Laptops

Lenovo IdeaPad S540 review: A professional’s daily driver

An essential for every career-driven millennial

Published

February 10, 2020

MJ Jucutan

As a 20-something millennial, I always feel like time is running out. I have this inane need to accomplish so much at a young age. Friends and mentors alike remind me that life’s not a race, but I can’t help it — I’m too passionate.

I’ve always been determined to have a high-flying career before I reach 30. Years fly by so quickly, which is why there’s an urge to achieve so many in a short span of time. Not to mention, global warming is real, wars could happen any minute, and we all could be dead soon. I don’t want to die without reaching my dreams.

To achieve my goals, I ensure I’m equipped with the right gear in building my career. For starters, we all need a laptop that does its job so we can focus on our work.

Make an impression through your gear

Enter Lenovo’s IdeaPad S540. This premium ultrabook is a tad better than the IdeaPad S340. However, both laptops look similar due to Lenovo’s design language — which should be revamped if you think about it. I would’ve appreciated it better if the logo’s more subtle (and if it’s probably embossed).

The IdeaPad S540 comes in three beautiful colors — black, grey, and copper. Of course, mine would come in the beautiful copper. After all, millennials have a flair for style — we wouldn’t settle for anything that’s boring.

It comes in a sleek-looking, matte-finished, aluminum body that’s so smooth, you’d want to caress it with your fingers for an entire day. When you present with this laptop, people will know you mean business — serious, but not boring.

Finding comfort in its shortcomings

Its screen is humongous, coming in with a 15.6-inch FHD IPS display. There’s so much you can do with a screen this big, even though it has thick bezels on its top and bottom. Glare could be a problem, especially when you love working somewhere bright and open.

Typing is sweet with this beaut, especially for someone who types a lot. Its keys are evenly placed and big enough for my tiny fingers to press on.

On the other hand, its trackpad remains as Lenovo’s weak point. Just like the IdeaPad S340, the S540’s trackpad isn’t smooth enough for navigation. Gliding your fingers create a squeaky sound that would make your eardrums cringe.

Security-wise, you can finally calm the F down since Lenovo cares about it, too. We all hate spying cameras, thus, Lenovo allows you to cover your laptop’s camera with a shutter whenever you’re not using it. For even tighter security, the IdeaPad S540 has a fingerprint reader located on the keyboard’s bottom right.

Stay connected, wherever

On the left side, you can find the power input, an HDMI port for your presentation needs, and our well-loved USB 3.1 port, along with an audio jack located at the mid-bottom.

Found on the right side are two USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader, and indicator lights.

Side note: Its hinge and design were built to handle being laid flat on a table, for presentation purposes. Do note it doesn’t do yoga. If you want a convertible, better check Lenovo’s Yoga lineup.

Get all your job done

The IdeaPad S540 is more than enough for most professionals. This particular model is equipped with an Intel Core i7-8565u at 1.80GHz processor, which can go up to 4.60GHz with Turbo Boost. Additionally, it carries 12GB of DDR4 memory, along with 512GB SSD storage and an Nvidia MX250 GPU.

This laptop can handle your habit of opening multiple tabs at the same time, with heavyweight apps like Spotify, Netflix, or even Adobe’s Creative Suite running in the background. I mostly deal with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom, with a bit of video editing on the side — and I was able to do all my creative work albeit only at a bare minimum.

Its display wasn’t made for creative professionals, and it heats up when using memory-consuming software for a prolonged time. But for most users dealing with large files, a bunch of emails, browsing, surfing, spreadsheets, and occasional entertainment like binge-watching on Netflix, the IdeaPad S540 is more than enough.

Being a humongous laptop, the IdeaPad S540 doubles as your business companion and entertainment hub. It has a Dolby Audio speaker system, producing decent sound for all your leisure needs. For those obsessed with audio, you might want to look elsewhere because this isn’t the laptop for you. Better buy a different speaker system and connect it to this laptop.

We might need more juice

If you’re looking at a laptop this big, it’s expected to have a lot of juice. Thankfully, the IdeaPad S540 delivers what’s expected from it. Lenovo boasts up to 12 hours of battery life, but most people nowadays are classified as power-hungry users, rendering the 12-hour promise to be useless since it’s going to be shorter.

For instance, I spent one afternoon in Malongo Atelier Barista enjoying a refreshing Iced Coffee while doing my work. I sat around 4 o’clock in the afternoon with a full battery, diving into a pile of articles to write.

