Features

Do you really NEED high-end specs for mobile gaming?

Published

April 8, 2022

Apple Gamboa and Andre Ibarle

With mobile gaming on the rise, it isn’t surprising that brands have been creating smartphones targeted for mobile gamers.

We have here the vivo Y21T which is touted by vivo as the budget smartphone built for all your mobile gaming needs. Then, there’s the ROG Phone 5s Pro which ASUS claims as a gadget that will take your mobile gaming experience into the next dimension.

It’s a lopsided match on paper, for sure. But what we’re really trying to find out here is if the you absolutely NEED high-ends specs for mobile gaming. Let’s go!

Apple, will make the case for the vivo Y21T while Andre wields the overpowered ROG Phone 5S Pro.

Design

Let’s first look into how these devices compare with their looks.

Apple: Sleek and easy to hold

Even being a budget smartphone, I find it impressive how vivo was still able to create a premium design for the Y21T.

Its Pearl White variant can really catch your attention. It has a glossy back with light crystal coating that changes its hue when hit by light.

And despite not having an aggressive looking aesthetic that screams gaming, I find its size really convenient. It fits perfectly in my hand and its design looks more versatile for day-to-day use.

Andre: Aesthetic perfect for gamers

Having gaming as its primary focus, the ROG Phone 5s Pro looks and feels the part. Unlike the vivo Y21T, everything about it screams gaming. Punchy red accents, geometric lines, and the flashy ROG Vision display at the back. This design would have any gaming enthusiast drooling.

Measuring 6.80-inches long, it doesn’t just look good, but it feels comfortable to play on. It also sports the Ultrasonic sensors and AirTriggers that a lot of ROG Phones are known for. The aforementioned seriously elevates the gaming experience. You do kind of feel that you are playing on a legit gaming console.

So if you’re into the way it looks and its size, you won’t be disappointed, this will surely catch the eyes of gamer peeps around you.

Display

Moving onto the display department, these are two very different devices. Both are pretty capable in providing us with an enjoyable gaming experience.

Apple: Just the right display

The vivo Y21T has a 6.51-inch, 1600×720 HD+ IPS Display. It may have been a bit disappointing since it still has a 720p resolution despite being launched this year. But in reality, after playing for a while, you’ll get over it. You’ll barely mind the difference once you’re already in the gaming zone.

I still enjoyed playing games such as Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Mobile as the display still delivers vibrant colors and vivid details. It also still gives you a smooth and delightful visual experience despite its refresh rate being just at 60Hz.

It may not be as bright, but who plays games under direct sunlight anyways?

Andre: Display and responsiveness at its best

On the ROG Phone 5s Pro, we are getting a feature packed 6.78-inch, AMOLED display. With a whopping 144Hz refresh rate, 800 nits of brightness and a peak rating of 1,200 nits, this is one of the most intense displays made for gaming on a smartphone.

As you have guessed, it is a feast for our eyes. Extremely smooth, exhilaratingly vibrant and elegantly beautiful.

It has a chin and forehead though…

Gaming performance

Now onto the heart of this comparison. Let’s talk about the actual gaming performance we can get out of these phones.

Apple: Optimized gaming

One factor that vivo can really boast about the Y21T is its chipset. Equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 with Adreno 610 GPU, legit gamers would be happy seeing that Snapdragon branding. This means a lot of games are optimized to run on this chipset.

And true enough, despite its highly intensive graphics, Genshin Impact was very playable at medium settings.

Getting my game on Call of Duty: Mobile, this even manages to play it at maxed out settings on medium FPS. This means all graphical detail will be displayed just the same as how they would be on all other more expensive smartphones.

It was really great to know that an experience like this was even possible with a smartphone at this price range.

Andre: Beast

ROG Phones are always packed with the finest specs around. The Phone 5s Pro is no different. A Snapdragon 888+ with 18GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage is what’s running this beast. That’s even more RAM than most gaming laptops I’ve reviewed.

As expected, all games we’ve played ran at the highest available settings at the fastest possible speeds. And the experience is no less than amazing. As I’ve mentioned in my review, this is even the first time I have maxed out all graphic settings on Genshin Impact on a smartphone that ran this well.

Software

Another aspect that contributes to the gaming experience in these phones could be found in their software. Both devices come with their own game mode to compliment their gaming capabilities.

Apple: Enhanced experience

The vivo Y21T has its Ultra Gaming Mode which allows gamers to choose modes and adjust the phones performance on specific games. It grants us the ability to monitor our resource usage, battery percentage, game FPS, brightness adjustment and notification settings while in game.

It also has been loaded with vivo’s Multi-Turbo 5.0 which automatically kicks in upon entering a game. This enhances its network connection, processing speed and power-saving performance ensuring that the phone is at its optimal state for playing games.

Also, one notable difference of the Y21T on the ROG Phone 5s Pro is that we have received the latest Android 12 update on the Y21T while the Phone 5s Pro still hasn’t and is still left on Android 11.

