Reviews

Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro review: By two different Pro users

Two different nations, one phone

Published

January 26, 2021

GadgetMatch

2020 has been flooded by smartphones of all kinds — budget, midrange, premium flagships, flagship killers, you name ’em. But what makes the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro a new breed of its own? Well, aside from the fact that it packs the flagship-tier Snapdragon 865 chipset and a great amount of fast internals, it costs less than both a flagship and a “flagship killer”.

Some (or most) might know that GadgetMatch has writers from different parts of the globe. In this review, Vincenz, our Creative Producer from the Philippines, and Shivam, our India Correspondent, went all out in testing and making the Mi 10T Pro their daily smartphone for more than two months. It’s safe to say that both users maximized the usage of this phone.

To make this experience more reliable, both users also tried last year’s predecessors: Vincenz with his Xiaomi Mi 9T and Mi 9T Pro reviews, while Shivam with the Indian variant Redmi K20 and K20 Pro.

Without further a do, let’s hear what they have to say about Xiaomi’s latest Mi-T series phone.

How does the Mi 10T Pro feel in hand?

Shivam: The first thing you’ll notice about the phone is its weight, and at 218gms, it does feel like you’re holding a brick. The 108-megapixel sensor requires a lot of space and it’s evident with the massive bump. You’d often get tired while playing intensive games like PUBG Mobile, but thankfully the rounded corners and slightly curved edges provide some grip.

It’s also quite obvious that Xiaomi has tried to cut corners in the design department. The back of the phone does feel a little flimsy, but that’s visible only if you try to find the spot. As a flagship, in-hand feel is the only department where the phone feels underwhelming.

Vincenz: My first time holding it reminded me of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite I reviewed months ago because of its thickness and heft. With all the 2020 smartphones I reviewed, this one is just a tad heavier and thicker for my liking.

The comfortable “hand-feeling” isn’t as great as when I held the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and the vivo V20 Pro, but this is better than the super slim and lightweight form of the Galaxy S20+ which felt so fragile as it might slip out of my hand any time.

However, in a country where you have to remain vigilant about pickpockets, that added heft is a good factor to know that you have your phone safe in your pocket.

Any rants about its design?

Vincenz: Two things: First, I don’t like how they added another circle just to make it “symmetrical” — which can fool a lot of consumers into thinking it has four cameras and a flash module. Second, I’m not a fan of that glass back.

Again, based from my review experience, vivo’s V20 Pro has a matte glass back which looks and feels nice. It also lessens those icky fingerprint smears whenever you use it with bare hands. Not good when little kids (cousins, niece, or nephews) are around and they want to play with your phone.

Slapping on a good case would be handy but it would make the phone even thicker. Other than those two concerns, the Mi 10T Pro is still good-looking.

Shivam: When I saw the phone for the first time, it reminded me of the Mi A3. It was a classic Android One phone that focused on software and incorporated decent hardware. The back of the Mi 10T Pro looks very similar to the two-year-old phone. A simple glass slab on a greyish metal surface. We’re habituated with new designs from Xiaomi, so this one seemed monotonous.

And like all glass phones, this one is prone to fingerprints and smudges. No matter how much you try, the back will always remain blemished. The sides of the camera module also attract a lot of dirt and gunk that can get difficult to remove. Lastly, the weight and glass back make the phone very slippery, in turn, also delicate. As Vincenz said, you can always opt for a case, but that’ll just add more weight and thickness.

Would you rather: Pick last year’s AMOLED display vs IPS-LCD as long as you keep that fast refresh rate?

Shivam: I feel Xiaomi did the perfect thing by ditching an AMOLED display. The phone has a massive edge in terms of pricing and that’s achievable due to these changes. And, the step-back doesn’t hinder the day-to-day experience.

While there’s no doubt that an LCD display can never produce the blacks or contrast like an AMOLED one, the Mi 10T Pro’s panel has very bright and saturated colors, excellent contrast, and decent viewing angles. I’ve always preferred an AMOLED display personally, but I shifted to this phone for two months without feeling unsatisfied.

Once you use a 144Hz phone, going back to a standard 60Hz display is going to be challenging. The smoothness is very easily evident and you’ll notice it more if you read long PDFs or multitask too often. As a work partner, the refresh rate does bring a consistent flow that’s certainly addictive. In a nutshell, yes, I’m totally fine with an LCD display as long as it’s top-notch and brings higher refresh rates!

