realme is stepping up to the plate with a new gaming phone with the realme 6. Was anyone particularly surprised? I was. But, before we get into the review, there’s no point avoiding the giant invasive elephant in the room whenever we talk about new releases. COVID-19 has drastically shifted our lives and has ultimately changed how we interact with everyone. It’s dramatically changed how we navigate our day-to-day.
Painful reality
But, reality still. For the most part, everything is in one enclosed space now. There’s no spatial separation between work, school, home, and play. Honestly, time has also probably warped since this entire thing hit the fan for most of us. We’ve probably lost track of time more than once in the entire year and it’s still just May.
Strap up, boys and girls, 2020 is a wild one.
Which brings me to something I personally find helpful in an anxiety-inducing time: playing games. Now, now, a bunch of gatekeepers have kept to their high horse over the ancient PC or console debate but, I think phones have a large new place in the argument.
Games, like most other art forms, rooted itself as a form of entertainment, a pass-time. Granted, a large industry grew from building competitiveness within the ecosystem, the point still stands. Games are for fun. Play it however way you like. It is still for your enjoyment or entertainment.
What’s this got to do with anything?
Things don’t exist in their own fantastical bubble. Don’t we just all wish it did though? I’d previously referenced how video games have had a significantly positive impact on my mental health. In a time where anxiety, depression, and manic attacks are at an all-time high, I think I don’t just speak for myself when I say having something for cognitive distraction or a twinge of healthy escapism is helpful and welcome.
Here’s where I timely segue into how the realme 6 played a quiet role in calming the daunting storm stirring in my head in most days.
A “gaming phone” how?
Okay, this phone sat in my apartment since the lockdown began and I’m not going to lie, the timing was a little strange. This year didn’t just start a mess, it proceeded to get worse and worse. From volcanoes erupting, forest fires, Kobe, and locusts, you could say the universe heard everyone’s posts testing how it could get any worse and slapped big ol’ corona into the mix.
That aside, I lucked out a bit with the Realme 6 with me since the lockdown began. With a Helio G90T processor, 90Hz refresh rate display, 8GB RAM and 128 GB storage and fast-charging 4,300mAh battery, you can only imagine the reckless abandon I had when playing new offline games during the quarantine.
The phone measures 6.5 inches and optimizes it with FHD resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 to make sure that beauty stays protected. The Realme 6 doesn’t really disappoint.
It delivers on all those specs and makes playing games look stunning. It’s so good that when you’re a little manic and need some cathartic kills, there’s honestly nothing wrong with hopping into a game and getting some frags.
Not just a gaming phone
Here, we talk about the things we didn’t ask for but, obviously things the phone delivers on without being asked of. The realme 6 is a pretty impressive phone. It delivers on all fronts relating to gaming and even the battery life can hold up to more than eight (8) hours of play and use.
But, that isn’t what makes the realme 6 a phone. We can call it a convenient handheld with everything so far but it has a decent set of cameras worth mentioning.
The cameras
The Realme 6 has a 64MP Quad camera with a 16MP in-display selfie camera. It’s got Super Nightscape 2.0 for low-light shots, Ultra Image Stabilization, 120fps Slow-Mo Selfie, and Real-Time Bokeh Video.
I went out to test these features and they deliver. The photos below are pretty telling of my uneventful lockdown lifestyle so dial it down on dissing the silly still shots.
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- Life as a fur mom
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- Life as a fur mom
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- Life as a fur mom
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- Have you been eating well?
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- Have you been eating well?
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- Stepped out real quick
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- Stepped out real quick
Selfie, ta-dah!
Nit-picking the little things
If there’s one silly downside though, the phone does struggle to focus on moving objects. And, if there’s one petty thing I personally am not a fan of, it’s notches and in-display selfie cameras.
No jabs at realme for that one though, that’s all me. Anything blocking even the tiniest part of any display just throws me off and reminds me of the Zima Blue episode in Love, Death, and Robots.
Sometimes, it’s not a design flaw; sometimes, it’s just a depressive lunatic associating a tiny round in-display camera to the void of her own existence.
Is the realme 6 your GadgetMatch?
If you’re looking for the perfect phone to play and keep yourself sane with progressive quality lockdown selfies and photos, this is the phone for you. It lets you play, keep sane, and gets through a full day of use quite easily.
If you’re looking for a phone that delivers on stunning gameplay, performance, and lots of storage while having uncompromised camera features, this is definitely the phone you’re looking for.
Real talk real quick though, I think the realme 6 was the perfect lockdown companion. There’s been many a time where I found myself stirring some random crap up and I needed a moment of just disconnecting to ironically come back more connected. Some paradox of an existence we all have, huh.
The realme 6 — a successor of the realme 5 Pro — is available in 4GB RAM + 128GB storage for PhP11,990 and in 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant for PhP13,990. It can be purchased online on the official realme Lazada store.
AMD has launched the new AMD Radeon RX 9050 graphics card, expanding the Radeon RX 9000 series with an affordable option.
