Apple has never made it easier to get into their fruit ecosystem.

At US$ 599, the iPhone 17e sits right beside the M4 iPad Air and the all-new MacBook Neo.

There’s a lot to love about it. It’s got everything you need, and nothing you don’t.

What’s the justification? Head over to our in-depth review of the latest Apple iPhone 17e to know more.

Why are some of today’s smartphones enamored with rear-mounted lighting systems? ASUS, Nothing, and Infinix all have recently released devices that show off with LEDs at the back. To me, a good number of these phones are either tacky or too gimmicky to be of any practical use. One, however, stands out as a true premium offering for the segment: the Infinix NOTE 60 Ultra.

Smartphone meets supercar

Designed with Pininfarina, the NOTE 60 Ultra subtly mixes the contours of a premium car with the curves of a flagship phone. The result of this pairing is an artistic piece that shines in its simplicity but also stands out in an industry inundated with over-large camera islands.

The rear offers a subdued carbon fiber pattern. The included case accentuates this even further in a tactile sense. Reminiscent of other premium phones, the metallic sides have the usual array of buttons and design quirks, except for a sparkling Pininfarina logo and an optical fingerprint sensor.

Meanwhile, the camera island embraces the current era by extending itself from end to end. A full fourth of the rear is enclosed in glass just for this area. It’s surrounded by pleasantly tactile grooves. The area itself contains the camera system, the Active Matrix Display (which we’ll get into later), and a floating taillight.

Overall, the NOTE 60 Ultra’s design is amazing in its uniqueness. I’m tired of the same-old. Infinix’s latest offering doesn’t break away from the ongoing tradition of over-large cameras but instead pushes the trend to its capacity without ruining its premium feel.

Active Matrix Display: Feature or gimmick?

The last Infinix phone I reviewed was the NOTE Edge. That particular midranger had the Active Halo Lighting, a simple ring that breathes in and out to signify notifications. Though the oddity was largely unobtrusive, I still thought that it was too much of a gimmick to be of any use to most users.

On the other hand, the NOTE 60 Ultra’s Active Matrix Display is something entirely new. Instead of just a notification ring, it’s an actual display. It also has a plethora of uses, including icons for notifications, a graphic for music playback, a quirky “screensaver,” and a few minigames.

Just by sheer numbers, the Active Matrix Display feels more useful than most rear LED systems including my own Nothing Phone 3. Though there were still moments when I ignored the feature, there were more times when I engaged with the interface. The games weren’t difficult but were great ways to pass a few minutes of boredom. The light effect widget, which includes a few personas, looked visually interesting enough to be kept on all the time.

This doesn’t even include the aforementioned floating taillight yet. Much like the NOTE Edge’s Active Halo Lighting, this one breathes in and out. However, the NOTE 60 Ultra’s version is shaped like a car’s taillight and more effectively melds into the contours of the island. This makes it even less obtrusive than the Halo and adds to the phone’s premium feel.

I’m still on the fence about these lighting systems, but the NOTE 60 Ultra actually complements its design and offers something unique. For me, it’s the best version of this ongoing trend.

A set of peepers

The huge camera island isn’t just a gimmick; we’ve established that much with the Active Matrix Display. But besides the LED display, the island also houses a ginormous 200-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL HPE sensor, paired with a 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL JN5 periscope telephoto lens and a 112-degree ultra-wide camera.

Just on paper, this feels like overkill already. Do you really need a camera that can zoom in on your blackheads? Well, even if you don’t use the 100x zoom, the camera combination helps eke out so much more detail from moderately distanced subjects. Just take a gander at this bird I took.

The camera is also great at close subjects. It added so much juicy bokeh to focus on this flower. And it doesn’t look too artificial.

Wide-angle photos aren’t too bad, either. Personally, I’m not a fan of the format, but if you are, it’s a great shot.

Can we measure this in horsepower?

Under this supercar-slash-smartphone’s hood, you’ll get a Dimensity 8400 chipset from MediaTek. For all of its looks as a premium phone, the NOTE 60 Ultra misses out on a true flagship chipset. It’s still only a step behind, though.

It’s also adequate enough to play my HoYoverse vice of choice, Zenless Zone Zero. Though the phone put my settings under low to medium graphics settings by default, it had no complaints when I pushed everything to high at 60 frames per second.

