There are days when work feels light.

Not because there’s less to do, but because everything just flows. Emails get answered quickly. Ideas come together without much friction. Writing feels natural. Even distractions — the occasional Instagram story check, a song on repeat — don’t completely derail the rhythm.

That’s the kind of flow I tried to build around the HONOR MagicPad4.

For the first week, I used it as a primary mobile work device. Emails, drafts, notes — everything went through the tablet. To its credit, it held up better than expected.

But by the second week, something changed.

Not because it couldn’t keep up. But because it found a different role.

The screen that keeps pulling you back

The MagicPad4 makes a strong first impression the moment you pick it up.

At just 4.8mm thin and 450g, it feels incredibly light for something with a 12.3-inch 3K OLED display running at 165Hz.

And that display is the reason it keeps finding its way back into my hands.

It’s sharp, vibrant, and smooth — the kind of screen that makes everything look just a little better than expected. With 5280Hz PWM dimming and eye comfort features, it’s also easy to use for long stretches without feeling strained.

By week two, the MagicPad4 had quietly become my default second screen.

On my desk, it’s always on — opening reference tabs, playing something in the background. In bed, it’s the screen I reach for without thinking. It’s not replacing my main devices, but it’s constantly supporting them.

And honestly, calling it a “second screen” almost undersells it.

It just happens to be the best one within reach.

Good enough when you need to get work done

That said, it’s not like the MagicPad4 can’t handle actual work.

During that first week, I used it to reply to emails and draft notes for several reviews. Paired with the keyboard, it’s surprisingly capable.

Typing feels good enough for longer sessions, and with Auto PC Mode and multi-window support, it behaves more like a lightweight computer when needed.

Performance hasn’t been an issue either. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, paired with a 10,100mAh battery and 66W charging, keeps everything running smoothly throughout the day.

Work gets done here. Just not always where it naturally stays.

The parts that don’t quite match

The longer you use it, though, the more you start to notice the gaps.

There’s no fingerprint scanner — a small but curious omission on a device that leans into productivity.

Then there’s the accessories.

The keyboard is usable. It gets the job done. But it doesn’t quite match the feel of the tablet itself. There’s a slight disconnect between how premium the tablet feels and how basic the accessory comes across.

More importantly, the ecosystem feels limited.

Compared to tablets from brands like Xiaomi, which offer a fuller range of accessories — from multiple keyboard options to simple folio cases — the MagicPad4 feels a bit constrained.

That wouldn’t matter as much if third-party options were widely available. But outside of iPads, that kind of ecosystem is still rare.

In my case, I ended up picking up a Moft Magnetic Vertical Stand just to prop it up the way I wanted.

There is a stylus available too, which is great for those who use one regularly. It’s just not something I personally reach for.

None of these are dealbreakers. But they do shape how far the tablet can go beyond being an excellent everyday screen.

Now playing

Dylan Obrien in Caddo Lake

A lot of my time with the MagicPad4 eventually shifted toward watching. This is where it really shines.

I watched The Copenhagen Test and Caddo Lake on HBO Max — both with noticeably darker, gloomier settings. The kind where weaker displays tend to flatten everything out.

That never really happened here.

Simu Liu in “The Copenhagen Test”

Somehow, each and every scene still looked great. Details held up. Contrast stayed intact. It didn’t matter if it was a dimly lit interior or a wide outdoor shot — the display consistently delivered.

I also used it to catch up on Season 2 of Frieren — just to add a bit more color to my viewing. And it delivered there too. Brighter scenes pop, motion stays smooth, and everything feels clean and easy to watch.

Then there are the lighter moments. Like watching way too many ITZY Ryujin fancams.

On this screen, she looks borderline ethereal. Colors pop, motion stays smooth, and everything just feels a little more alive.

Pair that with the tablet’s eight-speaker setup with spatial audio, and you’ve got an experience that’s more immersive than you’d expect from something this thin.

And while working, I had Sponge Cola’s “Tempura” on repeat. It was just that kind of mood that week.

