Reviews

OPPO Reno13 5G review: Built for life’s (mis)adventures

It’s stylish, powerful, and built for adventure. What’s not to love?

Published

February 26, 2025

MJ Jucutan

As an adventure junkie, I’ve built a reputation for throwing myself — and my gadgets — into situations that most people wouldn’t dare.

While I’d confidently rate my body an IP69 (resilient, waterproof, and can endure almost anything), the same can’t be said for most of the smartphones I’ve owned.

I still shudder at the memory of nearly losing my iPhone 13 during a Paraw sailing trip in Boracay, one of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines, and perhaps, the world.

One rogue wave, and suddenly, I was drenched, clutching my phone for dear life. It survived after a silica gel intervention, but I swore off taking phones anywhere near water again.

When the OPPO Reno13 5G arrived just in time for my trip to the mystical island of Siquijor, it felt like a sign. Maybe, just maybe, this might be the phone that could finally keep up with me and my love for adventure.

Fresh look

At first glance, the OPPO Reno13 5G (or Reno13 for short) is a total stunner, especially in Plume White. OPPO has a way of making even midrange phones look like luxury, and this one is no exception.

With a fancy laser technique, OPPO worked its magic ~and science~ to create a dreamy light-and-shadow flow by blending matte and glossy textures.

What came out of it is a shiny, shimmering finish called the Butterfly Shadow effect, making the glass back glow from every angle with a subtle touch of a delicate, butterfly wing. It’s a fresh look for the Reno series, and I’m so here for it.

No case, no problem

Despite looking delicate and polished, the Reno13 can take a hit.

While enjoying Cambugahay Falls in Siquijor, I lost the plastic case that came with the box.

That meant using the Reno13 stripped, bare, and naked (like yours truly) in an environment filled with mud, jagged rocks, and plenty of opportunities for scratches.

Surprisingly, it held its own. Credit goes to its aerospace-grade aluminum frame, though. It’s built tough enough to survive accidental drops without wrecking the internals.

But even better? I never felt like I was going to drop it. The grip is solid, even when my hands were wet, muddy, or — let’s be honest — flailing while I tried to balance on slippery rocks. (And I was already barefoot! Cambugahay, you’re a menace!)

As waterproof as yours truly

On top of its pristine looks and tough build, the Reno13 has an IP69 rating — the highest level of dust and water resistance a phone can get. Finally, I found a phone that matches my energy.

It can survive underwater up to 2 meters deep for 30 minutes (but not in saltwater, please and thank you).

Naturally, I had to test it. So, I took it for a dip in one of Cambugahay Falls’ plunge pools, switching to the Underwater Photography Mode to see what the hype was about.

This mode locks the screen and lets you snap photos and videos using the volume buttons, so there will be no accidental swipes or app mishaps while submerged.

Did I love the photos? Ehh, not really. While the mode does auto-correct color shifts and enhance contrast, I still found myself wanting to tweak and color-correct the images.

As a creative director, I can confidently say that the raw files weren’t giving. But you know what was giving? Peace of mind. I didn’t have to stress about accidentally dunking my phone in the water. If it fell, I knew it would still work.

Keeping up with content hoarding

With that level of protection, I was convinced the Reno13 could survive my adventures. But could it keep up with my record-keeping?

Here’s the thing: I don’t post my adventures in real-time. Most of my content sits in storage for months before I finally decide to upload. And if I were to shoot in 4K all the time, my storage would disappear fast.

Good thing the Reno13 supports up to 12GB RAM + 512GB storage. That’s plenty of space — even for someone like me, who hoards footage like a digital scrapbooker.

If you’re a content creator, filming in 4K gives you flexibility in editing. But if you just want to document your travels and post straight to social media, 1080p is more than enough.

The Reno13 comes with a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel monochrome camera, and a 50-megapixel front shooter for selfies.

Take a look at these photos I took during my trip to Siquijor Island.

For more than 24 hours

The OPPO Reno13 5G’s battery life is absolutely insane. Even with me snapping photos, recording videos, doomscrolling through TikTok, and stalking aesthetically curated Instagram feeds (whenever I could catch a signal), it refused to give up.

With its beefy 5,600mAh battery, the Reno13 powered through my entire three-day Siquijor escapade on just one recharge.

I didn’t even have to worry about it dying on me mid-adventure. It held strong, barely dipping to 20% after a day and a half of non-stop action.

And when it finally needed some juice, the 80W SuperVOOC charging had it back to 100% in less than an hour.

By the time I touched down in Manila, I still had nearly half a battery left. It was enough to edit my travel snaps and romanticize my entire trip while stuck in a GrabCar, manifesting my next adventure.

