What makes a good smartphone? For me, it has to excel in several key areas. Good design, solid performance, great cameras, long battery life, and great software.
In October last year, vivo launched not one, but 3 smartphones that promise all of that: the vivo X200, X200 Pro, and the X200 Pro mini.
The X200 is the base model. The X200 Pro has a superior zoom lens and slightly bigger display. And the X200 Pro mini is vivo’s answer to those looking for a flagship experience in a more compact chassis.
They all have more in common than they have differences. They tick all the boxes, and they all look great.
They are all powered by the mighty MediaTek Dimensity 9400, all have great cameras co-engineered with ZEISS, and all have extra large batteries and super fast charging.
But to really know for sure, we had to actually use them. So we immediately moved into the vivo X200 Pro and have used it extensively. We’ve traveled with it through China, India, Thailand, New York, Miami, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas.
Gaming
Infinix expands SEA footprint with more official MLBB tourney partnerships
Infinix becomes MPL Indonesia, MSL Thailand official partner
Infinix has announced a landmark expansion of its partnership with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Esports.
As part of the strategic move, Infinix is now the official partner of various MLBB tournaments across Southeast Asia.
The smartphone brand is now the Presenting Partner of the MLBB Professional League (MPL) Indonesia, as well as the Titling Partner of the MLBB Development League (MDL) Indonesia.
Infinix also strengthens its regional footprint further as the Official Sponsor of the MLBB Super League (MSL) Thailand.
These partnerships build on successful collaborations with the Philippines and Malaysia, deepening Infinix’s commitment to the region’s most competitive markets.
Next-level fan, community engagement
As an official partner, Infinix will deliver comprehensive end-to-end support for the tournaments. This includes supplying tournament-grade hardware and executing localized fan engagement initiatives.
Infinix’s AIoT devices are also going to be on display at the tournaments. Moreover, their flagship regional esports IP, the Infinix Campus Cup, will bring the competition to campuses with offline matches played on Infinix gaming phones.
Uniting Southeast Asian markets
The 2026 MLBB Tournament Series officially kicks off on March 20, with the brand powering the opening matches of MPL Philippines and MSL Myanmar as their Official Gaming Phone.
On March 27, Infinix will debut its presence at MPL Indonesia Season 17, followed by the opening of MDL Indonesia three days after.
As a presenting partner, Infinix will also crown the MPL Indonesia season champions with the “KINGFINIX” title.
The regional expansion continues on April 3 with the start of MPL Malaysia and MPL Cambodia. Infinix’s strong presence across the region then culminates with MSL Thailand on April 18.
Not every flagship needs to reinvent the wheel.
Some phones try to wow you with dramatic hardware changes. Others focus on making the experience smoother, smarter, and easier to live with every day.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra falls squarely into the latter category.
At first glance, it doesn’t look dramatically different from last year’s model. But spend enough time with it — watching shows, listening to music, recording concerts, charging it between episodes — and the changes begin to make more sense.
A practical display trick
@gadgetmatch The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces something we haven’t really seen on a mainstream smartphone before: a built-in Privacy Display. 🫣 #Unpacked #Unpacked2026 #SamsungGalaxyS26 #withGalaxy #GalaxyS26 ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch
The headline hardware feature this year is Privacy Display.
It’s one of those features that immediately feels useful in the real world. When activated, the screen limits viewing angles so people beside you can’t easily see what’s on your display.
Anyone who has ever used their phone on a train, plane, or crowded café will understand the appeal.
Some users might notice the display resolution dropping when the feature is active, but that’s a natural trade-off given the nature of the feature. Limiting light dispersion requires compromises, and Samsung appears to have struck a reasonable balance between usability and privacy.
More importantly, it’s a feature that solves an everyday problem instead of chasing a spec-sheet headline.
@gadgetmatch Say goodbye to prying eyes with Samsung’s newest built-in Privacy Display. 😎 #Unpacked #Unpacked2026 #SamsungGalaxyS26 #withGalaxy #GalaxyS26 ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch
A meaningful charging bump
Another upgrade that quietly improves daily use is charging.
The jump from 45W to 60W charging feels significant.
