After a month of use, the realme 15 Pro 5G’s final grade hinged on one question: Is it worth the asking price?

realme decided to axe the “Pro Plus” variant from its numbered series starting with the realme 15 lineup. The simpler batch is composed of the base, the Pro, and a 15T in between.

The move meant realme nudged the “Pro” variant into pseudo-premium territory. Although, marketing focused on its 7,000mAh battery for all-day battery, as well as its capable cameras.

After a month of use, I think the latest numbered series is a letdown compared to the ones that came before them (and impressed, at that).

Camera performance: Stills

In spite of what it buoys as a triple 50MP branding, the glaring missing piece with the realme 15 Pro is the telephoto camera.

The 50MP main camera can only support up to 2X optical zoom without a dedicated telephoto lens.

Meanwhile, the 50MP ultra-wide shooter does improve the quality of 0.6X captures, and in some captures, they’re noticeable.

But the difference wouldn’t matter too much when viewed on small screens. Where I can leverage this advantage is for filming. More on that in a few.

I would have loved for realme to have kept the long-distance shooters. Anything beyond 2X, although aided by AI and further processing to retain detail, looks inferior in quality.

The telephoto camera is something I’ve appreciated beginning from the realme 12 series to the 14 series. The optical quality of dedicated cameras from rivals are far better, and on some shots, you want that “crop factor” too.

Results wise, yes, you will still get sharp, clear, and color-accurate captures from the 15 Pro at 1X and 2X zooms.

Here are some samples:

There are two preset shooting modes: Vibrant, which amply brightens the light parts, and Crisp, which kind of underexposes the result at a glance.

But details under Crisp are actually retained even in the dark parts, and this allows for more flexibility in editing like just shooting up the shadows or lowering the contrast a bit.

In a nutshell, when the lighting conditions are already sufficient, opt for Crisp as Vibrant tend to overexpose light parts too.

A few side-by-side photos:

One of the noticeable issues are the lack of depth on non-Portrait captures. It has something to do with the inconsistencies in contrast and HDR on some shots where there are blown-up parts or darkened ones.

Portrait Mode still excelled by emphasizing subjects with smooth segmentation. This goes for all subjects, from food to people to inanimate objects.

Instead of an AI Snapshot Mode, we also got just the more common Street Mode, also known as DIS on other realme devices.

From a triple flash setup from the 14 Pro Plus, realme went with a dual flash arrangement. One emits warm light while the other, white.

On the positive side, the 50MP front camera offers a good mix of naturalness and social media-ready quality for stills.

Night and low-light processing could be better.

Camera performance: Filming

When it comes to filming, the realme 15 Pro does offer a lot more shooting versatility compared to its predecessors.

The 50MP ultrawide camera can shoot up to 4K videos at 60fps. Ditto with the selfie camera. Color science is pleasing, though low-light performance lags, as in the case of stills.

I love the stabilization on both rear cameras. It allows for steadier content, especially on “parallax” shots for social media videos.

However, you still cannot zoom in when you start the video from 0.6X zoom, unlike other legitimate flagships.

The ultrawide angle can be leveraged for establishing shots or to show a wider view for audiences in tight spaces. For me, zooming in to around 1.5X for a crop factor also enabled me to highlight subjects more.

Here are a couple of vlogs I made using the phone:

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I would recommend the phone for creators who prioritize video versatility over mobile photography. But creators don’t buy phones in a vacuum; the rest of the package matters.

General performance

Performance-wise, the realme 15 Pro does have a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor. It’s capable, but not competitive at this price.

The value-performance triangle feels stretched, and it’s a poor trade-off for performance-focused consumers.

Also, the phone supports Wi-Fi 6 but that is underutilized since the processor isn’t as powerful as other PhP 30,000 handsets.

For instance, the HONOR 400 Pro can render and upload videos on social media way faster, along with better GPU performance.

Moreover, the 15 Pro’s 5G connectivity is also challenged in difficult areas, compared to, say, OPPO devices with its AI LinkBoost. It takes some to switch back to 5G or 4G networks.

As I am about to transition to its display, it’s also worth noting that there have been occasional video latency when filming.