Vincenz: Kind of a tough question for me. I’m a creative so I want the best possible display in most (if not all) of the devices I use. I’d still pick the Mi 9T Pro’s AMOLED display because I want those deep blacks plus better colors and contrast for my viewing pleasure. In this country where sun rays and air pollution are harsh, going outside means your screen should be visible enough for use. I kind of suffered with the Mi 10T Pro’s IPS-LCD while trying to use this phone in direct sunlight.

Although it has a 144Hz refresh rate, I’ll simply ditch it over a 60Hz AMOLED one because that buttery-smooth experience is only seen when navigating and scrolling but can’t be maximized yet due to limitations of most smartphone games.

Is it great for multimedia use?

Jeon Heejin is a gift from all Gods

Vincenz: Despite not having an AMOLED display, I still enjoy watching on this smartphone. Whether I use Netflix or YouTube, I still love that fullscreen experience with a small hindrance of the punch-hole cutout. If there wasn’t a pandemic, I’m pretty sure most jeepney and bus commuters in Metro Manila would glare and stare at your phone because of how immersive and borderless it looks.

Although I use my AirPods and Galaxy Buds+ more often when watching and listening, that stereo speaker is still commendable and loud enough for those ultra-loud sessions inside your house.

Shivam: This is where you won’t even realize it’s an LCD display (unless you’re in pitch black darkness). Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and all other streaming services look like a treat, and thanks to the massive battery, you never have to worry about juice. The screen is almost bezel-less and even the chin is quite small.

The onboard speaker is loud enough and perfect for conference calls. The microphone is sensitive enough, so if you’re too tired of earbuds after a long day, just shift to the phone. To be honest, I miss the headphone jack. I prefer wired headphones while I’m home and it’s a feature that’s available on all Xiaomi phones in the mid and budget segment, so why not the Mi 10T Pro?

Are you an in-display fingerprint reader-type of guy or are you satisfied with its side-mounted scanner?

Shivam: I was about to say that thanks to an LCD display, they were forced to go for a physical sensor. And, it’s a very good thing. The in-display sensors are slower than traditional ones and I usually can’t operate them due to humid weather (sweaty hands) or greasy hands (DIY projects). The location of the fingerprint scanner is on the right side and you automatically get used to it within a few minutes. Much faster and convenient.

In-display fingerprint scanners were a fantasy for the longest of time. But they’re here now, we’ve used them for well over two years, and none of them are close to replacing an ordinary physical companion. Some things, like the 3.5mm headphone jack, are immortal.

Vincenz: I’m definitely the side-mounted-type of guy. Other than the fact that it’s fast for unlocking (trust me, my experience with In-Display FPs are just that slow), I just like how its ergonomically-placed on the side of the phone. You can even unlock it with wet fingers 💦 (not advisable for super wet conditions since this isn’t IP-rated).

Will the spec-obsessed enjoy its real-world performance? Thoughts on MIUI 12?

Vincenz: I already said in my previous reviews that I’m both an Apple and an Android user. MIUI is loveable for me as it has some of the goodies I love from iOS such as the lack of a separate app drawer and the overall response and feel. MIUI 12 felt more familiar with its new Control Center, yet still flexible and intuitive with its host of UI features, gestures, and other easter eggs hidden in the basket.

I know the pandemic has turned a lot of Filipinos into gamers and streamers. If you’re one of them, consider this phone as a great recommendation. Can you imagine a flagship-grade performance with this beast? Let’s scrap out those pesky spec sheet and benchmarks. I was able to play graphics-intensive games like Asphalt 9, Call of Duty: Mobile (CoDM), PUBG and do multitasking with socials on the side without any slouch.

Shivam: MIUI has come a long way in the last few years and the skin works for everyone. It’s loaded to the brim with day-to-day features and it has found a balance. Unlike Samsung’s Note series, it isn’t very complicated to use, and feature discoverability has improved leaps and bounds. The settings menu has a plethora of micro options that customize your experience at each step. Once you get the phone, just take an hour to browse the settings menu and you’ll be fine.

The flagship processor stands true to its words and works like a charm. The one thing I appreciate the most is, the processor and display work together without a glitch, delivering a pleasing 144Hz experience. Whether it’s basic UI graphics or intensive gaming, the phone can handle anything. The RAM optimization is spot-on and it can store multiple apps for hours in the background seamlessly. While the phone looks boring from the outside, it’s equally interesting and assuring from the inside.