Now that is what I call a ride-or-die battery.

The good, the bad, and the bloat

OPPO has always been good at making midrange smartphones look expensive.

But like most midrange devices, the Reno13 comes with its fair share of unnecessary baggage — aka bloatware. The first thing I did after setting it up? I deleted plenty of apps just to declutter my homepage.

That said, I have mixed feelings about the Reno13. On one hand, it fully embraces its AI-powered identity, weaving artificial intelligence into everything from the camera to performance tweaks.

On the other hand, I can’t shake the feeling that AI is becoming a crutch. Cool hardware innovations? Now that is something I’d rather see more of, rather than AI features that — let’s be real — most brands are just slapping onto their devices anyway.

But that’s a rant for another time. I actually found some AI features useful, particularly AI Summary and AI Writer.

If you’re like me who’s constantly bombarded with press releases, long articles, and documents filled with unnecessary fluff, AI Summary trims the excess and gets straight to the point.

AI Writer, on the other hand, acts as my on-the-go grammar checker and caption fixer when my brain is too exhausted to function.

After my Siquijor trip, the AI features I found myself actually using were the ones that saved my photos from the usual travel mishaps.

AI Eraser 2.0 came in clutch when I needed to remove random photobombers who had no business being in my perfect shot.

Then, AI Clarity Enhancer helped sharpen details, especially when the lighting wasn’t doing me any favors.

AI Unblur was a lifesaver for those action-packed moments when my hands — or the subject — just wouldn’t stay still. And then there’s AI Reflection Remover, which took care of annoying glares bouncing off the water or glass.

These are things I normally tweak in Photoshop, transferring files to my MacBook Air just to edit. But with the Reno13, I can fix photos on the spot.

No need to wait until I get back home! The only catch is you need an internet connection to use these AI-powered edits.

But let’s be honest, AI isn’t perfect. Sometimes, it nails it. Other times, it butchers your edits, and you’re left manually fixing the mess.

Moral of the story? Maybe just plan your shots better next time.

Keeping up with the energy

A phone that can survive my adventures and capture everything beautifully is great — but can it match my energy?

I won’t sugarcoat it: I’m impatient. Everything needs to work fast and on my terms. Thankfully, the Reno13 delivers with its MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chip, keeping everything smooth and lag-free.

Overheating is barely a problem, thanks to its cooling systems. That is, until you’re out under the full-on tropical sun, like when I was filming content at the beachfront of Bitaog Restaurant in Siquijor. It felt like I was holding a charcoal on fire.

Yet even under the glare of the midday heat, I could still see my photos and videos just fine.

That’s because the Reno13 packs a 6.59-inch display with 120Hz smart adaptive refresh rate, HDR10+ certification, and a peak brightness of 1200 nits.

It’s not the absolute brightest display I’ve used, but it’s enough to check my shots even under direct sunlight — just in case I needed a retake.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The OPPO Reno13 5G is as polished as it gets. It may be flaunting a fresh AI-powered glow, but deep down, it stays true to what we’ve come to expect: Solid, stable, and built to last.

Whether you’re hustling through city streets or chasing waterfalls (literally), this phone is designed to keep up, rain or shine.

Swipe right if you’re after a smartphone with reliable performance, AI features that actually help, a sleek and sophisticated design, a tough build that can handle a little adventure, fast-charging battery life, and cameras that make content creation effortless.

This is the phone that won’t flake on you. Think: Bruno Mars singing “Wherever you go, that’s where I’ll follow.”

Swipe left if the price tag makes you hesitate. The OPPO Reno13 5G is pricier than its predecessor and competitors. If budget is your top priority, there are other options that might give you similar results without the splurge.

But if you ask us, trust is a big deal — in dating, in travel, and in your tech. And the Reno13? It’s the kind of phone you can rely on. It’s the total package that’s worth the shot.

Price, availability

The OPPO Reno13 5G (12GB+512GB) retails for PhP 34,999, and comes in two colorways: Plume White and Luminous Blue.

It’s already available in select OPPO official brand stores in the Philippines.

Related Topics:OPPO OPPO Reno13 5G Reno13 5G

Reviews

vivo X300 Ultra review: A Whole Different Animal

Got the beast (finally) unleashed!

Published

June 22, 2026

Vincenz

With the arrival of vivo’s first “Ultra” smartphone last May 2024, I felt nothing but utmost excitement — until it was revealed to be China-exclusive.

Second generation landed, yet it remained the same. My disappointment grew twofold.

Despite rocking the vivo X200 Pro last year, my eyes were glued to the Ultra for its more powerful camera hardware.

