In recent conversations with some close confidantes, I’ve expressed how I stumbled into a life I didn’t necessarily dream of. My work has taken me to places I never even imagined going to. One of those is London in the United Kingdom. Armed with the CANON EOS R50 V, I asked my friend, Jane, who has lived there for around seven to eight years to show me around. 

Being in a new place always feels a little overwhelming. Thankfully, I had a local show me around. I only had two requirements: I wanted to see spots shown on the film Spider-Man: Far From Home (yes, I’m a webhead), and the Big Ben. That’s it. Everything else would be gravy. 

And so, our little city trek began. 

Didn’t realize there was someone looking at the camera when I shot this. Sun was pretty high up that day.

The first thing we spotted from afar is the City Mayor’s office. It’s this oval-looking thing. Definitely not your typical City Hall design. 

After walking a few spaces, we spot these food trucks with the Tower Bridge in the background. If I remember correctly, Jane told me these food trucks aren’t a permanent fixture here – usually a summer thing.

Spider-Man: Far From Home spots

“Monji alji” iykyk

I usually go solo on these foreign city walkabouts. But having a companion meant I could take these touristy photos. 

And yes, this is also the bridge in Spidey Far From Home. I was clearly giddy. 

Quite close to it – but still not as close as the Far From Home film made it seem – is The Shard. 

This was where Fury and Maria Hill (who turned out to be Skrulls) were stationed during the final act of the movie.

I might be mistaken but it was also along this path where we saw the Traitor’s Gate. There were several people taking photos at this area so it’s most certainly a tourist attraction. 

It served as the entryway for many Tudor-era prisoners brought to the Tower of London. Originally constructed by Edward I, it functioned as a water gate within St. Thomas’ Tower — a section of the fortress built to offer extra living quarters for the royal family.

Yes, I got that off of Wikipedia. Sue me.

Along the walk we spotted these City Cruises. They looked nice from afar. But I’ve been on something like this before and I was terrified – I’m not exactly fond of being in big-ish bodies of water.

I can’t remember if we crossed or just went by it – but we were on the Tower Bridge. It was filled with people and those double deck buses that I didn’t get a chance to ride. 

You also get a nice view of The Shard from the Tower Bridge.

At this point we were already looking for a spot to get some grub. We stopped by a pub but they didn’t have what we wanted to order so we walked some more. 

Fish, chips, and more

Along the way, we spotted this residential back alley. I thought the view made for a nice little corner-of-the-city shot.

Along the way hunting for a pub that served fish and chips, I shot the photo above. I’m a sucker about the concept of parallel universes and this shot kind of had that vibe. Sorry. Nerd. 

 

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We eventually settled here at The Raven. 

I finally had my first authentic British fish and chips. 

We stayed here for a while before continuing the trek. 

On the way to Big Ben/ Elizabeth Tower, we passed by Borough Market. Although, we didn’t linger too much nor buy anything. But hey, at least I could say I was there. 

Around the area is the Clink Prison Museum. A quick Google search says it’s one of the oldest prisons. It’s been around since 1144. Old indeed. There were plenty of these gibbet-type things. That’s how they executed people back then. 

Around the bend, there’s this nice view of the Southwark Cathedral. I didn’t want to spontaneously combust so we didn’t go in. 

Along the way, we also spotted this wall with heart graffiti. I was lucky enough that a couple seemed to be walking beside it when I took a shot. 

Plenty of paces away we came across the Millenium Bridge with St. Paul’s Cathedral in the background. This is easily one of my favorite shots from this walkaround. 

A little further down and we spotted these two red pillars that don’t really connect anywhere. A quick Gemini search told us that these are the remains of the original Blackfriars Railway Bridge. 

Right next to it is the current Blackfriars Bridge which has been around since 1869. 

Approaching Big Ben

Moving along, we ended up at Regent’s Park where the National Theater is located. Jane tells me this is one of her favorite spots in the city.

Not too far off is the BFI IMAX Cinema in London. The facade of the place is also known for hosting major ads. At the time we walked by, it had Adidas Superstar ads splattered all over. 

When the game God of War: Ragnarok came out, this place also had ads for it. 