I wasn’t able to see what I was filming in real-time as smoothly as I would have wanted to. It was just jittery. But when I review them afterwards, they turn out just alright.

Editing reels on my preferred mobile app also experienced some hurdles during video playback.

Fortunately, I didn’t experience the same for gaming, although I haven’t exhausted it too much for challenging titles.

I only had Call of Duty Mobile and Racing Master and both games went smoothly even with high graphics settings. Jaggies weren’t persistent throughout sessions.

Display issues

Another constant issue with the 15 Pro throughout my time with it was the display.

Although we weren’t able to document it, there have been several instances where the display just blacked out or had green static screen issues.

There were also moments of dark vignettes appearing. I had to press the power button to turn the display off for a second first before unlocking it again to revert back to normal.

Furthermore, there have been instances that the display was unresponsive to touches or had ghost touches.

I experienced this a few times with tapping the shutter for capturing photos. I had to go with the volume buttons instead.

Typing on the keyboard just led to misspelled words too. I don’t know what triggers all of these, but there have been way too many unsmooth experiences.

To be fair, I did ask some colleagues on whether they’ve had the same issues and they said no. Let’s just assume we’re all telling the truth.

The 6.8-inch 144Hz panel itself does deliver crystal-clear visuals as in the case of viewing videos at full HD or checking photos. There are several presets if you want the display to look more vivid or natural too.

With a 6,500-nit peak brightness, there’s no problem looking at what’s on it too when outdoors or against the window light in some cases.

But as I’ve mentioned endlessly, I am not a fan of curved displays. Side swipes misfire, which is pretty common. And you don’t get the full picture on vertical content either.

All-day battery

Perhaps, the 7000mAh battery is the realme 15 Pro’s champion feature. It’s the one area where marketing and reality aligns.

The phone easily provides ample power for 10 to 12 hours of use outside. That’s with Power Saving Mode and mobile data on.

“All-day battery life” in the context of smartphone usage will always be subjective. But I wouldn’t say I was challenged to drain it.

On lighter days, the phone was more of a mobile hotspot and I only had to glance on the display every now and then. Naturally, I still had about 40 to 50% left.

Usage included browsing, communication, photos and videos, editing reels, uploading them, and more in between.

Charging takes just about an hour to refuel back to 80%, which is quite impressive given this has a larger battery capacity.

Design

Truly marking the start of a new chapter, realme decided to likewise ditch the circular, timepiece-inspired camera islands and instead went with a squarish module on the upper left, containing the two huge cameras on top of each other.

Next to these are the dual flashes and a small ring light similar to what vivo calls Aura Light. Yet, the realme counterpart only activates for notifications and gaming instead of for photography.

The unit I have been reviewing came in Velvet Green which is the more leathery variant. The Flowing Silver counterpart, meanwhile, feels like a continuation of the shiny pearl white back on previous numbered series offerings.

On paper, they have virtually the same display size, thickness, and weight as the 14 Pro, but it’s evidently thinner and lighter than the 14 Pro+.

And I personally felt this when wielding the phone on a daily basis. The side frames look thinner too, and adds a subtle wedge to improve grip and ergonomics.

If anything, the backside doesn’t feel slippery at all for this variant and you can absolutely just one-hand it at times without fear of accidental drops.

Lastly, the 15 Pro retains IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance for extra protection.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Sad to say, the realme 15 Pro 5G is a Swipe Left. It’s not a bad smartphone — but not a compelling one either.

The handset lacks that definitive punch for a mid-ranger in late 2025. There’s a disconnect between price and value proposition for the package it delivers.

Even with discounts on ecommerce platforms that will lower the asking price to about PhP 27,000, the unbalanced feature trade-offs still don’t feel justified.

You are paying premium for a mid-ranger. And you can get devices about PhP 5,000 less (or beyond).

From steady performance to acceptable cameras, to AI features and long battery life, the realme 15 Pro doesn’t stand out in a crowded market. That’s the real problem.