The earbuds that don’t quite keep up

Then there’s the HONOR Earbuds 4.

On paper, they check all the right boxes. Dual drivers, spatial audio, and up to 50dB hybrid active noise cancellation. They’re clearly built to be an everyday companion.

But in actual use, they just don’t hold up — especially if you’re used to better audio.

Switching to something like the Galaxy Buds4 Pro while playing the exact same track on the same app makes the difference immediately obvious.

It’s night and day.

The Earbuds 4 sound fine. But that’s about it.

And at this point, “fine” isn’t really enough — especially when there are better options even below the USD 200 range.

They do get the basics right. ANC is solid, and battery life can stretch up to 46 hours with the case, which makes them convenient for everyday use.

But sound quality is still the main reason you reach for a pair of earbuds.

And here, they fall short.

Making light work — in its own way

The idea of a lightweight setup still holds.

The HONOR MagicPad4 delivers — just not necessarily in the way you might expect at first.

It may not fully replace your main work device. But it becomes something you use constantly. A screen that’s always within reach. One that makes everything from quick tasks to late-night viewing feel just a little better.

The HONOR Earbuds 4, on the other hand, feel more optional than essential. They work. They’re convenient. But they don’t elevate the experience in the same way. But maybe that’s the takeaway.

Some devices try to be everything. Others simply find their place.

The MagicPad4 does the latter — and in doing so, makes light work of your day.

You might just want better earbuds to go with it.

Like it or not, Chinese phone makers are unstoppable when it comes to unleashing smartphones beyond 5000mAh.

The latest brand to hop in is none other than TECNO with the POVA Curve 2 — currently the world’s slimmest 8000mAh smartphone.

Cyber-sthetic coolness

While the TECNO POVA Curve 2 isn’t as ambitious as other smartphones with flashy RGB / white light strips, LED matrix, or specific gaming detailing, it looks cool nonetheless.

Rocking this Mystic Purple colorway, its vibrancy is the perfect contrast to the minute black and orange elements all around.

If this isn’t ideal for your taste, there are also the Melting Silver and Storm Titanium color choices.

Looking closely, the lower right part is not an actual cutout that shows its internals. It’s more like a decal of some sort. Still, it makes the overall design as balanced as possible.

That goes along with its cyborg-looking (or starship-inspired, as they say) camera hump at the upper left corner. Thus, a cool-looking phone with cyber aesthetics — or cyber-sthetic in my vocab.

My fascination doesn’t end there.

With a thinness of a mere 7.42mm, I wasn’t kidding when I said this is the slimmest 8000mAh smartphone you can buy right now. As of this writing, it still is.

Other 8000mAh smartphones all range between 7.8mm to 8mm: OPPO K15 Pro+, realme Neo8, HONOR 500 series, nubia RedMagic 11 Pro. The list is short but it keeps growing.

While it’s not as record-breaking as the 5.93mm TECNO Slim, it still proves that TECNO’s consistent innovation push can lead you to making consumer products like this.

When held, the TECNO POVA Curve 2 has a solid yet justifiable heft to it.

Even with such thinness, it’s not super slippery. There’s enough grip to make you hold it for prolonged periods without actually dropping it.

But, in case you drop it, set your worries aside as it’s rated for SGS 5-Star Drop Resistance alongside an IP64 rating. Flipping to its front then reveals its Gorilla Glass 7i protection by Corning.

Now Playing: YENA, LATENCY

Recently, YENA’s latest “Catch Catch” has been playing in my mind non-stop — both the song and her visuals alike.

From that cat get-up reminiscent of T-ARA’s Bo Peep Bo Peep to IU’s iconic red dress in Good Day, it totally brings back the nostalgic 2009 look of the 2nd gen K-Pop I’ve witnessed in my teenage years.

The same can be said with the display of the TECNO POVA Curve 2.

While most brands have already moved over to flat displays, TECNO isn’t totally done with it. They are still keeping those dual-curved edge screens of the last generation.

For its class, it’s more than capable especially that it is a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel after all.

