed had a matte black finish, it was still slippery to hold. I’m sure most users have this habit of putting their phones on their laps from time to time. I wouldn’t recommend doing that with this particular model.

It will fall 100% of the time. Furthermore, it doesn’t help that there is no case to at least reinforce the grip. I was extra cautious every time I held the phone, because it just didn’t give me that assurance I was looking for.

Display, audio: Immersive, punchy

Moving on, the device’s display is bright as it gets. You will see content with a more natural tone. Details are vivid and crisp, and are retained even in bright and dark spots. Even when you zoom in on a 2160p video being played, you are guaranteed clear and accurate images. Moreover, I didn’t experience any eye strain while doing a handful of stuff on the phone. That’s always a great sign, but is expected of more expensive phones nowadays.

On the audio side, the dual speakers provide you with an immersive feel. The sound comes out loud and punchy. They’re also placed appropriately. Even when you hold the phone horizontally for streaming or gaming, chances are you won’t block the speakers with your fingers.

Performance, browsing, gaming: Smooth AF

Performance wise, the OnePlus 12R is good as advertised. You will feel the smoothness right away when scrolling, switching between one app to the other, and more. This annoying thing that happens with Android phones lately where the keyboard just suddenly hangs on your screen didn’t occur once with the OnePlus 12R.

I also played Marvel Super War, easily one of the most demanding MOBA titles out there. The phone did not get hot even after a lengthy session at high graphics settings. That’s where the upgraded RAM capacity kicks in. But I feel it’s something the OnePlus 11 can also do, so it isn’t downright special.

I love the larger battery on the OnePlus 12R. It easily lasts a whole day on average usage. You’ll need just about 40 minutes to charge it from 15% back to full. When not in use, it will spend probably just 1% to 2% battery overnight on standby.

OnePlus 12R cameras: Hit and miss

• 50MP f/1.8 Sony IMX890 main camera
• 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
• 2MP macro camera
• 16MP selfie camera

Although OnePlus has a partnership with Hasselblad, the OnePlus 12R particularly uses a Sony IMX890 sensor for its main camera. It delivers fairly well for what is expected of a OnePlus camera. Color reproduction is very… well, OnePlus (you’ll understand if you’ve been using OnePlus devices in the past).

The tone is more on the redder, browner, and slightly more saturated side, which is ideal for food and landscapes. You’ll definitely capture the vibe of places and entice viewers with your food photos. This is without needing to post-process the color temperature or add filters.

The main camera does its job. It retains good detail even in captures against the light, thanks to its high dynamic range. It does well to fend off the sun’s rays or unwanted glares, and blend it with the photos you take.

You will get crisp and vivid photos by default, but detail loss will begin to be felt at 2x zoom and beyond. But it’s not like that’s super noticeable from your phone’s screen.

What I appreciate is the adjustable depth of field after portrait shots, for you to be able to match the background’s blur or bokeh effect properly with the subject. Speaking of, I underwent a trial and error phase under portrait mode. Some snaps came out out of focus, even if the indicator said “ready.”

But I reckon it’s not a perfect process, so I just adjusted on the fly. However, I did expect a lot more assistance from the camera especially since there’s some AI processing that comes with the algorithms. There were also times where the blurred effect at f/1.4 was too exaggerated, as if it’s cartoonized. On the positive side, there’s not much segmentation error and the transition from focused to blurred parts is generally smooth. But it would be tricky for users who aren’t too meticulous adjusting settings and would just rather point and shoot.

Other than that, I enjoyed shooting cityscapes and landscapes with the 8MP ultra-wide lens. There’s just a “correct” feel to it and it covers what you intended to do properly. The 2MP macro lens is extraneous at this point, since the main camera does pretty well for close ups of food and other subjects. I wouldn’t have hurt for OnePlus to include a periscope lens or an extra portrait sensor, considering its price point. As for filming, the camera package also has OIS and EIS support, and taking videos at 1080p @ 60fps had no hiccups on my end.

In front, the selfie camera delivers the same, “realistic” results as its predecessor. This may both be a good and bad thing for those who want smoother selfies instead of having their pores or eyebags come out too sharp. Personally, I prefer some smoothness with selfies, but a little retouching won’t hurt. You do you.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

As I’ve mentioned, OnePlus is consistent with how they approach the market. Loyal OnePlus user? You may feel this is an upgrade if you’ve been using a handset from two to three generations prior. Trying something new to break the iPhone-Galaxy S series duopoly? Go ahead, there’s no harm trying.

The OnePlus 12R is smooth, without a doubt, if that’s what you’re looking for. The camera package delivers the same signature performance expected of the brand. On paper, there are a lot of improvements. But is it worth it? It’s tough to say yes resoundingly.

If you happen to own a OnePlus 10 or 11, the differences in overall usage are minute. If you’re ready to spend PhP 40,000 or more, there are a lot of options that come with more cameras or put focus on gaming. Alternatively, if you want to save, there are also capable flagship killers in the market for a lot less. Moreover, other top brands’ flagships — base model or better — are selling for a lot less these days.

That makes the release of this particular variant from the series a little confusing or questionable at this point. Perhaps, it would have been better if OnePlus waited a bit more and dropped a banger of a latest flagship line with a lot more features and enhancements. I’m trying to make sense of it, but for now, it’s best to wait.

The OnePlus 12R retails for PhP 43,990 in the Philippines.

SHP: https://bit.ly/OnePlus-12R-Shopee
LAZ: https://bit.ly/Oneplus12R
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