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realme 15 Pro 5G specs

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, 4nm process, Octa-Core, up to 2.8 GHz
• OS: Android 15 with realme UI 6.0
• Memory: 12GB base RAM, up to 12GB expansion
• Internal storage: Up to 512GB
• Display: 6.8-inch 1.5K 144Hz AMOLED display with 10-bit color, HDR10+, 6,500 nits peak brightness
• Battery: 7000mAh silicon-carbon
• Charging: 80W wired
• Cameras: 50MP main (Sony IMX896 with OIS), 50MP ultra-wide angle, 50MP selfie
• IP68 and IP69

Infinix wasn’t done serving us budget gaming smartphones for champion values when it announced the Infinix GT 30.

As if the Infinix GT 30 Pro wasn’t affordable enough for its overall package, Transsion’s beloved gaming and all-around smartphone brand has kept giving us options to suit the spending capacities of consumers who may have tighter budgets right now.

I can already tell you that the so-called base model (but I prefer calling it the standard model for added flair) still brings steady gaming performance, simple and reliable every day use, and extra gravy in between.

Essential daily carry

For this review, I once again enlisted the help of my nephew who loves playing games both on mobile and PC. He’s currently in college, and has used the phone as his everyday companion.

Outdoors, he sneaks in 30-minute sessions in between, plus the usual daily usage like messaging, music listening, browsing, and watching videos.

More than the 5500mAh battery, it’s the optimized performance and power management that keep the GT 30 running until he’s back home.

My nephew said how the Dimensity 7400 chipset smartly distributes power across tasks stood out the most. Infinix promised performance upgrades, and they walked their talk on this aspect.

In fact, on lighter days where he didn’t have to view the display all the time, he’d still end up with 50% after a half day (4 to 6 hours) in school, plus gaming during travel time. That’s with mobile data turned on.

As such, standby is also optimized. And if you need a quick replenishment, the 45W charging capacity will refuel its battery by about 60% in an hour.

On days where he doesn’t have academic undertakings, he spends a lot more time on the phone for gaming. For longer sessions, he plugs it in and utilizes Bypass Charging so it doesn’t heat up too much. It’s a great touch for budget-conscious mobile users.

Budget gaming champ

Naturally, I just reminded by nephew to test a variety of mobile titles. He went above and beyond and of course, we have to throw one of the most demanding titles you can play on a mobile device into the mix: Genshin Impact.

To be completely fair, he had to lower the graphics to low and cap the frame rate to 60 fps to be able to enjoy it. That’s still fairly impressive for a handset this affordable.

On Wi-Fi and without other background apps running, it will drain about 20% after three hours of Genshin Impact, showing just optimized it is.

On 5G data, however, it drained faster and reach about 40°C about after 20 minutes of gameplay at low resolution, 60 fps.

Moreover, the extended RAM really helps a lot in enabling him play on of the toughest games on mobile.

For other titles, as expected, gameplay went smoothly.

GT Trigger: Tactical edge

Like its Pro sibling, the GT 30 features shoulder-mounted GT Triggers. These controls can be easily mapped and my nephew took advantage of these for Call of Duty Mobile.

He pointed out that CODM regulars usually have four fingers all on the screen, so these buttons provide a good alternative while still seeing most of the action.

For him, personally, he used these for quick slide and shoot combos. The triggers also illuminate in red and blue for added effects.

Even for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, he said the extra buttons enabled him to buy items on the fly while in the middle of clashes. Those saved him crucial seconds of response and taps in the heat of battle.

More importantly, responsiveness was snappy. They really feel like actual buttons in terms of the extra low latency.

And even for non-gaming scenarios, the buttons can be used for tasks like camera shutter.

Display: Just as smooth and clear

Accompanying gaming and endless binge-watching is a 144Hz 1.5K AMOLED display. The aspect ratio is more on the thicker and chunkier side rather than longer and slimmer.

And that’s with a 440ppi pixel density which is darn impressive for this price segment. Details are sharp and clear, not pixelated, while the edges aren’t jagged.

The 89.4% screen-to-body ratio helps with seeing more, instead of annoying bezels. Plus with GT Triggers, it all comes together to provide smooth visuals (and this is personally why I prefer flat screens over curved screens).