Additionally, I’ve been jamming to my favorite playlist from The Bold Type so I can be more productive. Settings include 100% brightness and max volume, while connected to Wi-Fi. In between sipping my coffee, listening to interviews that I recorded, and social media breaks, the IdeaPad S540 drops 10 to 15 percent of its battery per hour.

Before 8 o’clock in the evening, my battery dropped below 20 percent already, prompting me to charge my machine. Almost four hours for a power-hungry is kinda meh but given my usage, I’d say it did its best. At least, I didn’t encounter any hiccups while navigating my work. It was seamless and smooth!

Is this your GadgetMatch?

If you’re in need of a daily driver, the IdeaPad S540 is an ideal laptop to suit your professional needs. It’s perfect for those looking for a laptop powerful enough to handle multitasking for business and entertainment use.

For PhP 65,995 (US$ 1295), the Lenovo IdeaPad S540 (S540-15IWL, version 81NE0049PH) is a good investment to propel your career. When you’re on your way up on your career ladder, you can buy and use better, higher-end, and possibly flagship laptops that definitely cost a fortune.

For now, this will do. The key to creating milestones in your career is to take baby steps, and buying a laptop to suit your professional needs is one such step you need to take.

Update as of 02/11/2020: Lenovo drops the price for the IdeaPad S540 from PhP 65,995 to PhP 59,995. Additionally, those who will purchase will be entitled to 24-months international and local onsite warranty with Premium Care. Get perks such as On-site service, 24/7 service hotline with senior technicians, priority allocation for replacement parts, annual PC health check, and more. For more information about the warranty, visit their promo page.

Laptops

Apple introduces Apple Upgrade leasing program

Flexible leasing arrives

Published

July 31, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Apple has introduced Apple Upgrade, a new leasing program that makes it easier to get an iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch through monthly payments. The program also gives customers more flexibility to upgrade to newer devices over time.

Apple Upgrade replaces new enrollments for the iPhone Upgrade Program with a single offering that covers four product categories. Apple partnered with Klarna to power the service.

Customers can lease an iPhone or Apple Watch for one or two years. Mac and iPad leases are available for two or three years.

At the end of the lease, customers have three options. They can upgrade to a newer device, purchase the leased device by paying the remaining balance, or return it with no further obligation.

Monthly payments start at US$17.99 for iPhone and US$24.99 for Mac, depending on the selected model and configuration. Customers must also qualify through Klarna before enrolling.

More than iPhones

Apple Upgrade expands beyond the company’s previous iPhone-only financing program. It brings iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch under one leasing service, making upgrades more consistent across Apple’s hardware lineup.

Customers can manage their lease through Apple, while Klarna handles financing and lease administration. They can also pay off their device early, although additional terms and fees may apply depending on the agreement.

Apple Upgrade is currently available only in the United States. Apple has not announced plans to expand the program to other regions.

Accessories

OBSBOT’s Meet Flip is your next best pocketable 4K webcam

Fold the Flip for further protection

Published

July 29, 2026

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Several months ago, you might remember that OBSBOT revealed the Tiny 3 series of web cameras.

Six months after, they also unveil the all-new Meet Flip. From the name itself, it’s the company’s latest foldable 4K webcam that puts hardware privacy front and center.

Foldable and pocketable

Despite weighing just 37.7 grams, the Meet Flip aims to deliver premium webcam features for all types of users. Be it remote workers, professionals, or content creators.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Undoubtedly, the biggest highlight has got to be the webcam’s folding design. Not only it’s portable, it protects your privacy too.

Closing the device physically blocks the lens, giving users a visual confirmation that the camera is no longer active. When it’s time for a meeting, simply unfold it and it’s ready to go.

That lightweight body also features a built-in mounting clip that works with laptops, monitors, and tripods. Users can mount it in landscape, portrait, or even upside-down orientations depending on their setup.

Despite that absurd amount of lightweightness, the OBSBOT Meet Flip is still able to house a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology. That’s something more commonly found among bigger and higher-end web cameras.

Other camera features include:

4K video recording / 30fps
1080p recording / up to 60fps
HDR support for challenging lighting
Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)
4x digital zoom
f/1.8 aperture with ISO 100-6400 support for low-light environments

Beyond just video calls

The OBSBOT Meet Flip isn’t just packed with serious camera hardware, it’s seriously intelligent as well.