Also, I’d like to point out that India is a very specification-obsessed market and the flagship processor makes it very easy to recommend this phone. Even though you’ll barely see a difference in terms of day-to-day performance between the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 765, the psychological satisfaction is enormous.

Did the 5,000mAh battery last you that long?

Shivam: It always lasted more than a day. On a very intense day, it’ll provide screen time of more than nine hours on a single charge. That’s a LOT! And you shouldn’t even be using your phone that much in a day. The phone showed its true capability when I was traveling for a day in low network areas and it still managed to retain 40 percent at 5PM with Google Maps and Spotify switched on.

Vincenz: Hell yeah! Speaking as a hardcore pro user, I was able to last ’til the end of the day with socials, gaming, listening, watching, and even photo-taking. If you’re thinking about buying this phone because of its large battery size, you will not regret your purchase because of its great battery endurance.

What about charging speeds? Are they as fast as advertised?

Charged with the bundled charger and cable

Vincenz: Quick charge is another feature I like with the Mi 10T Pro. Other than the blessing of being equipped with USB-C (I mean new smartphones like this SHOULD be equipped with it), it was able to fill up that monstrous battery for about an hour.

Considering how enormous 5,000mAh is, it’s fast enough to fill up the phone especially if you forgot to charge it and have errands to do outside amid the heaps of crowds in malls and supermarkets hoarding masks, face shields, and grocery items.

Shivam: Due to the pandemic, I almost stopped charging my phone to full. If I’m going out, just a quick 15-minute charge is sufficient for hours of usage. It can fully charge the phone within 75 minutes, which is a very short period. This phone will never keep you hooked to a wall.

How are the 5G speeds? Were you able to use it in your country?

5G Speeds tested in BGC, Taguig

Shivam: India hasn’t rolled out 5G yet, so I couldn’t test one of its prime offerings. We expect a spectrum sale in 2021 and telcos like Jio are optimistic about a 2022 launch. But the country is still far away from commercial-grade roll-out. So, should you be investing in 5G right now? Is this phone slightly future proof?

If you use a phone for three or more years, then this may be future proof for you. That’s assuming 5G rolls out in your circle in the initial phases. Otherwise, there’s no use in particularly buying a 5G phone right now. Oh yes, it’s a completely different scenario if you travel frequently and can leverage 5G in other countries temporarily. 5G connectivity is gradually becoming mainstream and will it hit its peak when the world’s second-largest smartphone market joins in.

Vincenz: There are only a few 5G hotspots in the Philippines. I live in a province near the Metro but we still don’t have any 5G towers around here. But because of the ease in lockdown measures, I was able to go out and test it in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, which is around an hour away from my home. Alabang might be a nearer stop as it only takes 30-minutes to go there but I’m quite unsure with the specifics of the 5G cellsites around the area.

Local 5G speeds may not reach those ultra-fast gbps speeds as other 5G-equipped countries like South Korea and USA, but considering the Philippines has one of the slowest internet connections in the world, this is already an ultimate gift for internet-savvy users especially when you’re outside and you don’t have a fast Wi-Fi connection near you.

Are the rear cameras among the best for its price?

Vincenz: I’ll be direct with this — it’s not THAT bad. It’s just not the best.

Disclaimer: Although being a creative means processing your photos every now and then, the photos below were taken straight out of the camera without any color correction, touch-ups, whatsoever.

To be fair, the cameras taken in the right amount of sunlight look excellent.

Whether that may be a wide, zoomed, or even an ultra-wide shot — they all look great!

But coming from someone who was astounded with the Mi 9T Pro’s excellent cameras, the Mi 10T Pro was kind of a step back. There were inconsistencies here and there. White Balance might not be accurate at times especially in all three sensors as the main sensor produces the best-looking shots and something that’s closer to reality. Of course, that can easily be corrected through post-processing.

But there are other factors that are not fixable through post.

One is the Dynamic Range with blown-out highlights and shadows altogether that can be seen below.

Sometimes, AI and HDR don’t even agree with each other.

The first photo of those little munchkins looked delicious but the chicken cheese bomb I captured after looked so bland and less appetizing.