Previously, I had to watch two anime episodes before the Galaxy S25 Ultra was fully charged from around 20-ish percent. With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, that’s down to roughly a single episode.
It’s a simple comparison, but it’s also how most people experience charging in real life: plugging in while watching something.
Faster charging means you spend less time thinking about battery levels and more time actually using the phone.
Now Playing: Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3
Speaking of anime, I used the phone to catch up on Season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen.
The latest battle between Yuji Itadori and “Judge Man” Higuruma looked absolutely stunning on the large Ultra display. As is to be expected.
Samsung has long been known for excellent smartphone displays, and that reputation continues here. The panel remains one of the easiest ways to enjoy streaming content on a mobile device.
Now Playing: Steal on Prime Video
The phone also became my late-night streaming companion.
I spent a few evenings watching Steal on Prime Video as I wind down at night. It stars Sophie Turner as a rank and file investment company employee caught in a high stakes hostage situation.
It’s a steady thrill watch – one you can finish in a weekend – where you can watch Turner on Prime before she shifts gears into tomb raiding.
Phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra increasingly double as our primary personal screens, and the large display makes that transition feel effortless.
@gadgetmatch Audio Eraser now works on third-party apps! 🤩 #Unpacked #Unpacked2026 #SamsungGalaxyS26 #withGalaxy #GalaxyS26 ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch
This also feels like the kind of scenario where Samsung’s Audio Eraser could come in handy. The feature can reduce background noise from videos — even from clips on apps like Instagram or YouTube.
While we’ve demonstrated it as a feature that works, I never really felt the need to use it during my week with the phone. Still, it’s nice knowing the tool is there if you ever need to clean up a noisy clip.
Paired with Galaxy Buds4 Pro
Paired with the Galaxy Buds4 Pro, I also started hearing stuff I didn’t usually hear when listening to my MyOPM playlist on Spotify.
The quality certainly feels a step higher than usual and a lot closer to lossless tracks I hear on Apple Music with my usual headphones.
It’s a subtle improvement, but one that adds up when you listen to music throughout the day.
Cameras: consistent, not dramatic
Camera performance remains largely unchanged.
The larger aperture does make a difference somewhat. But you’ll only really notice it if you’re scrutinizing the images.
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Magic8 Pro vs Galaxy S26 Ultra
I compared it with my personal smartphone camera of choice right now – the HONOR Magic8 Pro – and the difference in color science is staggering.
We’re not going to go in-depth here, but you’ll see that even with its Vibrant shooting filter, the Magic8 Pro’s photos tend to look warmer. They also have more character, especially when you shift to the Authentic filter.
Meanwhile, the photos produced by the Galaxy S26 Ultra tend to look closer to what you see in real life. They’re also flatter.
Some photos lose character when the highs, lows, and mids look a little too close to each other. The preset filters don’t help either. They’re just there for the sake of it.
All photos on the left are from the Magic8 Pro. The Galaxy S26 Ultra are on the right.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra
In terms of color reproduction, it’s a lot closer to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Less warm and more true-to-life. After close examination, the Galaxy S26 Ultra photos — especially in broad daylight — tend to be brighter. That’s what causes it to look a lot more flat and feel a little soul-less.
All photos on the left are from the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Galaxy S26 Ultra are on the right.
Still a concert buddy
That said, the zoom video capabilities are definitely still as reliable as they have always been.
If I’m going to a concert and I’m seated nowhere near the barricade, I’m making sure I have the Galaxy S26 Ultra with me to record the experience.
The Horizon Video lock is also impressive. While use-case will vary depending on the activities you engage in, it’s a nice-to-have tool in your video-taking arsenal.
Galaxy AI in daily use
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Samsung continues to push Galaxy AI as the defining layer of its latest flagship, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra adds a few new tricks to that toolkit.
One of them is Now Brief and Now Nudge, which aim to surface contextual suggestions depending on what you’re doing.
So far, Now Brief still doesn’t feel as essential as it should. But some Now Nudge suggestions already available during our week with the Galaxy S26 Ultra are actually nice.
When a colleague suggested setting a meeting over on WhatsApp, the phone immediately pulled up the Calendar. It also showed if there’s a schedule conflict so you can adjust accordingly.