Colors pop with crisper details. That’s courtesy of its Full HD+ display resolution, 1.07 Billion Colors support, plus a 429ppi pixel density. It’s sufficiently bright outdoors too capping at 4500 nits.

Such nostalgia also reminded me that some of my 4th-gen K-Pop faves got reunited in the newer 5th gen by forming an all-new girl band dubbed as “LATENCY” with the same debut song title.

ICYMI, it’s composed of LOONA’s Hyunjin alongside three cignature ex-members: Jeewon (now ZZONE), YeAh (now Haeun), and Semi. That’s also the group where Hyeonju (UNIS) belonged to.

Enough geeking out. Even if we’re already bombarded by a lot of midrangers nowadays with oh-so-thin-bezels, this display won’t disappoint you.

Those curved edges with moderately-sized bezels are more than enough to make one mesmerized. It also won’t get in the way of your day-to-day usage.

On Queue: Archive. 1 by WOODZ

Content consumption doesn’t stop there.

I’m also invested to the latest full album of WOODZ (or Cho Seungyoun if you knew him way back in X1 — or as a contestant in PRODUCE X 101 the way I did).

While he’s popularly known for his all-around versatility in the K-Pop world, the soloist leaning more into rock just means I can test out the Lossless quality of his latest album in a great measure.

Much like most smartphones in this price point, its stereo speakers are loud to fill in those banging bathroom sessions. I felt the emotions most when I played CINEMA, GLASS, and STOP THAT.

That said, having Dolby Atmos doesn’t mean a fuller sound output. Like what I have experienced in my TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra review, sound is loud yet not separated enough to highlight the highs, mids, and the deeper bass altogether.

More so, not enough distinction of WOODZ’s power vocals against the rich rhythm of his band instruments — especially in Human Extinction, Bloodline, and The Spark.

Fortunately, the POVA Curve 2 natively supports Hi-Res Wireless Audio. This means I get to fully enjoy the feature whenever I connect my wireless earphones and headphones that also support LDAC.

Peak performance

The TECNO POVA Curve 2 is one of the very few handsets that rock MediaTek’s Dimensity 7100 SoC. That’s alongside the HONOR 600 Lite and Infinix NOTE Edge.

A chipset nestled in the middle of Dimensity 6500 and 7400 series means gaming performance isn’t as extreme as what you get in the 8- and 9-series.

Still, playing Call of Duty: Mobile (CoDM) was easy-peasy. It can run High settings with frame rate set at the Max level. It’s more enjoyable especially that this phone possesses 144Hz refresh rate.

The more demanding Racing Master I love playing runs in Standard resolution + 30fps frame rate by default.

Overriding it to higher setting results to some game stutters — even when Performance Mode under High Boost gaming is enabled.

The opposite happens with the rest of apps. You can multitask and breeze through ’em without hiccups.

Thanks to the newer HiOS 16, overall UI experience felt smoother, faster, and more intuitive.

I also love how there’s a special skin on top of it. A cool way to differentiate it from the usual SPARK and CAMON series.

Of course, TECNO’s AI Tools weren’t left behind: Ella, Translation and Document Assistants, AI Writing, Note, Recording Summary, and many more in the list.

The POVA Curve 2 also promises connectivity in greater heights (literally and figuratively).

Not only is it the world’s first triple chipset smartphone, it’s also the first one to feature 20 5G bands.

As someone who’s living in an area where data reception can still be spotty, I can definitely attest that the POVA Curve 2 has the better network coverage compared to most smartphones.

Case in point: In a certain area of a transportation terminal I go to, the POVA Curve 2 detects 5G+ network with full signal bars. Whereas, the iPhone 13 Pro Max I have is only limited to a one-bar 4G / LTE.

The vivo X300 Pro I daily drive? Full bars but only limited to 4G+.

This totally makes the TECNO POVA Curve 2 ideal for being connected in crowded areas or even against building blind spots.

Assurance to endurance

As mentioned many times in this write-up, the TECNO POVA Curve 2 boasts a monstrous 8000mAh battery in it.