I also have trouble every time I try to focus or zoom on a subject.

Speaking of macro, I just don’t like how the radial blur tries to fake that depth segmentation against the subject. The Mi 9T Pro wasn’t like this when taking zoomed and macro shots. Surprisingly, I experienced the same issue with the V20 Pro and even the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

For night shots, it gets the job done thanks to AI and the wide aperture in its sensors. Then again, there was a White Balance inconsistency that’s fixable through post.

Considering its price range, don’t really expect it’ll produce stunning night shots since cameras are what sets less expensive phones apart from flagships.

For something you would just post on social media, it wouldn’t really matter. It’s just me being nit-picky about this — and I know some phone users might be like me, too. This also makes room for improvements for a lot of smartphone manufacturers in their future releases.

Shivam: I’d say the cameras do an excellent job during the day but slightly disappoint during low-light or immediate circumstances. The iPhone is often jokingly called the best selfie phone when you’re drunk and that’s because of reliable and quick hardware-software integration. The Mi 10T Pro does click pictures like a flagship, but the experience is slightly different.

The pictures look stunning with accurate colors, balanced contrasts, and precise sharpness.

Don’t get me wrong, the result is very satisfying and if you’re not a photography enthusiast, the drawbacks aren’t glaringly visible. But after using Xiaomi phones for years across different price bands, we’ve come to expect above-average performance from pretty much all of them. So, seeing average results from a flagship is underwhelming.

When clicked in low-light environments, the sensor struggles to capture the shadows, details are missing, and the noise removal algorithm seems to be too aggressive. Although, the night mode works seamlessly and does a much better job of refining the binned image.

One thing that annoyed me the most was the camera app’s capture button. Clicking a picture single-handedly is a herculean task because the heavy phone rests on two fingers and the button would fail to register a click most of the time. Initially, I thought I’m doing something wrong, but with more than two months of usage, it has always been a repeat offender.

What makes this phone so special? It has a 108-megapixel primary camera that can capture a lot of details. If you’re looking for stunning landscapes that have practically unlimited zoom, this phone is for you. I clicked a 108-megapixel image while taking off from Mumbai and the results are quite impressive. The sensor is quick and the stabilization is on-point.

How’s the selfie quality of that single punch-hole camera?

Shivam: This has actually become a very straightforward answer for pretty much all modern phones — it’s good and gets the job done. There’s a 20-megapixel sensor in the punch-hole cut-out and it clicks satisfying images during the day. The software is able to accurately pick up your skin tone and add a smoothening layer that isn’t too aggressive. Obviously, the beauty additions are optional.

Vincenz: I always say I’m not the biggest selfie user but after trying it out, I’m really happy with how my selfies turned out. The smearing or face smoothing isn’t as bad as other phones as I like how there are still full details that can be seen on my face. The depth in portrait mode also produced a clean cutout of my hair.

Portrait Mode OFF | Portrait Mode ON

Other than that, I also like the inclusion of the ultra-wide mode for those groufies with social distancing (in which a National chief police officer and his constituents failed to do so).

Is the Mi 10T Pro Your GadgetMatch?

Vincenz: Michael Josh did not give the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval in his Mi 10T Pro review for no reason. At just PhP 24,990, it’s a no-brainer to recommend the Mi 10T Pro for most users.

If you’re into a great all-around smartphone without breaking the bank, this is a sure recommendation. Equipped with the best specs, a good display with a fast refresh rate, and hosts of features, what more could you ask for? But if you value cameras the most out of those aforementioned factors, look elsewhere.

If you don’t mind the notch and the less-powerful Snapdragon 765G chipset and you prefer a better look and feel, the vivo V20 Pro is also worth considering. It even has great cameras for its price.

Shivam: Yes, the phone is surely recommendable. It tries to cut corners in a lot of places, but that doesn’t end up hampering the end-experience. For a very aggressive price of INR 39,999 (US$ 550), the Mi 10T Pro gets a flagship processor, 144Hz display, a 108-megapixel camera, and a slightly more premium experience. If you’re looking for an all-rounder that can get anything done, this phone is made for you. But, if you’re looking for the most cutting-edge flagship, you’ve come to the wrong place.

The OnePlus 8T is a slightly expensive option but lacks a lot of crucial features that make the Mi 10T Pro special. And, like Vincenz suggested, if you’re fine with a Snapdragon 765G chipset, the vivo V20 Pro is an excellent choice along with the OPPO Reno 4 Pro.