Next, my colleague asked if my San Francisco photos were ready and the phone immediately showed the Gallery app.
These aren’t dramatic features, but they do save a few taps. Over time, that convenience could add up.
This feature has potential. And it should only get better with time.
AI Photo Assist: promising but limited
I was less enthused by AI Photo Assist.
I thought it was promising at first but the text prompt is limited to 100 characters so you can’t really do super specific prompts.
That opens short prompts to a lot of interpretation by the AI and with my experience so far, it isn’t great.
I’d stick to using Gemini Pro for more detailed prompts and your usual photo editing apps for specific photo edits.
AI Photo Assist may improve over time, but right now it feels more like an experiment than an essential editing tool.
Heating observations
One thing worth noting is thermal behavior. The phone isn’t uncomfortable to use, but heating is definitely noticeable even when just watching a livestream. It also happens when gaming.
Interestingly, I experienced this type of heating recently on another Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 device as well. It may simply be the reality of running increasingly powerful chips in compact devices.
It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s something power users may want to keep in mind.
A phone that still feels good to hold
Last year I ultimately kept picking up the Galaxy S25 Ultra because of how good it feels to hold.
That aspect remains largely unchanged.
In fact, the Galaxy S26 Ultra feels slightly lighter and easier to hold. That’s true even if you add one of Samsung’s official cases with MagSafe compatibility.
Alternatively, you can use one of CASETiFY’s cases for extra protection. It’s going to feel bulkier, but that’s the tradeoff for adding to your defense stats.
Is the Galaxy S26 Ultra your GadgetMatch?
I wrote about Samsung’s philosophy of not chasing specs anymore. And while it’s a defensible direction, it’s not the “sexy” approach. At least perhaps not one that leads to massive sales or new customer acquisition.
But for anyone who’s been with the Galaxy S series for a while, they know what they’re getting – a reliable, ultra overall performer – one with kickass zoom cameras and now a nifty display trick.
Anyone coming from the Galaxy S23 Ultra or older, this is an easy swipe right.
If you’re into discount hacks and are coming from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, you might be surprised at how much you’ll save if you decide to upgrade.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra still offers good value.
Its overall balance remains the benchmark that most users will measure Android flagships by.
For that reason, Samsung’s flagship is still a Swipe Right.
OPPO has confirmed the global launch date of its next foldable flagship. The OPPO Find N6 will debut on March 17, 2026 at the company’s Binhai Bay Campus in China.
The upcoming device aims to push foldable technology further with what OPPO calls a “Zero-Feel Crease,” designed to deliver a flatter display and a smoother touch experience even after years of use.
According to OPPO Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer Pete Lau, the Find N series has consistently focused on advancing foldable innovation. With the Find N6, the company says it has achieved a major breakthrough in hinge architecture and display materials to reduce the visibility and feel of the screen crease.
Zero crease
Creases have long been a common concern among foldable phone users. OPPO first addressed the issue with the original Find N in 2021, which introduced the waterdrop-style Flexion Hinge. The design helped minimize deep creases by allowing the display to fold more naturally.
With the Find N6, OPPO claims it has taken another step forward. The new hinge and display structure aim to create a more seamless large-screen experience, keeping the inner display smooth and flat over long-term use.
Thin design meets flagship camera
The Find N6 also continues the series’ focus on thin and comfortable hardware. OPPO says the device is among the thinnest book-style foldables available, with ergonomics comparable to conventional bar-style flagship smartphones.
On the back, a redesigned symmetrical Cosmos Ring houses a new 200MP Hasselblad Ultra-Clear camera system. The setup aims to deliver professional-grade photography while maintaining a relatively slim camera module.
The foldable will launch in two color options: Stellar Titanium and Blossom Orange. The latter features a titanium hinge casing with a rose-gold finish achieved through a gilding technique that incorporates genuine gold.
OPPO AI Pen
OPPO is also positioning the Find N6 as a productivity device. It will support the OPPO AI Pen stylus, designed to take advantage of the larger foldable display and integrate AI-powered tools for note-taking and multitasking.
More details about the OPPO Find N6 will be revealed during the global launch event on March 17.
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