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Pocophone F1’s cameras are as good as iPhone 8’s on DxOMark

Premium cameras for a budget-friendly phone

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Five months after its release, Xiaomi’s Pocophone F1 is still a sought-after flagship-specced midrange phone. It already proved itself to be a phone with amazing value, and a well-built device despite its plastic exterior. Its cameras are pretty good and now have super slow-mo video recording at 960fps. But, how good exactly are they?

According to DxOMark’s computational scoring system, the Pocophone F1’s cameras are just one point behind the iPhone 8’s. Apple’s cheapest iPhone (currently) costs more than twice Xiaomi’s offering and this proves (again) that you don’t have to pay a premium to get amazing cameras.

The Pocophone F1 has an overall score of 91, which is not shabby for the US$ 300 phone. For comparison, the iPhone 8 scored 92, while its Plus variant and the Galaxy Note 8 from Samsung are at 94.

 

With a Photo score of 92, the Pocophone is praised for its accurate exposure both indoors and outdoors, pleasant color reproduction, fast autofocus, and decent flash performance.

A common weakness of the Pocophone is its unimpressive stills (details-wise) in low-light and unnatural face rendering in portrait mode.

Image credit: DxOMark

As for Video, it scored a 90. It has fast autofocus, good AF tracking, effective stabilization, and vivid color reproduction in all lighting conditions. What’s frowned upon though, is the low detail capture and limited dynamic range. There are also instabilities in exposure and white balance.

The full review of DxOMark is already up on their website. They compared it to another Xiaomi phone — the Mi 8 — and the more expensive iPhone XS from Apple. The review is just for the phone’s AI-powered 12- and 5-megapixel rear cameras. DxOMark has yet to post their findings of the phone’s 20-megapixel selfie shooter.

SEE ALSO: Pocophone F1 gets tested for durability

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realme 12 5G Philippine price, availability

realme’s 3rd offering under the 12 series

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realme 12 5G

The realme 12 5G is now official in the Philippines. Months after launching the the 12+ and 12 Pro+ models under its latest number series line, realme is back with the release of the series’ base model. The realme 12 5G is priced at PhP 14,999 and is available through realme’s ecommerce platforms and offline stores.

As part of its launch, realme is offering customers exclusive deals starting April 25th:

Lazada Flagship (May 5 to 10)

  • Free realme Buds T100
  • Free TechLife Hair Dryer

Shopee Official Store (May 5 to 10)

  • Free TechLife Power Bank 2 20,000mAh
  • Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer

TikTok Shop (April 25, 7:30 PM to 30)

  • Free realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker
  • Free TechLife Cooling Fan

James Afante TikTok Shop (April 25, 7:30 PM)

  • Freebie package 1: TechLife Cooling Fan and Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer
  • Freebie package 2: realme Buds T100 and Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer
  • Freebie package 3: TechLife Portable Steam Iron, TechLife Electric Kettle, and TechLife Portable Electric Pot

ALSO READ: realme 12+ 5G review: One month later

For offline purchases, customers also stand a chance to win freebies worth up to PhP 24,999 with the Mystery Box promo. Furthermore, they may join the Lucky 12 Challenge for additional freebies when they purchase the realme 12 5G from any of the 100 selected concept stores, kiosks, and exclusive stores.

realme 12 5G

The realme 12 5G is just as capable as its 12+ and Pro+ counterparts. The model boasts of a 108MP 3X zoom portrait camera, taking off from the series’ Portrait Master positioning.

The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ 5G chipset, has 8GB of base RAM with 8GB RAM expansion, and a 5,000mAh battery with 45W SUPERVOOC Charge. In front is a 6.72-inch FHD+ 120Hz Sunlight Display that has a maximum brightness of 950nits. There is also an 8MP AI selfie camera.

Lastly, the handset also has a similar watch face design at the back. It is available in Twilight Purple and Woodland Green.

ALSO READ: realme 12 Pro+ 5G review: A midrange marvel

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ZTE nubia Neo 2 5G now in the Philippines: Pricing, details

ZTE’s budget gaming phone gets an upgrade

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Nubia Neo 2

ZTE has announced the availability of the nubia Neo 2 5G in the Philippines. The successor to the nubia Neo budget gaming smartphone, the second iteration is armed with an upgraded gaming control experience for Filipino gamers to enjoy.

The nubia Neo 2 5G retains the distinct Bionic Mecha with “Hero Eye” design from its predecessor. It is available in Storm Gray, Sunfire Yellow, and Frost Silver for PhP 9,999.

The phone is powered by a Unisoc T820 processor (6nm). It supports even more Dynamic RAM at 12GB to complement its 8GB base RAM, and also offers 5G dual-card intelligent switching. Additionally, the nubia Neo 2 5G carries an even larger 6,000mAh battery, which supports 33W fast charging.

ALSO READ: ZTE nubia Neo 5G: Decent for gaming

In front, the device sports a 6.72-inch FHD+ display with a 2,400 x 1,800 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate for seamless viewing and scrolling. At the back is a 50MP main camera.

Upgraded Game Space

The nubia Neo 2 5G features Game Space 2.0, an assistance tool that is reminiscent of a professional gaming layout. Here, users may tinker with game optimization functions, including Game Performance Enhancement. This adjusts the device’s CPU and GPU resources to help it manage power and battery usage.

The phone also supports ByPass Charging for uninterrupted gaming. Users may activate this charging feature while the charging cable is connected to the device. When under ByPass Charging, the phone gets powered up but without the battery charging so it can reduce heat.

Upgraded experience

Furthermore, one of the highlights of the nubia Neo 2 5G is its gaming shoulder triggers. This gives users more freedom and control while navigating and playing. Users may also customize the shoulder buttons based on their personal preferences.

Meanwhile, the phone’s Dual Stereo Speakers with DTS:X Ultra provide impressive sound quality. This is further enhanced with four built-in sound effects.

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Apple announces new special event for iPads

Scheduled for May 7

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The next Apple event is coming! Two weeks ahead of the big launch, the iPad maker has announced an upcoming event dedicated to the tablet.

As always, Apple has added a tagline to tease what’s coming for the brand. This time, it’s “Let loose.”

Now, you won’t get a lot of clues from something so vague. Thankfully, the graphic is much more telling. It features a hand clearly grasping an Apple Pencil. For sure, the event will focus on new iPads.

The special event will start on May 7, 10AM ET. Interested viewers can watch the event live.

There’s no confirmation what models are getting new faces for the event. However, rumors are swirling that we’re getting a new iPad Pro. We can likely expect a new Apple Pencil too, especially since the stylus is a main focus for the invite.

New iPhones are likely out, though. Apple usually holds the event for those later in the year. That leaves the Macs and the Vision Pro in the less-likely-but-still-possible realm.

That said, if you’re looking for new tablets, it’s time to wait a bit.

SEE ALSO: Apple might update its iPad lineup this week

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