Andre: Monitor and tweak everything in this software

On the other hand, the ROG Phone 5s Pro has a more complex console in its Armoury Crate app. Not only can you monitor and choose between preset settings but micromanage your own settings based on what you prefer.

If you feel like adjusting the vibration strength on intense actions or the sensitivity of your movement, you’re free to do so in this console.

It even suggests games for you to try out which is handy for when you’re thinking of what to play next.

Battery

Enjoying your games would not be possible without capable batteries. And both of these phones are equipped with ones that let you get in the game for hours.

Apple: Battery that keeps you going

One thing that’s commendable with the vivo Y21T is its robust 5000 mAh battery. This may already be a standard battery for budget smartphones but it definitely doesn’t disappoint.

It lasts me for a day and a half or up to two days doing my daily tasks. I even managed to squeeze in viewing some Netflix episodes. And when I also sneaked in some game time, I thought my battery percentage would deplete quickly but surprisingly, only two percent was deducted from it.

Andre: Massive capacity that charges incredibly fast

For battery performance, the ROG Phone 5s Pro is rated with a 6,000 mAh battery in two 3,000 mAh configurations. This resulted in one of the fastest charging speeds I’ve experienced in this rated capacity. At its peak 65W charging speed, a ten minute charge took us to 25 percent capacity and only took just under one hour to get a full charge.

Battery life does get us about a day on normal use but does run out more quickly when gaming. Pretty okay results especially if we consider that this is fueling a lot of power hungry specs. But in case it does run out on you, at least it won’t take long to get all juiced up.

Is the vivo Y21T or the ROG Phone 5s Pro your Gaming GadgetMatch?

Bottomline is, the vivo Y21T and the ROG Phone 5s Pro are both amazing and more than capable gaming smartphone. However, the choice will come down to your budget and preferred gaming experience.

If you still want to enjoy casually playing your games, you don’t actually need to spend a ton of cash and could still get by with a budget smartphone. Still optimized for gaming but also versatile enough to serve as daily driver, the vivo Y21T is a great match for budget gamers.

But for big budget gamers, if you’re after the complete all-out gaming experience that can even be further enhanced with all of its other features in case you still have some extra cash, then the ASUS ROG Phone 5s Pro is hands down an outstanding piece of gaming machinery.

The vivo Y21T is priced at PhP 10,000 and is available in Midnight Blue and Pearl White while the ASUS ROG Phone 5s Pro with 18GB LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB storage is currently available for PhP 59,995 / SG$ 1,799.

Related Topics:featured ROG ROG Phone ROG Phone 5s Pro Vivo vivo Y21T

Features

LOQ and LOAD: The Lenovo LOQ 2024 is for gaming and more

Your entry to PC Gaming

Published

April 23, 2024

GadgetMatch

Get your game on with the Lenovo LOQ 2024. This capable laptop is your entry point to PC Gaming and a lot more.

It comes an absolutely affordable price point: PhP 48,995.

You get capable hardware and the hood to support gaming and more. The Lenovo LOQ 15IAX9I runs on the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and Intel Arc Graphics.

Those are key to bringing unreal graphics to this segment. Supporting latest tech like DirectX 12 Ultimate, players are able to enjoy high frame rates on the Lenovo LOQ.

Creating content? It comes with AI Advantage to help boost performance. Engines and accelerators boost the media processing workloads especially for creatives. It also works with Intel’s X Super Machine Learning, Leading to images that are as close to reality.

The laptop supports a configuration of up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD Storage.

As for its display, the device has a large 15.6-inch, Full HD panel that is more than enough for gaming, video editing, content consumption, and whatever else you do on a laptop. This display has 144Hz refresh rate, 300 nits brightness, and anti-glare.

Videos come out clear, crisp, and realistic. Audio is punchy and as loud as it gets. Windows Sonic elevates it more when you use headphones. And it just takes a few minutes to render HD videos on editing software.

As it runs on Windows 11, if you are going to use it for work, you can take advantage of various features. The Lenovo Vantage Widget is there for constant reminders, Copilot will help you organize your tasks, and Microsoft Edge is there for casual browsing.

There is an assortment of ports at the back for easy connectivity. And as this is meant for gaming, we put it to the test. Racing that looks better with high frame rate? Check. Shooting titles that require heavy work? Not a problem. You can play all your favorites and not worry about performance.

Best of all, it takes less than an our to juice up this laptop all the way to 100%.

So, whether you’re looking to get started with PC Gaming, or an upgrade for work and entertainment needs, the Lenovo LOQ has you covered.

This feature is a collaboration between GadgetMatch and Lenovo Philippines.

Buyer's Guide

2024 Samsung TV: Buyer’s Guide

Which 2024 Samsung TV is your GadgetMatch?

Published

April 21, 2024

GadgetMatch

With all the options available in the market, shopping for TVs can get overwhelming.