It’s a smartphone that’s really hard to kill. It reminds me of those corrupt government leaders who are still alive and kicking even after 20 years of bad service.

Sentiments aside, I’ve installed all the gaming resources for an hour and played for another hour. In other midrangers, that means a significant 20% decrease.

TECNO’s POVA Curve 2 only managed to shed around 8~10%.

Another example: Playing WOODZ’s album for 49 minutes accounted for only a 3% decrease — from 9% down to 7%.

I then played my 2.5-hour-long girl-group studded playlist:

Shockingly, the phone lasted up ’til CHUU’s XO, My Cyberlove before it ultimately died down. That’s 33 out of the 52 songs in the playlist I curated.

Additionally, the POVA Curve 2 lasts for more than a week when left in standby.

The POCO X8 Pro Max I held with an even bigger 8500mAh tank inside it can only last up to 4 days when untouched. The culprit? Its ever-plagued HyperOS.

This further justifies that TECNO’s revamped OS is more power-efficient compared to previous versions that drained battery a lot.

To save one’s battery anxiety, 45W wired charging is here. While it’s not the fastest out there, it’s definitely doable for under 1.5 hours.

My GadgetMatch Charge Test proves that compared to the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra I held a month ago.

Settled snapper

Despite that futuristic camera cutout, the POVA Curve 2 only has a single 50MP snapper.

I can somehow say the quality is decent for what you get. That’s evident whenever you take photos in broad daylight.

I value how TECNO included the versatility of 23mm, 28mm, and 35mm focal length through a series of taps.

That main camera is also responsible for 2x zoomed shots through in-sensor cropping.

As obvious as it seems, this has been my most used mode more than 1x.

47mm is also the perfect focal length I consider for food shots.

The bokeh falloff looks right without looking too abrupt.

It can even capture way beyond its means through digital zoom (plus AI magic after the fact).

Albeit, the lack of an ultra-wide lens means you either have to back up to get your desired shot — or ditch it altogether.

While the camera preview struggles when shooting indoors, the quality turned out to be decent after all.

For low-light scenes, Super Night Mode helps take better snaps.

Just don’t expect an outstanding quality — especially in 2x with grain presence when you crop in.

Before I forget, here’s a macro shot of a flower — just to prove that the extra 2MP macro camera has some purpose.

Is the TECNO POVA Curve 2 your GadgetMatch?

With prices of INR 27,999 and INR 29,999 for the 8+256GB and 12+256GB configurations respectively, the TECNO POVA Curve 2 is one among the ideal budget midrangers you can buy today.

In other regions, there’s even a 12+256GB model with pricing yet to be announced.

Swipe Left if you are the type of user who prioritizes gaming or camera needs.

But, for all things considered, the TECNO POVA Curve 2 is still a Swipe Right.

Its all-around versatility will still satisfy most users — especially those who want stylish aesthetics, bright and vivid display, plus performance decency at its core.

While other midrangers in the same range offer better specs such as a faster chipset or speedier wired charging, I can assure you that nothing beats its overall battery endurance.

The TECNO POVA Curve 2 is the truest definition of a battery champ.

More so, the aggressive network feats that cannot be achieved by other phones — regardless if they are in the same league or the class-leading flagships.

If only it had eSIM support and a larger 512GB storage, this would be an ideal smartphone to take with you as a frequent traveler. More so, a digital nomad.

Stopping at nothing

Let me get this straight. TECNO isn’t the first phone maker to bring in an 8000mAh smartphone to the table.

Still, the Chinese brand truly amazes me. In just a span of a year (or even less), TECNO has done drastic battery boosting among most (if not all) of their phones.

The first POVA Curve model from May 2025 already had an ample 5500mAh battery. In just nine months, they added 2500mAh more despite having almost the same thinness as its predecessor.

