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Beautiful, right? I’m going to call this the Legion Anything Goes. Officially, this is the 2024 Lenovo Legion 7i And it’s about as thin as you can go for a 16-inch machine with as much gaming chops as it has.

Powered by Intel Core i9 coupled with Legion’s approach to cooling – this offers one of the best ways to play AAA games today, wherever you may be. 

Oh and yes, this one has a neural engine, making it an AI-powered Gaming PC. 

Large and lean, smooth and clean 

But before anything else, let’s take time to appreciate how immaculate it looks in Glacier White. Lenovo said the body is anodized aluminum, which you really won’t be able to tell just by looking and feeling. But they promise it to be pretty darn durable. And in our brief time with it so far, it seems to be pretty deterrent to dust and smudges. 

Despite being relatively thin for a gaming machine, the Legion 7i can still be a lot to carry. 

The body alone weighs at 2.24kg or 4.94 lbs, and that’s still not counting the slimmer-than-before but still substantially-sized 230W power adapter. And while you can charge the machine via 140W USB-C, you’re going to want to lug the 230W one around if you want to game on the go. 

Ports are pretty generous. 

On the left side you have a USB-A and a couple of USB-C ports. One of which is thunderbolt 4 which has display out, power delivery, and data transfer capabilities. Lastly, there’s also a 3.5mm audio jack. 

Over on the right side you’ll find aUBS-A and USB-C port. There’s an E-Shutter Button for the 1080p webcam, and very welcome SD Card Reader. 

On the rear are the power port and an HDM1 2.1 port. 

Keys to the game 

The keys have a decent travel to them. It’s hard to communicate the feel because we’re coming from different kinds of keypad. I would describe it as generally clickity. Nothing too fancy and gets the job done. But the whole keyboard is full size – numpad and all. 

If you’re used to working on other laptops with mostly a 75% layout, there’s going to be a bit of an adjustment. I found myself positioning more to the left to align more with the general keyboard layout. You’ll likely find yourself doing the same because even the trackpad is skewed more to the left.  

While we’re on the subject of the keyboard, you can actually replace the keys. Lenovo made their own so you can customize them to your liking. 

Lenovo had us try this during an event in Bangkok earlier this year and it was incredibly satisfying. 

PC Gaming as a console gamer

Lenovo Legion 7i

So, what’s it like to actually play on the thing? Extremely satisfying. As primarily a console gamer, there are some quality-of-life things that I miss. 

But the whole console vs PC gaming debate is messy and we’re not about to do that here. I digress. 

Here are the specs I’m working with: 

  • Intel® Core™ 14th Gen i9-14900HX
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070 Laptop GPU
  • 8GB GDDR6 (130W) 2175MHz Boost Clock
  • 32GB (2 x 16GB)
  • 5600MHz DDR5
  •  1TB M.2 2280 PCIe SSD (Gen 4)
  • Battery
  • 4-cell 99.99Whr Battery

Most of my PC Gaming has been relegated to classic or non-graphically demanding titles. That’s because those are the only ones my old machine can handle.

Gaming on the Legion 7i feels like a sudden shot in the arm. With it, I can play AAA titles without any compromises.

I quickly fired up Horizon: Forbidden West — one of the most visually stunning games today — and it looks as good as ever. It also ran at no lower than 60fps in both exploration and combat.

I also tried other relatively recent AAA games just to see how it runs. Titles like Far Cry 6 and Death Stranding ran without hiccups whatsoever. Everything I played ran incredibly smoothly. 

So, what about the older games which are the primary reason I dabbled in PC gaming in the first place? Well, they played great as expected.

  • Marvel vs Capcom: Fighting Collection
  • Kingdom Hearts 1.5
  • Final Fantasy XII

A sight for sore eyes

Lenovo Legion 7i

Oh, and the display is absolutely chef’s kiss. 

  • 16″ 3.2K (3200 x 2000) IPS; 16:10 (165Hz /
  • 3ms Response Time w/ OverDrive / 100%
  • DCI-P3 / 430 nits/ X-Rite Color Management /
  • Dolby Vision® / NVIDIA® G-SYNC® /
  • Advanced Optimus/ TÜV Rheinland®
  • Low Blue Light

You’ve already seen how all these specs play a part in gaming. And that 16” 3.2K display really does feel bigger than it actually is. It’s great for split screen work tasks and catching up on the activities of your K-Pop idol wife and girlfriends (Delusional)

I like them big is how I typically describe how I like my gaming displays to be. And this one on the Legion 7i absolutely pushes things size-wise for something that you can relatively easily take from one location to another. 