Two years have passed, and my gloomy, rainy skies have finally turned into a sunny scenery.

The Chinese smartphone brand finally listened and unveiled the much-awaited vivo X300 Ultra slated for global markets.

A Whole Different Animal

With all the “Ultra” smartphones released in the wild, the vivo X300 Ultra is of a different species.

For starters, the vivo X300 Ultra has a massive 200MP f/1.85 rear camera based on Sony’s 1/1.12-inch LYTIA 901 (or LYT-901) image sensor.

What makes it stand out from the rest is that 35mm focal length is uniquely of its kind. No other smartphone brand dares to do what vivo is currently doing.

Even though 35mm exists in most modern flagships through a series of camera app taps, it’s only vivo’s X300 Ultra (and last year’s X200 Ultra) that made 35mm the de facto focal length standard in contrast to all 23/24/26mm wide shooters out there. No fake 35mm cropping whatsoever.

Personally, I am a huge lover of this tight framing. Not only it gives the best balance of DoF (Depth of Field) and FoV (Field of View), it makes you focus and capture more intricate subjects altogether.

That mighty sensor is also capable of capturing 50mm shots through in-sensor cropping.

Deny it or not, ultra-wide angle shooters are what most brands often neglect. Well, vivo tried to make it up to par with that 50MP f/2.0 UWA lens.

But, it’s not just about the megapixel count nor aperture opening. The X300 Ultra boasts a 1/1.28-inch Sony LYT-818. X200 Pro’s main sensor was transformed into X300 Ultra’s ultra-wide unit.

This further proves how the X300 Ultra, in aespa’s words, is truly a W.D.A (Whole Different Animal).

Last but definitely not the least, that 200MP f/2.67 periscope telephoto module capable of bringing in 3.5x optical zoom or an equivalent of 85mm.

Shooting beyond 10x is still crisp and clear thanks to Samsung’s 1/1.4-inch ISOCELL HP0 sensor refined for vivo.

Before I forget, the X300 Ultra is the only phone in the X-series line to feature a 5MP f/2.0 multi-spectral sensor.

vivo X300 Pro (left), X300 Ultra (right)

For the spec-savvy, here are the detailed camera specs of the X300 Ultra against its Pro brother.

	vivo X300 Pro	vivo X300 Ultra
Wide	50MP f/1.57 1/1.28” Sony LYT-828 24mm Focal Length	200MP f/1.85 1/1.12” Sony LYT-901 35mm Focal Length
Ultra-Wide	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1	50MP f/2.0 1/1.27” Sony LYT-818
*Telephoto*	200MP f/2.67 ZEISS APO 3.5x optical zoom 1/1.4” Samsung ISOCELL HPB sensor	200MP f/2.67 ZEISS APO 3.5x optical zoom 1/1.4” Samsung ISOCELL HP0 sensor
Multi- spectral	–	5MP f/2.0
Selfie	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1	50MP f/2.45 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN5

Mirrorless Mimicry

Last year’s vivo X300 Pro was already a very, VERY capable camera-centric flagship.

This year, vivo takes the X300 Ultra to the next level with their overhauled camera app features.

First and foremost, the shortcut bar on top is now customizable. Moreover, the lower right side lets you add more tools based on how you like them in your screen. This was not possible in previous iterations.

Now, if you’ve been following through over the years, the default color profiles were ZEISS Natural, Vivid, and Textured.

This year, the latter was changed to “Refined” while Textured was moved to less major presets in the list.

My first day with this monstrous camera phone made me explore all the new features — including making your very-own preset through Color Palette. This fully unlocks the hidden potential of the X300 Ultra.

Upon firing up that camera app, I immediately tested it out and did my own film recipe just to make my photos reflect my photography style. Thus, V01 and V02 were born.

Now, if you’re not a tinkerer like me, mirrorless-like presets are floating around XHS / XiaoHongShu (or RedNote, whatever you prefer).

For reference, here’s a quick comparison between vivo’s built-in presets versus my own recipe.

: vivo – Vivid

: V – V01

: vivo – Refined

: V – V01

This added ability truly proves my sentiment that it can be a “mirrorless replacement.” And by that, I meant you can show off your own photography style without having to be too restricted with the phone’s built-in presets and camera processing, Neither color-grading after the fact.

Such new feat is why I can never go back to the X300 Pro. And, even if they do include it in a future software update, X300 Ultra’s camera hardware is simply unbeatable.

: vivo X300 Ultra 35mm + V’s V01 Recipe

: Sony ZV-E10 + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.8 II Prime Lens

Just for fun, I took both of these 35mm shots using the vivo X300 Ultra alongside the Sony ZV-E10 with my budget 35mm prime lens.