Laptops

30 days later with the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra: Like seeing an ex

Felt exactly as I remembered.

Published

August 10, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

I genuinely thought that was it.

The review was done. The feature was out. ASUS had already collected the laptop. In my head, the campaign was over.

Then, out of nowhere, they sent it back.

Between the original review period and this unexpected encore, I ended up living with the ExpertBook Ultra for close to 30 days.

I wasn’t expecting to spend more time with it, but I certainly wasn’t going to complain. If anything, I just hoped they wouldn’t ask for it back again anytime soon.

Picking it back up felt familiar.

Like seeing an ex.

The butterflies came back almost immediately. So did everything I remembered about it.

It also got me thinking.

Maybe the best follow-up to a review isn’t spending another week with a laptop. Maybe it’s asking yourself one simple question:

How much did you actually miss it after it was gone?

That question was surprisingly easy to answer.

It still feels impossibly light

The first thing I noticed wasn’t the display. It wasn’t the keyboard either.

It was the weight.

That became painfully obvious on days when I absolutely had to bring my laptop around. The 0.99kg starting weight really does make a difference when you’re bouncing between cafés, meetings, and wherever else work decides to take you.

So when the ExpertBook Ultra came back, it slipped right back into the same routine. Same cafés. Dinner after. Then back home where work usually followed me all the way to bed.

Most definitely inside the Bravo Tote V2. I upgraded my bag too lol.

The thing I noticed almost immediately wasn’t that it was light. I already knew that. It was how quickly everything came back.

Like we never parted.

The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is still everything I want my MacBook Pro to look and feel like.

I still have a weird relationship with the Nano Ceramic finish

I know this sounds ridiculous, but I still catch myself running my hand across the lid before opening the laptop.

It’s just become part of the ritual.

Pick it up. Marvel at how light it is. Run my hand across the 9H Nano Ceramic finish. Then get to work.

One of the things I wondered after ASUS took the laptop back was whether I’d still care about the finish once the honeymoon phase had worn off. It felt like one of those features that would naturally lose its magic over time.

Apparently not. If anything, the time apart made me appreciate it even more. And as I continued to use it, these words came to mind: “I wish we never parted. I wish you stayed. And I wish you never go away.”

I forgot how much I liked working on it

One thing that didn’t change while the ExpertBook Ultra was away was the kind of work I do.

The breadth and depth of it certainly didn’t magically change. I still spent my days coordinating projects, replying to emails, juggling deadlines, and letting ChatGPT help me process unresolved feelings and questionable timing in between writing articles.

That also meant I wasn’t really the target audience for some of the ExpertBook Ultra’s AI for Work features. I appreciated having tools like MyExpert, AI ExpertMeet, and Copilot+ within reach, but my workflow rarely called for them. Most days, I was simply too busy doing the work instead of exploring new ways to do it.

Although, I will say I did a lot more coordination work than the emotionally charged reviews and features I usually enjoy writing.

I also started editing a reel before eventually handing it over to one of our video editors for reasons completely unrelated to the ExpertBook Ultra. Rodneil issue.

The keyboard, though, was just as lovely as I remembered. The 1.5 mm key travel still struck a nice balance between comfort and responsiveness, while the ASUS ExpertCool keyboard with its Excimer UV coating gave me one less thing to worry about during long workdays.

People often say a good keyboard is one you stop thinking about. I never did.

Every now and then I’d be halfway through an article and randomly catch myself appreciating how good it felt to type on. It’s one of those things you don’t expect to notice after days of use, but somehow you still do.

The haptic touchpad, on the other hand, started feeling like it was fighting me a little this time around. I still think that’s more of a software thing than an ASUS thing. If there’s one thing Apple still has over practically everyone else, it’s the MacBook trackpad.

That said, I still never found myself reaching for a mouse.

I got distracted… again (thanks, 3K Tandem OLED)

Eventually, though, my brain would tap out.

That’s usually when I’d stop pretending to be productive and switch to whatever was helping me decompress that week.

This time, it was See You at Work Tomorrow. I initially watched for second female lead Kang Mina (due for a lead role, btw) but got hooked with the rest of the cast pretty quickly.

I also started Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You. It’s quietly become one of my comfort shows of late.