No lagging either in the case of 1080p video playback, and the tough battery gives you hours of continuous watching. And even just 20% brightness is enough indoors.

Cameras: Handy and helpful

Onto its camera, the 64MP main shooter on the Infinix GT 30 gives you more than just documentation.

Shots come out clear and detailed at a glance. Just don’t expect perfect color representation, and the same sharpness at longer focal lengths.

But overall, it’s good for every day landscapes, food, casual portraits, and more. The camera even offers good segmentation for portraits.

Focus for close-ups takes a bit of trial and error, but it’s all manageable.

The camera even excels in low light and retains more quality in the dark or just illuminates the entire photo. Pretty impressive, to be honest.

Granted, there’s not much mitigation against glare or backlight, or power for fast-captures, but c’mon, it’s a US$ 200 phone.

There’s even an 8MP ultra-wide lens for wider captures outside or for tighter spaces. The 13MP selfie camera in front isn’t shabby either.

As an entire package, the cameras hold their own.

Design, appearance, and feel

Coming from a different brand, my nephew mentioned that he has no general problems navigating Infinix’s OS UI.

The floating window function was helpful whenever he wanted his girlfriend’s chats seen while playing games.

But that said, there will still adjustments to make. For instance, the floating window tends to go to a random area on the screen instead of a more fixed position.

He did have an issue with the keyboard that auto-adjusts to one-hand mode by default when games are open, as he trash-talks in-game.

After a system update, my nephew did note the top and bottom parts of the screen weren’t responding to swipes, which included the notification panel and switching apps. But it did get resolved immediately.

Futuristic mecha is still the design identity’s backbone. The lighting effects look simplified this time. There are four color options for this iteration, and we got the blue variant.

Surprisingly, even with a reflective glass cover at the back, my nephew noted that it wasn’t too slippery especially when he is one-handing it.

But without a case, it does have a lessened grip with pulling it out of a pocket or holding from the frames. And, it’s a sucker for fingerprints.

There are angles where it looks premium, although the glass cover gets in the way. I personally still prefer being able to feel the texture of the design.

Is this your BudgetMatch?

The Infinix GT 30 is a definitive Swipe Right. We would have given it a Super Swipe though some quirks held it back.

Still, it is a budget gaming performer with champion value. Even if you’re not a hardcore mobile gamer, this is a phone you’d take with you daily to keep you connected, entertained, and even distracted.

And at just about US$ 200 / PhP 11,999, it puts other lower mid-rangers that compromise elsewhere to shame. Chalk up another win for Infinix in their famed GT line.

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Infinix GT 30 specs

• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7400 5G, 4nm process, up to 2.6GHz
• OS: XOS 15 (Android 15)
• Memory: 8GB base RAM, up to 8GB RAM expansion
• Storage: 256GB
• Display: 6.78-inch 1.5K 144Hz display, 89.4% screen-to-body ratio, 1600 nits peak brightness, 440ppi pixel density
• Battery and charging: 45W wired, 10W reverse wired, Bypass Charging support
• Cameras: 64MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, 13MP selfie
• IP rating: IP64

There are days when the world gets a little too loud, like when every honk or notification feels like a personal attack. Even as an extrovert, I sometimes crave the quiet.

Sure, I love people and the chatter inside cafés, but there are moments when I want to turn the volume of life all the way down with a pair of headphones. Although, I’ve never really been a “headphones person.”

The last time I owned a pair was back in 2017-2018. A Sony H.Ear On 2 and an Mpow H5 that saw brief daylight before I decided I preferred the freedom of earbuds. Then came wireless earbuds, and eventually open-ear ones, which suited my lifestyle perfectly.

But maybe this is what growing older does to you. You start craving peace like it’s a luxury item. Because for the past three months, I’ve been living with the Dyson OnTrac.

And now that the honeymoon phase is over, I can say it plainly: I love everything about it, except a few things.

That Dyson DNA

The first time I saw the Dyson OnTrac, it didn’t even look like a gadget. It looked like something you’d wear with a crisp blazer or bring into an airport lounge. It’s unmistakably Dyson: minimal yet distinct.