Postcards #PhotoDump

Spoiler alert: There are a lot to see! And, that’s the point of a “review” anyway 🤐

🇹🇼 高雄市 / Kaohsiung

📍 Cijin Island

By making and applying the preset I made, I was able to take all the glistening photos at these two different beaches in Kaohsiung.

📍 Sizihwan Beach

📍 Night Light

📍 Kaoshiung Center

📍 Angel & Demon Café

📍 Pier 2

📍 Hamasen

My inner railway fanaticism was screaming with the working diorama and all TRA / Taiwan Railway-filled memorabilia inside Hamasen Railway Museum.

📍 THSR Zuoying

All the train madness (and the Kaohsiung trip as a whole) ends here.

🇹🇼 臺北市 / Taipei

Moving from the southern city towards the north, Taipei’s weather also shifted drastically.

📍 Ximending

Being able to witness an eerie Ximending for the first time in my fifth Taipei visit along with this preset made it more dramatic.

I can’t imagine how “impactful” these would look if I applied vivo’s built-in presets.

📍 Xinyi

📍 Songshan

📍 Xizhi, Nangang

📍 Food

📍 X-tras

‼️ Bonus #1: COMPUTEX 2026

: Eye contact of ROG’s Kris Huang is melting me

: I mean???

‼️ Bonus #2: Selfies

🇰🇷 부산 / Busan

It’s funny how this phone was able to see Busan while its owner is still dreaming of seeing it with his own eyes one fine day.

As stated, I was not the person who traveled here (my friend took ’em for me), Still, I’m glad how these photos turned out all throughout her week-long trip in Busan.

Full-on FleXibility

With the newer G2 and G2 Ultra teleconverter lenses by vivo and ZEISS alongside the improved Grip Case produced by PGYTECH, it’s hard not to think the vivo X300 Ultra is a professional-looking mirrorless camera from afar.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any of these X-tras with me.

Still, it would be a huge miss not to test out the built-in periscope prowess of the X300 Ultra on concert grounds.

🎵 260612 BTS ‘ARIRANG’ in Busan

🎶 260425 IVE ‘Show What I Am’ in MNL

Video VerXatility

I’ve witnessed how vivo aimed to hit two birds with one stone by delivering a capable photo and video shooter like how Apple does with Pro-branded iPhones.

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vivo made the X300 Ultra rival the iPhone 17 Pro Max not just in photography, but in videography as well. This year, they have finally delivered.

For one, there’s better lens versatility when shooting in 4K/120fps — regardless if it’s the default SDR (Rec.709) codec, Dolby Vision, or as extreme as Log recording. More so, slo-mo shooting will be smoother and clearer.

Additionally, low-light shooting, video stability, and even lens switching are all seamless.

While I already enjoyed the video strengths of last year’s X200 Pro and X300 Pro, the X300 Ultra is remarkable and unbeatable.

Back to that custom color palette feature. Well, it also works in video shooting — making the vivo X300 Ultra an ultimate mirrorless sub.

Admittedly, unlike MKBHD and most filmmakers out there, I’m never a fan of 24fps as I prefer shooting in 60fps or higher. However, the X300 Ultra made me think otherwise as I enjoyed such “cinematic” shooting made possible with vivo’s Film Style mode.

If you’re just the point-and-shoot type of shooter without wanting vivo’s default color styles or not “pro” enough to make your own color recipe, Film Look also exists for those cine-rich footages.

It does not stop there! vivo even added this more profesh-looking layout reminiscent of professional cine cameras.

In all honesty, I only used it once since the texts are quite tiny, and adjusting controls were quite fiddly.

Clean and Lean

At first glance, the vivo X300 Ultra is nothing but subtle refinements.

Last year’s Rimowa-like texture of the X200 Ultra was gone in favor of that two-tone shade. Personally, I loved that design element more as it also serves as a functioning grip when held.

Moving through, while the Film / Steppe / Victory Green is closer to my heart, the White colorway given to me is still heaps better than the plain Eclipse Black shade.

It’s not just clean-looking, the bigger part has that subdued, mountain-like pattern faintly showing up when hit by light.

I’ve always been fond of massive circular camera cutout — vivo X-series not left out. Gladly, vivo still stuck with this design.

vivo X300 Ultra (above) vs X300 Pro (below)

Now, before you jump on that hump hate train, it’s great to appreciate how vivo engineers were able to fit all these massive camera components within.

I don’t mind the thiccer, protruding camera bump versus its Pro sibling. After all, it serves both form and function especially that it makes a great resting place for my finger when held one-handed.