This brings AMD RDNA 4 gaming technologies to mainstream gamers with a retail price of US$ 279.
The particular GPU is designed for responsive gameplay at 1080p. That’s for esports and modern AAA titles.
Some popular titles it can run at high frame rates on a 1080p resolution include: Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 6, Pragmata, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Valorant, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, to name a few.
This highly efficient, drop-in upgrade features a 92W TBP and fully supports the latest AMD FSR technologies, next-gen raytracing, and high-quality AV1 video streaming.
Key specs:
- Architecture: AMD RDNA 4
- Compute Units: 16
- VRAM: 8GB GDDR6
- Game Clock / Boost Clock: 1.92 GHz / Up to 2.60 GHz
- TBP: 92W
In line with the Radeon RX 9050 launch, AMD has also released AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.7.1.
This driver introduces official day-one support for Radeon RX 9050, alongside early multiplayer access for Gears of War: E-Day.
Users can download the software here.
Gaming
NBA 2K27 gameplay trailer showcases new dunk mechanics, Rucker Park, and more
First gameplay details revealed
NBA 2K27 is giving fans their first look at this year’s gameplay.
2K has released the official gameplay trailer for NBA 2K27, showcasing enhanced visuals and several gameplay updates ahead of the game’s September 4 launch. The trailer also features cover athletes Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark, and Derrick Rose while teasing changes across Gameplay, MyCAREER, MyTEAM, MyNBA, and the MyPLAYER Builder.
The publisher also confirmed the Preseason Breakdown: NBA 2K27 Game Reveal, which streams on August 18 at 10:00 AM PT. During the presentation, 2K will reveal this year’s biggest gameplay innovations and mode updates before Early Access begins on August 28 for Deluxe Edition and Ultra Edition owners.
Smarter AI and a new Dunk Meter headline gameplay changes
NBA 2K27 introduces several gameplay refinements based on community feedback.
AI defenders now contest shots more effectively and hold their defensive positioning better, especially in online modes like The REC. The changes aim to create a more balanced experience on both ends of the floor.
The game also introduces a fully dynamic Dunk Meter. Instead of locking in the timing at takeoff, the meter continuously evaluates defensive positioning throughout the dunk attempt. Open driving lanes create a larger green window, while late defensive rotations shrink it, making each dunk attempt feel more responsive to the action on the court.
MyPLAYER Builder expands with more Badges
The MyPLAYER Builder now features 53 total Badges, up from 40 in last year’s game. Players can also experiment with 19 brand-new Badges designed to support more specialized builds.
Cap Breakers are also making a return. This time, players can preview attribute boosts directly inside the Builder before finalizing their character.
MyTEAM and MyNBA receive community-requested updates
MyTEAM introduces the franchise’s first unified Auction House across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The shared marketplace creates the largest pool of community-listed cards in the mode’s history. It should also make card prices more consistent across supported platforms.
Winning an auction is now faster, too. Purchased cards go straight into your collection without a verification delay.
MyNBA also receives several franchise management updates that reflect today’s NBA. These include second apron salary cap rules from the league’s latest collective bargaining agreement and the ability to offer No-Trade Clauses to free agents.
Rucker Park comes to MyCAREER
The City returns with the same centralized layout introduced last year. This time, however, it gets a new nighttime look filled with neon lights.
NBA 2K27 also recreates the legendary Rucker Park. The iconic streetball court serves as the setting for this year’s MyCAREER prelude story, Fire & Concrete, and also appears in the Street Kings mode.
NBA 2K27 launches on September 4 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. Players who purchase the Deluxe Edition or Ultra Edition can jump in early starting August 28 through Early Access.
Gaming
God of War Laufey finally confirms its highly anticipated launch date
Set your calendars next year.
It’s about time we get excited for God of War Laufey. The upcoming entry into the acclaimed franchise takes off on a tangent as it follows Faye, Kratos’s late wife, as she traverses an afterlife filled with similarly deceased gods. It’s a different perspective but with still the same action we’ve come to expect from the series. Now, we know when to expect it: February 16.
In the ongoing Norse saga, Faye’s death is everything. Her passing pushes Kratos and Atreus towards a path that eventually led to Ragnarok. In Laufey, a deceased Faye wakes up in Everywhen, an afterlife where gods from different mythologies converge. She then discovers that the carefully laid plans she made to help her husband and her son are unravelling, so she has to find a way to save the living world from past the veil.
Laufey will still have the iconic battles that the God of War series is known for. However, because Faye is nimbler than the burly Kratos, fighting is more fast-paced with a mix of grounded and air-based fighting. All in all, there’s a lot to be excited about for Laufey, despite its different take on the series.
Over the weekend, during San Diego Comic Con, PlayStation confirmed when the title is launching. Thankfully, it’s not a long wait. God of War Laufey is launching for the PlayStation 5 on February 16 next year.
Additionally, Santa Monica Studio has also confirmed that Kratos will lead another entry after Laufey.
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