Features

5 work-from-home laptops for every budget

Which one is your GadgetMatch?

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Gearing up for a work-from-home setup can be tedious, especially when you don’t know when and how to start. Luckily for you, we’ve rounded up a list of capable and powerful laptops apt for your remote working setup.

Of course, we know that budget is always a consideration before investing in a machine. In this list, you can find laptops ranging from every budget; from the cheapest to most expensive.

Regardless of your choice, you are assured that every device listed here not only meets all of your work-from-home demands but can also help address basic needs and future challenges in this global pandemic.

They’re developed by the world’s number one PC maker Lenovo, whose innovation in its wide range of PCs (ThinkPad, Yoga, Lenovo Legion, ThinkBook, etc.), tablets, accessories, smartphones, software, and services, position it as one of the IT industry’s most prolific end-to-end global technology organizations delivering smarter technology that enables more people and businesses to unlock their potential.

Lenovo IdeaPad S145 – PhP 31,995

Around PhP 30,000 budget, you can get decent laptops that are built to last with you. The Lenovo IdeaPad S145 is a lightweight, entertainment hub that lets you do balance work and life with its 14-inch HD display, 10th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB DDR4 RAM, and 256GB SSD internal storage with an upgradeable HDD slot.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i – PhP 37,995

For a fancier yet affordable laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i comes with a sexy, fanless design. It’s packed with power — 10th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB DDR4 RAM, and 512GB SSD storage with an upgradeable HDD slot — which lets you bring your ideas to life.

Moreover, it has Nvidia’s MX330 as its dedicated graphics card, perfect for when you’re starting to produce your work. Additionally, you can enjoy rapid charging if you drain your battery, so you can continue creating. The IdeaPad Slim 3i comes in either 14-inch FHD or 15.6-inch FHD displays.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i – PhP 49,995

If you have an extra budget to spare, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 5i is a tad better choice as it comes with both power and style. It has a sleek, confidence-booster design and a near-borderless 14-inch FHD IPS display, with narrow bezels on each side.

It’s also packed with smart features such as fast yet safe unlock and a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. Furthermore, it’s an affordable powerhouse — rocking a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, a higher 8GB DDR 3200 RAM, , a 512GB PCIEx4 NVME SSD, and a dedicated NVIDIA MX350 graphics card.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i – PhP 52,995

If you’re into grandstanding, get lots of attention and amazement when you get Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5i. It’s a convertible with a 14-inch FHD IPS display that comes with a pen — a perfect accessory to your creative and fashionable lifestyle.

You can sketch, note, and create to your heart’s content. You don’t have to worry about its performance, since the IdeaPad Flex 5i is powered by a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, an 8GB DDR4 3200 RAM, 512GB PCIE SSD internal storage, and an NVIDIA MX330 graphics card. Who told you that you can’t blend power and style?

Lenovo Yoga S730 – PhP 54,995 / PhP 64,995

The most expensive in this list is Lenovo’s near-flagship laptop — the Yoga S730. It’s an ultra-thin and ultra-sleek laptop that offers immersive entertainment with its 13.3-inch FHD IPS display, Dolby Vision and HDR panel, and Dolby Atmos Audio.

It’s equipped with USB Type-C ports: DisplayPort, PowerDelivery, and Thunderbolt 3 for faster data transfer and charging. This laptop stuns as a work-life balance companion: an entertainment hub and work powerhouse in one.

With 12 hours of battery, you can watch, play, and work even with a slim silhouette. It rocks a 16GB LPDDR3 2133 RAM, which is more than enough for most users.

It comes in two variants: an Intel Core i5-10210 processor with 512GB PCIE SSD storage priced at PhP 54,995, and an Intel Core i7-10510 processor with 1TB PCIE SSD internal storage priced at PhP 64,995.

The Lenovo Yoga S730 is exclusive to Villman.

Which one is your GadgetMatch?

So, which laptop fits your budget and needs? Whatever you choose, always remind yourself that laptops are investments that can propel your productivity and career. Choose wisely before buying!

All of the laptops mentioned come with 3 years warranty through Lenovo’s Premium Care warranty solution which gives instant access to technicians and even onsite repair. The IdeaPad Slim 3i, IdeaPad Slim 5i, IdeaPad Flex 5i, and Yoga S730 come with the newly extended 3-Year Premium Care service, while the IdeaPad S145 is under a 2-Year Premium Care support.

Each device is also pre-installed with Microsoft Office H&S 2019 Lifetime License worth PhP 6,995. It’s pre-installed with Microsoft Office H&S 2019 Lifetime License worth PhP 6,995. Avail these laptops in authorized stores like Silicon Valley, PC Express, Villman, Complink, Gigahertz, Octagon, and Abenson.


This feature was produced in collaboration between GadgetMatch, Intel, and Lenovo Philippines.

Tutorials

How to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone

It’s as easy as a single tap.

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Apple Pay is officially in the Philippines!

Pushing the country forward into a cashless and cardless future, Apple has now brought its contactless payment system to the Philippines. As with other countries, Apply Pay will work seamlessly and easily even for those who have problems with technology.

Now, despite how easy it is, sometimes we need to be pointed in the right direction. Here’s how you can set up Apple Pay on your iPhone:

Everything starts with the Wallet app. First, open your Wallet app. Tap the “+” button on the top and select “Debit or Credit Card.”

Normally, this is where you can input your card details (which you can still do, by the way), but the default method now is to just tap your card on the back of your iPhone. Your phone does the rest. You might need to confirm with your bank, but it’s as easy as a single tap.

Pick which cards to use. Once you have your cards online, you might need to change which one is the default card. Again, it’s easy. Just drag your preferred card to the front.

Afterwards, you can tap to pay in supported stores by priming the Wallet app for use. Tapping to pay is also available for Apple Watch. Meanwhile, online transactions can also work on MacBook.

Secure, all the time. If you’re worried about your security especially with online transactions, Apple keeps your information only between you and the seller. They don’t store your data.

Also, it’s not easy to make a transaction without your consent. You need Face ID, Touch ID, or your password. If you lose your phone, you can easily shut your phone down with the Find My app to prevent malicious parties from making transactions.

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Accessories

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.

The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.

Freedom behind the lens

The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.

On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.

FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.

ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.

It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.

None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.

And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.

The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.

The trade-offs in touch

The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.

DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.

You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.

Finding your ideal workflow

The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.

Price, availability

DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.

  • Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
  • Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
  • Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.

Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.

If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.

Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.

Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.

And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.

Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.

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Features

GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey

A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Westminster Abbey isn’t just another stop on the London tourist trail.

It’s the stage for coronations, royal weddings, and burials that span nearly a thousand years, all still playing out under the same vaulted ceilings that have been standing since before most countries had names.

Once you get past the crowds and the audio guides, a quieter version of the abbey starts to show itself: worn stone steps, poets resting a few feet from kings, light that shifts across the nave like it’s in on the performance too.

While losing track of time in Poets’ Corner (yes, me, playing amateur historian for an afternoon), I unfolded the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and decided the abbey deserved more than a quick tourist snap.


All photos captured using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.

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