At 8.49mm and 237 grams, it’s not too slim and hefty enough to avoid those unwanted drops and slides that I experienced frequently with the previous X200 Pro and X300 Pro.

#NowPlaying: The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, The WONDERfools

Flipping to its front shows the X300 Ultra’s 6.82-inch 144Hz LTPO AMOLED panel.

In the entirety of this review period, I was able to start and end The Legend of Kitchen Soldier starred by Park Ji-hoon — one of my ultimate biases (and crushes) both in the K-Pop and K-Drama world.

One of the best and most hilarious K-Dramas ever existed, periodt.

From the series’ cool video game-like VFXs à la smart glasses, mouthwatering cooking mastery, all the way to the hilarious, comedic snippets in between, it’s hard to deny how immersive it gets the longer you stare at that screen.

The bezels are impossibly thin for an Android smartphone.

Admittedly, I’m impatient when it comes to bi-weekly broadcasts (or two episodes being aired per week). Luckily, the one-time full release of Netflix’s The WONDERfools headlined by the amazing Park Eun-bin alongside the irresistible Cha Eun-woo made me sane.

This further tested its display strengths when I tried watching it against the harsh sun.

Just like the Legend Kang Sungjae and the Haeseong WONDERfools, X300’s Ultra display is legendary and wonderful on its own. 4500 nits peak brightness, 2K resolution, pixel density of 510ppi, and support for DCI-P3 Wide Color Gamut, what more could I ask for?

It would be a huge denial on my end though if I didn’t say I want a bigger 6.9-inch display in order to fully feel its “Ultra” naming superlative — just like how Samsung, Xiaomi, and Apple made it possible with their Ultra (or Pro Max) models.

On Queue: I.O.I, NMIXX, tripleS

Sound produced by vivo’s X300 Pro were already loud and full. How much more with the X300 Ultra?

It’s hard to say that there are major improvements. Rest assured, its built-in stereo speakers sound superb.

Highs, mids, and lows are clearly separated without that unwanted flat nor muffled sound output.

Speaking of separation, I.O.I has been separated 10 years ago but came back this 2026 for a short yet sweet reunion comeback. I was very giddy to play Suddenly through the phone’s mighty speakers.

Suddenly, it made me teary-eyed after realizing I’ve witnessed I.O.I’s hardships and very formation ever since I watched Produce 101 Season 1 since 2015.

Thanking all the gods for NMIXX’s existence

The lossless goodness can also be heard when I played NMIXX’s Cresecendo and Heavy Serenade — especially with Lily, Sullyoon, and Kyujin’s adlibs.

Last but definitely not the least, the soothing yet energizing vibe was felt all throughout when I played the rock-infused pop track Baby Flower by the K-Pop super group, tripleS.

Finally! OT24 and ASSEMBLE26

It’s not just the song, rather, the full <LOVE&POP> pt.1 album, that’s worth listening to more than the streams they have garnered from their release date.

All in all, much like all these explosive bangers, the vivo X300 Ultra is a remarkable device for your banging loudspeaker sessions — even without the existence of any audio brand partnership.

True Blue Flagship

With flagship-grade display and cameras lie all the powerful core within.

Given that this is vivo’s ultimate flagship, it runs the latest and greatest 3nm SoC from Qualcomm: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Paired with a speedy 16GB LPDDR5X Ultra Pro memory, opening and switching or using apps simultaneously should be easy-breezy.

With OriginOS 6, animations are less fluid yet very snappy. I prefer it more over other Android skins (ColorOS, MagicOS, HyperOS, you get the idea).

Talk about perfect timing! I was thrilled when NTE (Neverness to Everness) finally made its release last May.

With this phone’s ultra-capable specs, it made me enjoy the all-new open-world game more fun and enjoyable. It’s like a mashup of Zenless Zone Zero and Cyberpunk 2077.

Looking at the graphics settings alone, you’re assured that the X300 Ultra will run the most intensive gaming titles to ever exist on the Android space.

While other markets have a 1TB storage configuration, the region where I reside in solely sticks to the 512GB variant.

Then again, it’s a major downside for a power user like me who easily fills up the phone. That’s considering how massive and daunting the file sizes are once you shoot in RAW and record in the most insane video resolution and codec possible in this device.

Hopefully though, vivo would consider bringing in 1TB to more regions — and 2TB like the newer iPhone Pros.

Now that I mentioned it: Other than the macOS integration with vivo’s Office Kit, the X300 Ultra can now do AirDrop as well! This was only a fantasy back then — especially for an Apple-slash-Android user like me.

The Not-so-flagship aspect

Frankly, the only thing that is not flagship-like about the X300 Ultra is its battery longevity.