The Meet Flip supports AI Auto Framing. This automatically keeps users centered during meetings — regardless if they are presenting alone or with a group. Gesture controls also let users activate framing or adjust zoom without touching the keyboard or mouse.

Another standout feature is AI Magic Notes which provides real-time meeting transcription and automatically generates summaries, action items, and key discussion points.

The feature works with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams through OBSBOT Center. Every webcam includes complimentary transcription of 120 minutes.

With that being mentioned, OBSBOT Center also makes users gain access to software features such as background blur, virtual backgrounds, beauty mode, and picture-in-picture overlays for presentations.

Those who want more advanced controls can enable Smart Eye Tracking, teleprompter support, and manual image adjustments.

Audio also gets an upgrade through an intelligent dual-microphone system that offers four recording modes:

Directional Mode / solo calls
Dual-Directional Mode / interviews
Smart Omni Mode / group meetings
Pure Audio Mode / unprocessed stereo recording

AI Noise Reduction and Automatic Gain Control are also available across most modes to help improve voice clarity.

OBSBOT’s Meet Flip is also compatible with mobile devices through the OBSBOT Live app and supports integrations with accessories including Elgato Stream Deck, Nintendo Switch 2, and UVC-to-NDI/HDMI adapters.

Pricing and Availability

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is available starting today for US$119 through OBSBOT’s online store, Amazon US, and select retailers worldwide. Regional pricing may vary.

Laptops

The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra wins you over

The laptop sneaks up on you

Published

July 3, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

This is coming from someone who has done countless unboxings and has touched a wide variety of devices — the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra was… alright.

My first impression was that it certainly didn’t wow me as much as I expected it to after having read the brief, nor even after attending the tech seminar where ASUS laid out its vision for the laptop.

That’s probably the strangest thing about the ExpertBook Ultra. Because after having spent more time with it, the laptop grew on me.

Put cheekily, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra wasn’t the laptop that made my head turn. Instead, it was the laptop that kept showing up consistently. Before I realized it, it’s become the one I wanted to keep coming back to.

And I think that’s the best way to describe my experience with ASUS’ flagship business notebook.

The laptop sneaks up on you.

Built to be carried

I got the laptop right after Computex 2026 coverage. That meant my days were closer to how they normally are. That also meant I had to be more intentional about going out and bringing it with me as I tackled my day-to-day duties.

I normally carried it using my trusted EDC — the Alpaka Bravo Tote — and I have to say it definitely felt lighter than my usual laptop, which is the MacBook Pro M4.

The Apple laptop I regularly carry is, I have to admit, chunkier than I would prefer. So having the ExpertBook Ultra for about a week or so literally felt like some load was taken off my shoulders.

Did I ever forget it was there? I wouldn’t go that far.

But if you’re asking me which one I’d rather carry based on build and weight alone, I would, with no hesitation, reach for the ExpertBook Ultra.

That says a lot considering how attached I am to my usual setup.

ASUS likes talking about how light the ExpertBook Ultra is. Normally, that’s the sort of marketing line I acknowledge and quickly move past.

This time, I actually felt it.

The Nano Ceramic effect

One of the first things ASUS will tell you about the ExpertBook Ultra is its Nano Ceramic finish. I’ll admit, it felt like one of those things that sounds good on a slide presentation.

It’s one of those things that look gimmicky at first but actually feels incredible once you come across it on a daily basis.

It’s still early, so you can consider this very much part of the honeymoon phase with the laptop. Even so, the Nano Ceramic finish continues to inspire a bit of awe every time I pick it up.

I do feel like a little weirdo caressing the laptop ever so gently before I begin the day’s work wherever I may be. But that’s just a testament to how good it feels to touch.

And yes, it does reinforce the feeling that, “Hey, I’m working on a pretty fancy piece of machinery.”

It’s easy to underrate the effects of that feeling, but it’s those little intangible things that can sometimes help unlock perspectives and possibilities.

That’s not something you’ll find on a spec sheet. But it’s absolutely part of the experience.

A display that’s difficult to stop staring at

It also helps if STAYC Isa is on screen.

The display is magnificent.

As Captain America would say, “I can look at this all day.” Not the exact phrase, but you’re smart. You get it.