My only problem was the immense coverage area of the camera island. Because of how huge it is, no case can ever cover the island completely. So, when you hold the phone horizontally, your hands are making bare contact with the phone.

This is naturally terrible for smudges, but it also doesn’t protect your hands from the phone heating up. And it does heat up after around 40 minutes. Though this ultimately depends on how you use the phone, playing ZZZ for an extended period of time was scalding.

The NOTE 60 Ultra has all the capabilities of a true powerhouse, despite lacking a true flagship chipset. It just gets too hot for comfort. Maybe for the next iteration, this supercar can get some air conditioning.

Now Playing: Steel Ball Run

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure wouldn’t have lasted seven seasons (or nine, if you count the manga) if it weren’t a good series. Having read the manga, Steel Ball Run, the seventh part, is my favorite one, and it’s finally getting an anime adaptation.

It’s apropos that I’m watching a racing anime on a motorsport-themed phone. With the NOTE 60 Ultra’s 6.78-inch 1.5K Ultra HDR display, Gyro Zeppeli bounces to life in full color. Every character — Johnny Joestar, Diego Brando, Sandman, and Pocoloco — looks amazing in the anime’s signature style. It’s less shadowy, more vibrant and smoother.

Hearing Gyro’s signature “Nyo-ho!” was likewise great. The phone’s JBL-tuned speakers made it seem like I was holding my own mini cinema.

It was a bonus treat that the first episode was double the length of a traditional one and included everything in the first leg of the race. Unfortunately, the second episode still doesn’t have a schedule. Plus, who knows if the second “batch” will include more than just one episode? Netflix has been atypically cagey with this release.

Finally, some good mileage

The NOTE 60 Ultra has an impressive 7000mAh battery. A single hour of ZZZ used up only 18 percent of the battery, despite being on the highest possible settings. Following this trend, it took four hours with the game up before the battery dropped to concerning “I need to find a charger” levels, which was around 25 percent to me.

There was no reason to worry at all, though. The battery has spare juice left in the tank even if it’s low. It took an absurdly long time to completely drain the battery from 1 percent. I even turned ZZZ on again to speed things up, but it still lasted around 30 minutes on a single percent.

Because of how big the battery is, it also supports 100W wired charging. To be transparent, I don’t have a 100W charging brick, but I do have a 90W one. It took me 1 hour and 6 minutes to fill the tank from empty. If you’re not particular with filling the battery to full, a short 7.5-minute charge was enough for 10 percent.

Midrange software inside a premium package

When I buy a premium phone, I expect a premium-looking phone when I power it up for the first time.

To be fair, the interface’s custom theme does exude an expensive-seeming feel. However, it prioritizes being thematic over being functional. This isn’t something I expect from a flagship. To me, a flagship should have the easiest interface to use with no bloat or unnecessary frills.

Infinix’s XOS is blatantly unused to the flagship segment. The interface has rolls of suggested apps and games that clutter the home screen. It also has a bunch of pre-installed apps (like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Shopee) and proprietary software.

This was the same problem I had with the NOTE Edge. Since it’s a midrange phone, it was a lot more forgivable, though. After all, that much bloatware usually lets the brand price their lower-end products more competitively. That shouldn’t be the case for flagships.

There is some leeway because it’s Infinix’s renewed shot at the premium flagship market, but hopefully it’ll be fixed in the second go-around.

Is the Infinix NOTE 60 Ultra your GadgetMatch?

For a flagship product, the Infinix NOTE 60 Ultra is a worthy try. It looks and feels premium out of the box. However, the brand clearly has some work left to do on the inside. It’s a tiny step behind on performance, and its interface doesn’t reflect the advertised flagship status.

Still, it’s a Swipe Right if you’re looking for the best version of over-large camera islands today. The NOTE 60 Ultra’s design philosophy should be an inspiration to today’s trends. Indeed, it’s a supercar packed into a smartphone.

However, Swipe Left on this phone if software is just as important to you as a phone’s looks. Though it’s strong enough to perform like a flagship, the phone’s operating system makes it harder to use than most of its contemporaries.

I consider my relationship with my workout gear to be a very serious, long-term commitment.