Even though we are now being spoiled by 8000mAh ~ 10,000mAh+ midrangers nowadays, I am very much aware of the engineering challenges faced by manufacturers when prioritizing cameras in the flagship-class.

But, hear me out real quick. Why did OPPO manage to equip the Find X9 Ultra with an even bigger 7025mAh capacity? The Chinese Xiaomi 17 Ultra even has 200mAh more.

ICYMI, the X300 Pro already had a 6500mAh battery — and it didn’t last me throughout a whole day. How much more with the 6600mAh tank of the X300 Ultra?

Despite a more “power-efficient” chipset and a 100mAh boost in battery, the X300 Ultra is not in any way better in terms of endurance. While I thank vivo for the OriginOS transition, the battery efficiency of Funtouch OS was left behind.

While it can last well when used in moderate scenarios, it’s a heavy hogger when you use the cameras a LOT — which is the point of wanting this smartphone.

Case in point: During our COMPUTEX 2026 coverage, I relied heavily on this smartphone for shooting 90% of the stuff around the exhibition — especially because of how crammed and crowded the booths and pathways were.

From 9AM up until 2PM, it easily depleted its fully-charged state down to just 15%.

Fortunately, the vivo X300 Ultra supports one of the fastest charging speeds in a smartphone: 100W FlashCharge and 40W Wireless FlashCharge.

With my whole review duration, I utilized its wired charging capabilities more especially that it has a bundled charger plus USB-C to USB-C cable in the box.

	*FlashCharge High Speed*	*FlashCharge Normal*
*START TIME (From 0%)*	4:20AM	6:06PM
3 minutes	2%	2%
5 minutes	4%	4%
10 minutes	10%	7%
15 minutes	21%	11%
20 minutes	30%	20%
*30 minutes*	50%	30%
45 minutes	77%	44%
*1 hour*	98%	62%
1 hour 15 minutes	—	83%
*END TIME*	5:26AM 1 hour 6 minutes	7:35PM 1 hour 28 minutes

Mind you, third-party chargers, cables, and even power banks will still work and can take advantage of that FlashCharge High-Speed charging all thanks to that USB-C PPS protocol.

Although MagSafe isn’t supported, third-party cases with magnets can still make magnetic Qi2 (and Qi2.2) wireless charging possible.

Is the vivo X300 Ultra your GadgetMatch?

The original headline of this review was supposed to be “the true mirrorless for less.”

But, with a base price of PhP 109,990 / MYR 6799 / INR 159,999, it’s not precisely cheaper than most mirrorless setups in the market.

Still, that doesn’t mean the X300 Ultra performs less than a mirrorless.

Spending almost two months with the X300 Ultra, I can truthfully say I’ve enjoyed shooting with this power-packed phone more than the mirrorless camera I own.

This isn’t me saying smartphones can replace mirrorless cameras anytime soon. But, the focal length flexibility, photo and video versatility, plus plentiful software feats truly make the X300 Ultra the pinnacle of phone-tography and videography.

As I alluded to earlier, the X300 Ultra is vivo’s direct answer to Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max.

While acquiring that iPhone of the same configuration is cheaper at PhP 101,990 / INR 154,900 (but more expensive in Malaysia at MYR 6999), X300 Ultra boasts greater camera hardware and better pro-grade tools altogether.

And, even if you are stuck with some Apple devices (like yours truly), its readiness alongside the Apple ecosystem makes it an Android smartphone you cannot resist.

In Europe, while the starting price is higher at EUR 1999, that gives you double the storage. But, at the cost of removing the bundled charger and cable due to EU laws.

Enough talking! The vivo X300 Ultra is a hard Swipe Right, solid Super Swipe, and a worthy recipient of GadgetMatch’s Seal of Approval.

Reviews

The realme P4 Power: realme’s midrange power play?

A power bank and a phone — and more

Published

June 19, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

Whenever a brand slaps a “long battery life” label on a box, we take it with a grain of salt.

Even as smartphone battery capacities have become larger as of late, endurance is still subjective. It’s heavily dependent on your daily screen time, signal strength, and other habits.

But when a smartphone lands on your desk with a gargantuan 10,001mAh battery, then that subjectivity basically goes right out the window.

That’s what the realme P4 Power chiefly brings to the Philippine market for the first time, in the brand’s P series relatively quiet debut in the country.

It’s here to eliminate low-battery anxiety and render your bulky external power banks completely obsolete.

Tether-less freedom

We wielded this device for weeks as a primary daily driver, and the endurance is nothing short of black magic.

The daily rotation included endless social media scrolling, video streaming, continuous navigation, and a relentless stress test: serving as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot for up to three separate devices simultaneously.