Mine came in Copper, which felt like it was made for me. It matches my gold earrings and necklaces perfectly, as if it was designed to live in my wardrobe.

That’s the thing about Dyson. They make technology feel personal, like a statement piece that just happens to have a power button.

Even the small details feel intentional. The outer caps and ear cushions can be swapped for colors of your choice, and those cushions — soft and made from microfiber — hug your ears like velvet clouds.

The OnTrac is so comfortable that I’ve worn it through entire flights and long editing sessions without a single ache or hint of warmth. It never clamps too tightly, either.

My only complaint? It’s oddly designed when you want to rest it on your neck. You have to flip it so it lays flat against your collarbones. Otherwise, the ear cups sit awkwardly and press against your neck.

It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s… fussy. Beautiful, yes, but impractical in that “fashion before function” kind of way.

Still, that comfort kept me company from my flight to Hong Kong to my bus ride into Shenzhen. It was so light, I almost forgot I was wearing it. Almost.

And that battery life — 55 hours, give or take — held up. I didn’t even need to charge it while traveling from Hong Kong to Zhengzhou and back to the Philippines.

The silence I needed

Wearing the OnTrac, I couldn’t hear the hum of the plane’s engine, the crying baby, or the chatty group behind me on the bus. Its Active Noise Cancellation is easily one of the best I’ve tried.

It feels like being inside a bubble, a little world of your own. Only a few pairs of headphones can deliver this kind of isolation without feeling suffocating. You know that eerie stillness where you start hearing your own thoughts? It’s like that, but gentler.

Of course, there are better options for pure noise-cancelling performance, but none of them look this good doing it.

The OnTrac also automatically pauses when you take it off, which I love. It’s the closest thing to someone gently turning down the world for you.

Through the MyDyson app, you can tweak your experience. You can adjust isolation levels, switch between transparency modes, and decide how much of the outside world you want to let in. It’s thoughtful and seamless, exactly what you’d expect from Dyson.

The sound I didn’t want

There’s more to tweak in the MyDyson app, including a sound exposure monitor and an adjustable equalizer with four modes: Enhanced, Bass Boost, Neutral, and Custom. I tried them all. I really did. And yet, the sound never quite came alive.

Despite its brilliance in design and noise control, the OnTrac sounds… flat. It’s clean, but too clean that it’s lacking depth and warmth. The vocals don’t quite have texture, and the bass feels subdued. Even my colleagues noticed as we compared it to the more affordable Sony WH-1000XM6 and JBL Tour One M3.

Somehow, the OnTrac falls short. It’s not bad. It’s just not enough for the price Dyson asks. It’s like ordering a luxury dessert and realizing it looks exquisite, but doesn’t melt the way you hoped.

Price and availability

The Dyson OnTrac retails for US$ 499 / PhP 32,900 in the Philippines. It’s available in CNC Black Nickel and CNC Copper.

You can personalize it further with ear cushions (PhP 3,500) in colors like Oyster Pink, Khaki, Chrome Yellow, Prussian Blue, and Ultra Blue.

The outer caps (PhP 3,500) are also swappable, with options like Ceramic Blue, Coarse Titanium, and Ceramic Cinnabar.
Even the braided Aux cable with an in-flight adapter feels premium, though it’ll set you back PhP 2,000.

Is the Dyson OnTrac your GadgetMatch?

It’s rare to find a pair of headphones that feel as much like a fashion statement as a functional device. The Dyson OnTrac is exactly that — a piece of wearable art that lets you shut the world out in style.

If you see headphones as an extension of how you carry yourself and not just a tool for listening, then this could easily be a Swipe Right.

That is, if you have a little money to burn. Maybe the comfort, aesthetics, and excellent ANC are enough to make you splurge.

But if you’re after a rich, dynamic sound profile, looks alone won’t do. It’s automatically a Swipe Left, as there are better options out there. Both the JBL Tour One M3 and Sony WH-1000XM6 sound fuller and more balanced for less.

Maybe that’s the irony of the OnTrac. It perfects the art of silence but forgets the poetry of sound. Still, every time I slip it on, it feels like I’m putting the world on mute.

And for now, that’s the kind of peace I’m willing to pay for.