I’m a creature of habit when a product truly understands my everyday life. For the past year, I have depended on my Shokz OpenFit 2+ as if it were a physical extension of my morning.

When I lost my original pair, I didn’t even browse for alternatives before I secured a replacement. I knew exactly what worked for my ears and my life.

When the JBL Sense Pro arrived, it didn’t feel like a necessity so much as a very expensive curiosity.

I wanted to see whether the “Pro” label could actually offer more than the weightless comfort I already loved. I decided to treat this as an essential research project into whether my standards could actually be raised.

Weight of a secure fit

I find that gear often reveals its true character at the exact moment I am negotiating with my willpower to finish a final rep.

This is the time when I realize if my earbuds are truly supporting my ambitions or if they are simply getting in the way of my progress.

The JBL Sense Pro surprised me with its 20-degree adjustable hinge. During a light warm-up, the fit sits relaxed on my ear and feels remarkably airy.

However, when I transition into high-intensity movements like box jumps or plyometric exercises, I instinctively click the buds closer to my ears to ensure a tight grip.

The titanium memory wire wraps around the ear with a firm security that avoids the suffocating pressure I often feel with standard in-ear buds.

Even with that clever hinge, the presence of the device remains noticeable to me. After an hour of movement, I begin to feel the weight of the buds sitting against my skin.

Unlike my Shokz OpenFit 2+, which disappears even during long sessions, the JBL Sense Pro reminds me that it’s there.

I find myself adjusting the buds in between my sets to keep it snug, which is a small interruption I never experienced with my Shokz or even my previous Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo.

Soundstage for my private performance

Open-ear audio is usually a lesson in compromise where I expect to trade deep bass for environmental awareness.

Most music sounds thin and distant in these designs, which is why I was skeptical of the performance claims.

JBL is known for bass, and the 16.2mm drivers combined with LDAC support ensure the sound carries a level of authority I did not expect. The audio feels full and lush even when I am running on a busy street with heavy traffic.

The adaptive bass boost compensates for the wind and noise in real time so my power songs, specifically “Breaking Dishes” by Rihanna, never lose their emotional impact.

I appreciate hearing the full range of a track while remaining completely aware of the world around me.

The spatial audio feature turns a standard gym session into something that feels like a professional sports film shooting.

It creates an atmosphere where the music feels like it’s following me from one weight station to the next rather than just playing in my ears.

One thing I did notice is the occasional static during my tests, which served as a tiny reminder that I was dealing with a complex piece of technology rather than a seamless part of my body.

Technology that understands my hustle

The real value of a professional device lives in the features I don’t see… until I actually need them.

For the Sense Pro, the bone vibration sensor is that essential investment. It sounds quite technical until I have to take an urgent client call while I’m huffing and puffing on the treadmill.

Instead of relying on microphones that catch every gust of wind, the sensor reads vibrations from my jaw to ensure my voice remains clear.

My Accounts Team was actually surprised to learn that I was running during our last meeting. They didn’t notice the gym environment at all when I told them I would send the presentation deck after my workout.

The sensor understands my voice even when I am in the middle of a busy setting. That said, its battery life supports my busy schedule without requiring constant attention.

The 38-hour total capacity means I can go an entire week without looking for a charging cable. Meanwhile, the quick-charge feature provides four hours of playback from just ten minutes of charging, which is my ideal safety net for those mornings when I’m rushing out the door.

On top of that, I can easily monitor my juice through the JBL Headphones app along with the various settings I like to tweak.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The JBL Sense Pro is a serious piece of equipment for those who need their audio to perform in loud, chaotic environments.

It offers a richer sound and better call quality than almost anything else I have tried in the open-ear category.

However, it cannot quite match the weightless comfort that makes the Shokz OpenFit 2+ (or the cheaper Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo) so easy to live with day after day.

Swipe Right if you prioritize deep, immersive audio and need a secure, adjustable fit for explosive workouts. It’s a good choice if you take frequent professional calls outdoors and want a battery that can keep up with a high-performance lifestyle.

Swipe Left if you have sensitive ears and want a weightless, invisible feel for long hours of wear. If you already own Shokz or Xiaomi’s Open-ear wearables, you might find the JBL feels a bit too present for a routine that you might have already perfected.

The JBL Sense Pro retails for PhP 9,599 and is available in official JBL stores and authorized retailers.