Through all that usage, the phone flat-out refused to die. I didn’t consciously “try” to drain it. I just know it would last an entire day for up to the wee hours.

When acting as a multi-device router, the chassis does heat up slightly, but it never crosses into alarming or uncomfortable territory.

It simply sips power, providing a level of tether-less freedom that no standard 5,000mAh or 6,000mAh smartphone can replicate.

When it is finally time to recharge the device, it supports 80W SUPERVOOC charging so you won’t have to spend hours waiting.

Even if you don’t replenish it back up to 100%, an hour’s worth of charging should keep you going the extra distance.

Immersive visuals, casual performance

The massive battery pairs beautifully with a expansive 6.8-inch 144Hz AMOLED display. With a high, 453ppi pixel density and 1280 x 2800 resolution, media consumption and gaming become highly engaging — at least from a visuals standpoint.

There is a wider aspect ratio so you don’t get a comically long phone, and a curved screen. We aren’t typical fond of this but the curvature seems subtle, meaning no accidental edge touches.

When it comes to performance, the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra chipset handles everyday tasks and casual, less-demanding titles with absolute ease.

However, when jumping into competitive matches of Call of Duty: Mobile or exploring the heavy landscapes of Honkai: Star Rail, you will encounter frame drops and stuttering from time to time.

It’s never jarring enough to ruin your match or hinder what you’re trying to do, but it does occasionally disrupt an otherwise smooth gaming experience.

If anything, there’s Championship Mode and GT Mode to optimize the device for such tasks. Bypass Charging is a bonus so you can keep playing without the risk of device overheating.

Audio is loud but somewhat flat, but I didn’t expect much.

Heavy, mecha-inspired tank

That display curvature is part of the phone’s overall aesthetic. Around the back, the realme P4 Power embraces its “all about power” persona with a distinct, machine-inspired design language.

The upper half where the camera island is located, in particular, look aggressive and sharp, as if a nod to mobile gaming. The colorway for this unit is silver metallic.

However, housing a 10,000mAh cell requires a serious physical compromise: weight. This phone is significantly, undeniably heavy.

The sheer heft is a constant reminder of the juice it carries, to the point where switching back to a “normal” smartphone yields a stark, instantly noticeable contrast in your hand and pockets.

Reliable main camera, lagging selfies

For its camera package, the realme P4 Power comes with a dependable 50MP main camera with a Sony IMX882 sensor.

I didn’t exactly “test” the camera but just naturally used it whenever I was out and about. Hence, I ended up with plenty of food, product reviews, and random finds.

Performance is decent, with the 1x to 1.5x range being the sweet spot. Compared to budget devices, there is definitely more detail and texture.

Color reproduction is likewise amenable, with some depth and acceptable clarity. But camera-centric mid-rangers can obviously offer punchier, more “popped-up” contrast.

With OIS, video recording is likewise smooth. It’s usable for casual vlogging, although lighting is still the catch. You’ll need an extra tofu light for instance, which sacrifices the portability of the phone itself.

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The selfie camera, meanwhile, also lags compared to older realme number series devices I’ve used. Sharpness, vividness, and color accuracy are lacking.

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Built to survive the elements

As an added bonus, realme didn’t sacrifice ruggedness for the sake of capacity. The handset comes armed with a familiar IP69 rating for dust and water resistance, including high-pressure water jets and submersion.

We took it out on outdoor jogs, and heavy sweat didn’t cause a single issue. Even when dealing with moisture, the display’s touch optimization remained responsive.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The realme P4 Power sits right in the competitive PhP 25,999 price bracket. In an era where smartphone prices are continuously climbing, it still offers a value proposition as an all-around mid-range device.

Think of it as buying a standard mid-ranger plus a power bank, minus the double pocket clutter. Long-term battery degradation remains to be seen but it seems the device is a fair purchase for power users.

It’s a close call, but the P4 Power is still a Swipe Right especially if your lifestyle demands endless battery life above all else.

Reviews

HONOR Watch 6 Review: Less guessing, more knowing

Beyond educated guesses

Published

June 18, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

After a week with the HONOR Watch 6, I realized I liked having data on things I normally would just leave to uneducated guesses.

I love seeing my sleep metrics, knowing if my heart is actually racing, and seeing notifications on the fly. These are things I find truly helpful in how I go about life currently. That’s why I can already see myself using the watch beyond the review period.

The thing is, I wasn’t expecting any of this.

The first thing that jumped out at me when I first wore the HONOR Watch 6 was that it barely felt like it was there. I was half expecting it to be this chunky-feeling thing. But it wasn’t. I was pleasantly surprised.