This justifies TECNO’s “Stop at Nothing” mantra — a true feat of engineering and a continuous strive for innovation, whereas brands like Samsung, a major tech component supplier, can’t even do the same, putting them to shame.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with 5000mAh battery

Their S Ultra models have been stuck in the same 5000mAh situation from 2020 up until this 2026 — that’s six years of consistency for the wrong reason.

It’s clearly a long overdue matter that was swept under the rug. But, maybe, they’re still trying to play it too safe. They want us to remember how the Galaxy Note7 fiasco shook the tech space a decade ago.

I just hope that we don’t have to deal with the same situation ever again — especially when everyone goes cray cray over this capacity craze.

It was a small bar gig. The kind where the music fills the room and the lights do just enough to set a mood without really helping you see.

We were standing just off to the left of the stage. Close. Not directly front row, but close enough that a few steps forward would’ve put us right in the band’s space. Close enough to get shots you normally wouldn’t.

That’s when I started using the vivo V70 the most. Because this is the exact scenario it’s built for.

On stage: Stonefree

vivo calls it a “concert buddy camera.” And while I didn’t take it to a full arena show, this felt like a fair test. Loud music. Unpredictable lighting. Moving subjects.

The kind of environment where most midrange phones start to fall apart. And for the most part, the V70 holds its ground.

Not perfectly. Not flawlessly. But close enough where it matters.

A lite version of something bigger

Before anything else, it’s important to frame what the vivo V70 actually is.

This isn’t trying to replace the likes of the vivo X300 Pro or vivo X300 Ultra. Those are still the phones you reach for if you’re serious about capturing concerts.

The V70 feels more like a lite version of that experience.

You get a taste of what vivo’s flagship imaging can do—especially with zoom and stage-focused shooting—but within the limits of a midrange device. Those limits show up exactly where you’d expect.

Shooting the stage

From where I was standing, I honestly didn’t need zoom.

At around 15 to 20 steps from the stage, the 1x camera already gave me solid framing. But what made the V70 interesting was how confidently it let me push in tighter.

I mostly stuck to the default Stage Mode focal lengths: 1x, 2x, 3x, and 10x.

Up to 10x, the results were surprisingly usable. This is where the phone really starts to feel like it’s doing something extra. You can isolate performers, get tighter compositions, and walk away with shots that feel more intentional.

Push it to 20x, though, and things start to fall apart. Details soften. Noise creeps in. It gets a little crusty—and that’s usually where I stop.

Stage Mode itself isn’t immediately obvious in how it works. It’s not like flipping a dramatic switch. But looking at the results, there’s clearly some tuning happening behind the scenes—especially in how it handles lighting and color under stage conditions.

It’s subtle. But it works. More importantly, it gives you that feeling that you’re closer than you actually are.

Handling light and motion

On stage: Letter Day Story

This is where most phones struggle.

Between shifting lights, fast movement, and a constantly changing scene, it’s easy to end up with blurry, unusable shots. But the V70 does a surprisingly good job here.

I was getting a lot of photos that were usable right away.

Not perfect. Not flagship-level. But consistently good enough that I didn’t feel like I had to fight the phone to get something decent.

There were still moments where I took multiple shots—but that’s more of a habit than a necessity. If anything, the V70 gave me confidence that at least one of those frames would turn out well.

Optical image stabilization does a lot of the heavy lifting here. As someone who isn’t the steadiest shooter, I leaned on it heavily—and it delivered.

Movement was handled well too. Not flawlessly, but better than most phones in this category. There’s no noticeable shutter lag, which helps a lot when you’re trying to catch moments as they happen.

Colors that match the night

The lighting that night leaned heavily into neon blues and violets. Very cyberpunk. The kind of lighting that can easily confuse a camera.

The V70 handled it well.

It preserved the mood without trying to “correct” it too much. Colors stayed true to what I was seeing, and skin tones didn’t go completely off under artificial lighting.

Highlights were controlled too. No aggressive blowouts. No overly processed look.

This is where vivo’s color science continues to stand out—it finds a balance between accuracy and aesthetic without overdoing either.

It looked like the night I experienced.

Video is good. Audio… could be better.