Naturally, that huge a display means an also large overall footprint for the device. It’s pretty large that it fits in only one of the bags I own — it’s a weekender one at that. 

You’re going to need a big package to carry this around. And since you’ll likely have some space anyway. Might as well bring an extension cord. Trust me. You’ll need it.

Lenovo Vantage and AI Engine+

Lenovo Legion 7i

The thing I enjoyed the most is that I didn’t have to tweak anything at all. I just installed the games from their respective platforms and played away. As someone who doesn’t really have much time to fine tune settings, having the Legion AI Engine+ is a big boon for people like myself. 

I only need to open the Legion Vantage app, select Balance Mode, and tick box next to Legion AI Engine+ 

What it does is detect exactly what type of game you’re playing and calibrate the settings of the CPU and GPU to make sure you get the smoothest gaming experience possible. 

This is how AI should work. Less tweaking. More playing. 

But in moments when you want to keep yourself from pondering why your situationships never panned out, you can still tweak, maximize, overclock, and do all the PC things PC gamers seem to enjoy doing. 

The choice is ultimately yours. 

Work, work, work 

If the Legion 7i is the machine you have your eye on, chances are you’re going to use it for more than just gaming. And since we already know it can play, you already know it can definitely work. 

If your job entails just the usual: Email, some office apps, browser things and what not, then you’re pretty much covered. For us, since we dabble into a lot of photo and video editing, we need a little bit more oomph to get the job done. Thankfully, the Legion 7i is all the oomph we need. 

We can’t really speak for other professions, so our advice is to check the specs requirements for your intended tasks. That said, this thing is already pretty darn beefy. It’ll probably take some major workloads to push this to its limits. 

Legion Anything Goes 

Everything mentioned so far is why I fondly think of the Legion 7i, priced at PhP 149,995/ US$ 1,999, as the ‘Legion Anything Goes’. Generally, gaming laptops as beefed up as this one is a heck of a mobile machine. 

Light and heavy work: Check.

Light and heavy play: Even bigger check. 

Whatever you set out to do, the Legion 7i will empower you to take on quite literally all of them. It’s size is definitely something you might have to adjust to depending on whatever device you were using previously. 

But know that what you’re getting is such a complete package for work, chill, and play. 

So really, with the Lenovo Legion 7i… anything goes.

Tutorials

How to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone

It’s as easy as a single tap.

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Apple Pay is officially in the Philippines!

Pushing the country forward into a cashless and cardless future, Apple has now brought its contactless payment system to the Philippines. As with other countries, Apply Pay will work seamlessly and easily even for those who have problems with technology.

Now, despite how easy it is, sometimes we need to be pointed in the right direction. Here’s how you can set up Apple Pay on your iPhone:

Everything starts with the Wallet app. First, open your Wallet app. Tap the “+” button on the top and select “Debit or Credit Card.”

Normally, this is where you can input your card details (which you can still do, by the way), but the default method now is to just tap your card on the back of your iPhone. Your phone does the rest. You might need to confirm with your bank, but it’s as easy as a single tap.

Pick which cards to use. Once you have your cards online, you might need to change which one is the default card. Again, it’s easy. Just drag your preferred card to the front.

Afterwards, you can tap to pay in supported stores by priming the Wallet app for use. Tapping to pay is also available for Apple Watch. Meanwhile, online transactions can also work on MacBook.

Secure, all the time. If you’re worried about your security especially with online transactions, Apple keeps your information only between you and the seller. They don’t store your data.

Also, it’s not easy to make a transaction without your consent. You need Face ID, Touch ID, or your password. If you lose your phone, you can easily shut your phone down with the Find My app to prevent malicious parties from making transactions.

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Accessories

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.

The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.

Freedom behind the lens

The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.

On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.

FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.

ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.

It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.

None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.

And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.

The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.

The trade-offs in touch

The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.

DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.

You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.

Finding your ideal workflow

The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.

Price, availability

DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.

  • Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
  • Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
  • Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.

Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.

If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.

Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.

Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.

And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.

Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.

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Features

GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey

A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Westminster Abbey isn’t just another stop on the London tourist trail.

It’s the stage for coronations, royal weddings, and burials that span nearly a thousand years, all still playing out under the same vaulted ceilings that have been standing since before most countries had names.

Once you get past the crowds and the audio guides, a quieter version of the abbey starts to show itself: worn stone steps, poets resting a few feet from kings, light that shifts across the nave like it’s in on the performance too.

While losing track of time in Poets’ Corner (yes, me, playing amateur historian for an afternoon), I unfolded the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and decided the abbey deserved more than a quick tourist snap.


All photos captured using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.

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