I have the silver model with the brown leather strap, and it feels light to wear. That was key for me because what I really wanted to track more than anything was my sleep.

The only time I really started to notice that I was wearing it practically all the time was around the fifth or sixth day. And honestly, that says a lot because I tend to want to take off most of the smartwatches I’ve used in the past.

A smartwatch that fits daily life

The brown leather strap is inoffensive in the best possible way. It blends well with both casual wear and smart casual outfits, which made it easy to keep on throughout the week.

In fact, I think it looks more at home during everyday life than during intense workouts.

That’s why I found myself looking at the HONOR Watch 6 less as a fitness watch and more as a health tracker that looks nice and tells me if there’s a proverbial fire I need to put out — or if she remembered me that day.

The display also quietly did its job.

Of course it’s a TWICE notification

You know, I didn’t even think about it. Whenever I needed to check the time or glance at a notification, I simply gestured as anyone would to look at their watch. No matter where I was, what I needed to see was readily visible.

That’s probably the highest compliment I can give a smartwatch display. It never gave me a reason to think about it.

Managing attention without reaching for my phone

Oof. I cannot overstate how many notifications I get on any given day.

As a Managing Editor with occasional side hustles, notifications come from multiple messaging apps. One moment I’m tracking production progress on WhatsApp, the next I’m checking what the team is discussing on Telegram. Then there are the emails, Messenger messages from friends, and the “… sent you a reel” notifications that have recently dropped in frequency to my dismay.

I don’t always want to pull out my phone to check these.

What I appreciated most about the HONOR Watch 6 is that notifications are grouped by app, and each one provides a clean preview. It gives me enough information to quickly assess what needs attention and what can wait.

For someone who is constantly juggling attention, that proved surprisingly useful.

Replacing guesses with data

The feature I was most interested in wasn’t fitness tracking.

It was sleep tracking.

Some time ago, a friend of mine started tracking her sleep and it helped her better regulate her energy throughout the day. I am nowhere near that level of discipline, but I was curious.

Between traveling across time zones, late-night coverage, doomscrolling, revenge bedtime procrastination, and everything else life throws at us, I honestly wasn’t sure if I was getting enough sleep.

What I learned is that I tend to wake up at least once in the middle of the night. Not for anything, really. I just do.

The mornings that felt best were often the nights where my sleep wasn’t interrupted. I know that sounds obvious, but if you’re not actively paying attention, these are the kinds of patterns you can easily miss.

The same goes for heart rate tracking.

During a particularly stressful stretch, I noticed my heart rate was consistently elevated. It wasn’t exactly surprising, but seeing the data attached to the feeling made it feel more real.

That’s what I found myself appreciating most about the HONOR Watch 6. It didn’t magically solve anything. It simply helped me replace assumptions with information.

Battery life that quietly impressed

As of taking the photos, the battery life is at 39% – still coming off the first initial charge.

I charged the watch the moment I unboxed it. Seven days later, it was sitting at 59%.

During that time, I wore it constantly. Notifications were enabled. Health tracking was enabled. I tracked a handful of kettlebell workouts and wore it while sleeping.

I wasn’t exactly pushing the watch to its limits, but I also wasn’t babying it.

The result was a battery experience that quickly faded into the background. That’s exactly what I want from a smartwatch.

Everything else

To be completely honest, I didn’t have the time or bandwidth to thoroughly test every feature.

My workout sessions were limited to a few kettlebell workouts and my usual walking. That said, the breadth of sports tracking available here is impressive. If you can think of an activity, there’s a good chance the HONOR Watch 6 can track it.

Pairing was also straightforward. The initial setup process and software updates went smoothly, even if updates immediately after unboxing remain one of my least favorite parts of testing any device.

My one annoyance came from using the watch with multiple HONOR phones. At times, notifications would arrive twice or arrive at slightly different times depending on which device was relaying them. There’s probably a setting that solves this. I just didn’t have the opportunity to dig deeper.

Same notification, two different phones

As for features like AI Recorder and NFC payments, I simply didn’t encounter situations where they became essential to my routine. That’s not necessarily a criticism. It may simply reflect how different people use smartwatches.

Is the HONOR Watch 6 your GadgetMatch?

Something I don’t think we’ve talked about enough is that the HONOR Watch 6 also works well with an iPhone.

If you don’t particularly like the look of the Apple Watch but still want a smartwatch on your wrist, this is a viable alternative.

The HONOR Watch 6 is for people who want useful technology that blends into everyday life. It looks good enough for casual outings and nicer occasions alike, while still offering the usual smartwatch essentials like health tracking, workout monitoring, notifications, and long battery life.