@rodneil vivo V70 sample photos and video. Feat. @stonefreeph and #letterdaystory #vivoV70 #vivo ♬ original sound – Rodneil

I spent most of the night shooting video.

Stability is solid. Even handheld, even with a bit of natural shake, the footage comes out clean enough to post without hesitation.

And that’s really the key metric here.

If you’re shooting for Instagram Stories or TikTok, the V70 gets the job done.

@rodneil “Sama-sama” by Letter Day Story 📹 vivo V70 #vivoV70 #vivo ♬ original sound – Rodneil

One thing to note: Stage Mode caps video at 4K 30fps. That’s a step down from flagship vivo devices that can shoot 4K 60fps in similar scenarios.

It’s not a dealbreaker—but it’s one of those reminders of where this phone sits.

Audio is where things get a bit tricky.

It’s not bad. You can hear the music clearly. It’s usable. But it has a slightly processed, contained quality to it—like listening through older budget headphones.

@rodneil “Tadhana” by UDD performed by @stonefreeph 📹 vivo V70 #vivoV70 #vivo ♬ original sound – Rodneil

There’s a good chance the AI Audio Noise Eraser is playing a role here. It helps clean things up, but it also takes away some of the rawness of a live performance.

So while the visuals feel immersive, the audio doesn’t quite match that same level.

A distance camera, not an everything camera

The telephoto lens is one of the V70’s biggest strengths. But it also comes with a limitation that’s hard to ignore.

When shooting the stage, it works great. That’s where it shines. That’s what it’s built for.

But try using it for closer subjects—like food or table shots—and things start to break down. Focusing becomes less reliable. Results feel less consistent.

It’s not a dealbreaker. But it reinforces a key idea: This is a distance camera.

It’s designed to bring faraway moments closer—not to replace your main camera for everything.

Portraits and people

Away from the stage, the V70 still delivers solid portrait shots.

I took a few quick photos of a friend during dinner, and focal lengths like 35mm and 50mm felt the most natural. There’s a nice balance between subject and background, and the results lean more toward night out vibes than overly processed smartphone shots.

The absence of Aura Light is noticeable—but not necessarily a dealbreaker.

It would’ve been a nice touch, especially given how popular flash-style portrait photography has become. But if you’re used to phones without it, you won’t feel like you’re missing something essential.

Daily use

Outside of the camera, the V70 behaves exactly how you’d expect a modern midrange phone to.

Performance is smooth. Not blazing fast, but consistent enough for everyday use.

The display looks really good—made even better with tripleS’ Sohyun on screen. It’s sharp, bright, and easy on the eyes, especially when reviewing photos and videos.

Editing on-device was surprisingly good too. There were a couple of hiccups with apps needing a restart, but overall it was smooth sailing.

Battery life holds up through a night out, but just barely. After a session of heavy shooting, I ended the night at around 20 percent. You’ll want to charge once you get home.

Charging itself isn’t something you think about much. Plug it in, and it’s handled.

In hand, the phone strikes a nice balance. Not too big, not too small. Easy to grip, easy to use one-handed.

There are still some usual annoyances out of the box—suggested apps, extra notifications pushing new installs—but these can all be turned off. You just wish they weren’t there to begin with.

Is the vivo V70 your GadgetMatch?

This is where things get interesting.

If you’re serious about shooting concerts, you’re still better off with something like the vivo X300 Pro. That’s still the safer recommendation. But not everyone needs that.

Not everyone is going to arena shows regularly. Not everyone wants to spend flagship money just to capture a few nights out.

That’s where the V70 makes sense. It’s for the in-between.

The spontaneous gigs. The lowkey bar nights. The moments where you didn’t plan to shoot—but end up wanting to anyway.

There are even people who rent flagship phones for big events. But you’re not always going to do that. Sometimes, you just want something reliable in your pocket. And for that, the vivo V70 works.

It’s not excellent. But it’s pretty darn good where it counts.

If your nights look anything like this—music, movement, unpredictable light—the vivo V70 is a soft Swipe Right.