The OLED and matte coating is just a killer combo. Kind of like the Chaewon and Yeji “That’s a No No” challenge collab. Pardon the months-old K-pop reference. I’ve been so busy I haven’t really kept up with what’s new.

Anyway, the combination just comes at you unapologetically and you have no recourse but to bask in it. Maintaining the deep blacks and crisp colors is such a gift to your eyes.

I often sit right next to big windows when I’m out in cafés and the light did nothing to dull the effect of the display.

Two love, two love. I’m falling.

It was so good I often found myself fully diving into STAYC’s 2 LOVE music video in between writing this very review and coordinating with my team.

The matte coating deserves special mention here.

OLED panels already look fantastic. Pairing one with a matte finish that helps cut reflections without sacrificing the strengths of OLED makes for one of my favorite laptop displays in recent memory.

Typing just clicked

This is one of my favorite keyboard experiences. Things just clicked right from the start. No awkward feeling-out phase whatsoever.

I was touch typing like I was Doctor Strange trying to look into over 14 million possible outcomes and still landing on the right key every single time.

The keys feel closer to chiclet-style keyboards than anything else. Even so, the spacing is perfect and the travel satisfying.

Then there’s the haptic touchpad.

I typically don’t like using mice, especially when I’m out and about. With most Windows laptops I’ve used in the past, that eventually becomes a necessity.

That wasn’t the case with the ExpertBook Ultra. It’s easily one of the best-feeling touchpads I’ve used in recent memory.

My standard for touchpads has always been MacBooks. While the software is also doing some heavy lifting in that particular setup, the ExpertBook’s own comes pretty close.

That’s not praise I hand out lightly.

Performance that feels like overkill

Performance is one area where I cannot claim I fully pushed the capabilities of the ExpertBook Ultra.

Most of my tasks are browser-based. Plenty of tabs open, sure, but I don’t think I ever came close to really testing the capabilities of this business notebook. I imagine that would be the case for most of ASUS’ target audience.

Upon seeing the specs, I already knew this was going to be a bit of an overkill for my own use case. My time with it only proved that assessment.

The most I did with it was jump between browser tabs and chat apps, letting ChatGPT help me process unresolved feelings and questionable timing while I dealt with coordinating shoots, writing scripts and reviews, and dealing with external forces that leave me feeling drained.

Never once did the laptop feel slow. Never once did I find myself waiting.

What noise?

Speaking of things I didn’t notice, let’s talk about fan noise.

Again, since I didn’t really push this thing to its absolute limits, the fan never really kicked into high gear at any point during my time with it.

The same goes for thermals.

No task I did ever raised the temperature to uncomfortable levels. The laptop simply went about its business. Which, come to think of it, is probably the most business-laptop thing I can say about it.

Battery life that simply works

I was very impressed with its overall efficiency.

When I go out to work, I typically don’t stay out longer than five to six hours. Most of the time that’s five to six hours of really focused work—with some K-pop loving in between.

Being generally risk-averse, I still always brought my usual charger with me. Not once during my time with the device did I feel the need to plug in while working outside.

I would typically end my café work days somewhere between 30 to 40 percent and only juice the thing up once I got home while it was closed and not in use.

That’s exactly the kind of battery experience I want from a business laptop.

The AI question

The thing I struggle with when it comes to AI features on this machine is that a lot of them are Windows-based and that’s just not the AI I find reliable.

Right now, many of these features are nice-to-have.

I’m sure one of ASUS’ target users will likely find a use case for them.

As for me personally, this is one area I’d have to dig deeper into to actually find ways to integrate them into my workflow and general usage.

And honestly, that’s okay. The AI features weren’t the reason I kept reaching for the laptop.

Who is this actually for?

That’s a loaded question. Really, it’s built for anyone who can afford it.

With a starting price of PhP 129,995, this device comfortably sits in aspirational territory.

What I know for sure is that this is a machine for someone who’s already built some momentum in their chosen field and would like to level up.

The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra gives you a machine that can handle your business now and inspire you to dream bigger about your future.

Is the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra your GadgetMatch?

The thing I kept coming back to with the ExpertBook Ultra is that there is no one thing that made me turn to it.

Instead, it’s the combination of everything that it brings to the table. The premium-feeling build, lightweight design, wonderful display, excellent keyboard and touchpad. efficient performance, and the thoughtful extras. Together, they make it a laptop that’s easy to recommend to anyone who’s ready for it.

But what does ready for it actually mean?