And naturally, there were the occasional fancams. This time, mostly of Kim Chaewon during LE SSERAFIM’s PUREFLOW concert stops.

Funny enough, I don’t think I consciously appreciated the 3K Tandem OLED display as much this time around. I think I just got used to how good it looked.

Somewhere between deadlines, comfort shows, anime, and Chaewon fancams, I stopped noticing the display altogether. I just enjoyed whatever happened to be on it.

That’s probably the highest compliment I can give it.

Turns out, I hadn’t changed my mind

One of the reasons I was genuinely happy the ExpertBook Ultra came back was because I wanted to see whether I’d remembered it too fondly. After all, that’s usually what time does. You remember the good parts, forget the little annoyances, and convince yourself something was better than it actually was.

That never happened here.

If anything, getting the laptop back just reinforced the conclusions I had already come to the first time around. It still feels impossibly light. I still think it’s everything I want my MacBook Pro to look and feel like. And yes, I still wish it ran macOS.

Sorry, Windows.

What surprised me more was that I never really found myself looking for reasons to disagree with my original review. I wasn’t paying attention to the little things anymore. Nor was I trying to re-review the laptop or see if I’d somehow missed a fatal flaw the first time around.

I just… used it.

It stopped feeling like a review unit and simply became the laptop I reached for whenever I had work to do or wanted to unwind with a K-drama at the end of the day. Looking back, that’s probably why nothing really changed. I had already formed my opinion. Getting it back just confirmed it.

The person I picture using this laptop also hasn’t changed. It’s still for people who’ve made strides in life and want a machine that reflects where they are while keeping up with everything they’re taking on.

That’s who I pictured when I first wrote about the ExpertBook Ultra.

Funny enough… That’s still who I picture today.

Sometimes the best review begins after the review ends

When ASUS took the laptop back, there was actually some relief. It signalled that the campaign was over.

That feeling didn’t last very long.

I couldn’t help but long for it shortly after, especially on days that I absolutely had to bring a laptop around. The weight really does play a big factor during days like this. And as ridiculous as it sounds, I never quite got over the Nano Ceramic finish either.

That’s probably what surprised me the most. Not that I still liked the ExpertBook Ultra. I already knew that.

It was realizing just how much of the experience stayed with me after it was gone.

If you’ve been considering the ExpertBook Ultra, my advice probably hasn’t changed after spending close to 30 days with it. Don’t buy it because it’s the lightest laptop around or because it packs every feature under the sun. Buy it because you want a machine that quietly gets out of your way and lets you focus on the work that matters. That’s what it ended up doing for me.

After this reunion, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra will likely leave me again. Some exes are just like that. They’re meant to be exes.

And while they don’t stay, they leave an imprint on how you go about life moving forward.

I just know some part of me will always look for the best that I’ve found with the ExpertBook Ultra whenever another laptop lands on my desk.

Is that fair? Perhaps not. But it is what it is.

Thinking of making the switch?

If you’ve been considering the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra, ASUS Business Philippines is currently running an Early Bird Bundle Promo until August 31, 2026. Purchase any ASUS ExpertBook Ultra from participating ASUS Expert Stores and select tech retailers to receive over Php 13,000 worth of freebies, including an ASUS 100W GaN Charger and SSI Gift Certificates. (DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-261070 Series of 2026.)

The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra starts at Php 129,995 and is available through select ASUS authorized stores and tech retailers nationwide.

Every purchase also includes a 3-year battery and charger warranty extension, with upgradeable warranty coverage of up to 5 years, giving you added peace of mind long after you’ve taken it home.

Where to buy:

ASUS ExpertBook Ultra: https://ph.asus.click/ExpertBookUltra-WheretoBuy
ASUS Expert Store – Lazada: https://ph.asus.click/ASUSExpertBookStoreLazada
ASUS Expert Store – Shopee: https://ph.asus.click/ASUSExpertBookStoreShopee

For businesses, ASUS Business Philippines also offers flexible configurations tailored to your organization’s needs. To learn more about volume purchases, visit:
https://ph.asus.click/Business-VolumePurchase

Laptops

ROG STRIX G16 Review: Building for the moment

Setting it up however you want to make the most out of it

Published

August 10, 2026

Gab Orlina

As someone who loves to build PCs, gaming laptops do not completely appeal to me as much as it would for other people. Apart from the limited capacity to tinker and upgrade parts, in some cases, gaming performance doesn’t feel the same as an actual desktop PC.