At this point, we were quickly pacing through the spots as we were supposed to meet another friend. We passed through London’s Eye rather quickly. The area had a festive vibe with people gathered around stages.

[Big Ben facade] 

At long last, we finally made it to Big Ben. This was a nice photo spot right across the Elizabeth Tower which hosts the Big Ben. It’s part of the larger Palace of Westminster. 

Naturally, we had to take some touristy photos. While making our way across the bridge, “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters was blasting through the speakers of one of the vendors there. Truly a global phenomenon. 

Had a closer look at Big Ben after making our way across. It looked absolutely majestic. 

Wrapping up the trek

We started making our way to Buckingham Palace after. Before that, I snapped this real quick without realizing that it’s a closer look at St. Paul’s Cathedral. 

Buckingham Palace is surrounded by a large area of different parks. I believe this particular spot is already the Buckingham Palace Garden. But there are several parks around it where people run or just spend some quiet time in. 

As expected, the Buckingham Palace was filled with people. I couldn’t really get shots I was totally satisfied with so I leave you with this one of the Palace gates.

I went back a few days later to take more photos but this time with the HONOR Magic V5. 

Beeda Beeda even in London

We capped off the trek by meeting with our friend at this familiar place.

There were plenty more shots, spots, and musings that I couldn’t share here. Overall, the CANON EOS R50 V was a very nice companion for travel treks like this. 

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We’ve spent enough time with the ROG Xbox Ally X to say this: it’s no longer just a novelty, it’s a handheld that finally knows what it wants to be.

The first Ally from 2023 was exciting — a bold step toward making PC gaming portable. But after a few sessions, it felt more like a prototype for what was coming next.

This one? It feels complete.
So, in this edition of Match Pulse, let’s talk about how the Ally X grips better, plays longer, and why it finally deserves the Xbox badge printed on it.

First look

The first touch felt awkward — the kind of feeling you get when you’re not sure how to hold something new. But the longer you hold it, the more it starts to make sense.

The redesigned grips, patterned after Xbox controllers, give it a natural curve that rests well in your palms. It still doesn’t dig in as much as I’d like to – the way it does on the Legion Go S – but it’s certainly an improvement.

It’s subtly heavier than the original, but the weight works in its favor. The balance feels right. The texture, more grounded. It feels made for long sessions, not quick demos.

This is where ASUS seems to have listened. What was once a bit slippery now feels like an extension of your hands. The matte finish stays clean, the edges no longer bite. It’s a small but significant shift — and one that makes a world of difference in how it’s used.

First date

We tested it the same way we tested the original Ally: unplugged, Turbo mode, 25W TDP, NBA 2K Quick Play.

Back then, we couldn’t finish more than a single game and a few minutes of freestyle practice before the battery flatlined.

This time, it’s double that.

Two full games before reaching for the charger — and that’s without dialing down the settings. The new 80Wh battery doesn’t just promise endurance; it delivers it.

The cooling system has also been reworked, quieter yet just as efficient. It’s the kind of update that doesn’t make headlines, but you hear it – or I guess In this case, not hear it as much.

Together, these tweaks make the Ally X something the original never quite managed to be — a handheld that lets you play longer unplugged.

First impressions

The Xbox influence is everywhere, and it’s not just branding. The Ally X now boots straight into the Xbox app, with the familiar button logo acting as your home key. Press it, and you’re instantly back in the Xbox ecosystem.

It feels less like a PC pretending to be a console, and more like a handheld that understands both worlds.

You can still jump into Steam or Game Pass with ease, but the default experience is unmistakably Xbox — intuitive, familiar, and cohesive.

All these refinements add up to something simple but powerful: this finally feels like a true successor.

The ROG Xbox Ally X doesn’t reinvent the idea of handheld gaming, but it refines it where it matters — in the way it feels in your hands, in how long it lasts, and in how effortlessly it connects to what you want to play.

If the original was a promise, this one is fulfillment – still with room for improvement, sure, but I trust you get the gist.

Learn more: https://ph.rog.gg/playALLYourgames2025
Where to buy: https://ph.rog.gg/wheretobuy2025