One brand Michael Josh recommends whenever someone asks? It’s none other than Samsung.

They have TVs for every price point and every feature a user might prioritize.

But which one is right for you?

Keep watching our 2024 Buyer’s Guide to find out the latest Samsung TV that best matches your needs.

Features

Why choose the MSI Claw?

Is it the gaming handheld for you?

Published

April 18, 2024

GadgetMatch

The MSI Claw is the latest gaming handheld from a major PC and laptop brand. The competition in this emerging gadget segment is tighter than ever. So, what is it about the MSI Claw that can scratch your gaming itch? Here’s a quick list.

Best grip in the game

One quick glance and it’s hard not to compare the claw with another popular gaming handheld. But a closer look and actually holding the thing will reveal that its grip easily feels better.

It has a slightly deeper groove that makes it easier to hold. So, MSI’s “Grip and Game” tagline isn’t all talk. Its design truly does provide one of the better feeling handles among its competition.

The overall design makes sure it’s made for extended gameplay sessions. The buttons are where you expect them to be. That includes the four mini buttons on the upper edges of the screen. These are the View, MSI Center M, Menu, and Quick Settings buttons.

In addition, the face buttons and d-pad all feel great. The face buttons, in particular, feel comparable to those of regular console controllers.

The rest of the buttons and triggers have a very satisfying tactile feel. It also uses Hall Effect technology to get rid of any stick drift issues.

Up top, you’ll find the power button, MicroSD Card slot, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, audio jack, and the volume buttons. These are intuitively placed and just makes sense given the overall design approach.

As cliché as it sounds, you’ll really think you got your money’s worth once you hold, touch, press, and grip the MSI Claw.

Dragon Vision

Now, MSI isn’t really calling it that but I thought it sounds pretty cool. A big part of the whole gaming experience is the display. Balancing resolution and frame rates is always tricky but the MSI Claw does it convincingly.

With this gaming handheld, you get a 7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Looks great on paper and it’s even better in real life. It’s the sweet spot in terms of both size and performance. There’s enough here to immerse you all while delivering a satisfying level of crisp and smoothness.

It’s comfortable to view whether you’re on the couch, on a desk table, or lying down getting a quick game in before you get some shut-eye.

Battery Life

At 53Whr, the MSI Claw has a 36% larger battery capacity than its contemporaries and promises 50% more play time.

MSI claims “elevated performance with extended endurance” using the Claw with faster charging capabilities.

These percentages are hard to measure in real life usage. What we can say for certain is that you get the expected performance and playtime typical of a handheld. That’s a little under two hours for graphically demanding titles, and close to four hours on less demanding ones.

The charging claim is legitimate. The MSI Claw juices up faster than most other handhelds, going from 20% to 100% in about a little over a K-Drama episode (roughly a little over an hour).

MSI Center M

Any self-respecting gaming handheld has its own software to make navigating the thing more manageable. While its direct competitors have an armoury crate and a space, MSI went with Center M.

The best part about MSI Center M is it puts your installed games front and center. Right when it launches, you get immediate access to the titles you have available on your machine.

MSI Afterburner is already the most commonly used app for taking a look at how your machine is performing while you play. That functionality is built-in to the MSI Claw. You can access it view the Quick Settings buttons.

Layout and functionality-wise, the MSI Center M is certainly one of the better Gaming Handheld softwares available right now.

Competitive Performance

A defining trait of the MSI Claw is that It’s the first gaming handheld to be powered by Intel Core Ultra. With it comes Intel XeSS tech. What it does is leverage AI upscaling to boost the fps of select titles.

As of launch, 50 notable games are supported. That number will certainly grow throughout the device’s lifespan. Some of the titles include Hi-Fi Rush, Dying Light 2, Forza Horizon 5, Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, Returnal, and many, many more.

Naturally, results will vary depending on the game mode you’re using. But in general, AAA games get anywhere between 10% to 45% better frame rate performance with Intel XeSS.

For our part we played TEKKEN 8 and the recently launched Horizon Forbidden West. Both graphically demanding games played relatively well on the MSI Claw. Frame rate performance on TEKKEN 8 is crucial and we got a relatively consistent fps, never dropping below 40.

Horizon Forbidden West is a much more graphically demanding game. We were able to run it in Medium Settings and while it doesn’t look as incredible, it still played relatively well with a frame rate surprising for a gaming handheld.

Extras

MSI made sure that if you wanted to, you could get some extra stuff with the MSI Claw. Its separately sold accessory set includes the Claw Travel Case, Nest Docking Station, Claw Lanyard, and Claw Keychain.

On paper, the MSI Claw lists its ergonomic design, AI Engine, and App Player as distinct advantages over its competition.

Whether it’s the Gaming Handheld that matches your needs is still ultimately up to you. If you have the opportunity to test drive the device, we suggest you do so. That might just solidify your purchase decision.