Also, there’s the ever-present concern on its portability given that most gaming laptops come in rather hefty clam shells.

The other thing is that given we now have more portable ways to play the game, gaming laptops feel behind in the game. Handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally X make it easy to just bring the games with you even if you won’t be able to play all genres anyways.

However, there are still those that dare to take the chance on the clam shell for all the other, non-gaming aspects it excels in.

So, when ROG came to us with the ASUS ROG STRIX G16, I wanted to give it a shot to see if it’s something worth totally investing in.

On paper, it promises to be an excellent device for all of its intended use cases, but you can say that about anything at this point. There has to be something different that truly makes this device worthwhile in 2026.

Performance-maxxing at its finest

If it isn’t obvious yet, I think that this new version of the ROG STRIX G16 performs absolutely well with the hardware it comes with.

Powered by the new Intel Core Ultra 9 and an NVIDIA RTX 5080, it covers every little use case you need it for. Editing spreadsheets, creating videos from scratch, playing RTX-compatible games with high quality details – it honestly can do no wrong.

On the outside, the device sports a 16-inch, 2.5K ROG Nebula Display, maxed out with a refresh rate of 300hz. While it does come in the unorthodox 16:10 aspect ratio, it doesn’t totally ruin the viewing nor gaming experience in my opinion.

Also, that high enough of a refresh rate already puts this display within the competitive gaming tier of performance. So, expect to hit more headshots when you play on this device, hopefully.

The thing is, for me, this is expected coming out from ASUS ROG. Great internal hardware, matched with the external hardware to maximize the gaming experience – it’s what they’re known for.

At this point, they’ve continuously raised the bar on maxing out gaming and productivity performance that it bears no repeating past this point.

So, what’s new?

Designing the experience your way

The ROG STRIX G16 for 2026 sports a rather subtle, nearly minimalist physical appearance upon unboxing. Bannered by an LED ROG logo and several nods to their brand messaging, it’s as unassuming as one would expect.

Once you turn it on, you are greeted with the flash of RGB light strips surrounding the keyboard and the underside of the laptop – all fully customizable on Armoury Crate. If you ask me, that’s not even the best part.

When you flip the device to the underside, you will notice this peg that can pass off as its rubber footing. However, inspect it further and it’s actually a switch that, when slid to the left, unlocks the protective cover of the laptop’s internal hardware.

Once unlocked, it allows you to easily add another M.2 SSD storage or expand your RAM to 64GB, which is a huge deal on its own.

Upgrading your laptop was never this easy nor safe to do, considering that you will normally need to remove the screws and potentially void the warranty. With the ROG STRIX G16, both of those worries are eliminated for you to craft the perfect gaming machine.

The only thing, though, is it’s still a pretty bulky machine that made some weird tweaks to the other components.

I’m personally not a fan of the unbelievably large trackpad and the somewhat awkward key travel while typing due to the switches being small for my hands. External peripherals are a must, but the components having weird quirks are not a total deal breaker.

No heat in the moment

ROG brings its new Intelligent Cooling system that it applied to the 2026 version of the STRIX G16, which promised better heat dissipation on paper. Part of the design choice to accompany this was to open up most ventilation on the rear end, unlike other models that still evenly distributed it to the sides.

This, to me, was a welcomed change especially with Intel chips that typically throttle during intense workloads.

The most obvious pain point I had before was immediately addressed by this new cooling system. Effectively, they made the heat dissipate through one ventilation area so it no longer affects other parts of the laptop to make the experience uncomfortable long term.

One example of this: the keyboard doesn’t take the heat after three hours of non-stop play on Performance mode while the system is throttling to achieve better frame rates.

Even after I shut down the laptop after use, the underside doesn’t get too warm either. I initially thought it had to be if that was an area you would have easy access to.

Well, I’m glad to never attempt to fry eggs on a laptop ever again, at least!

Battery levels that keep you in the clutch

For a device this powerful, it’s not a surprise to me that the battery drains quickly when you’re on the move. In my regular usage, I tallied around four to five hours before zero, only slightly improved to five and a half when leaving the device idle for a while.

Surprisingly enough, increasing the intensity of the load cuts these numbers only by a bit – clocking in three and a half hours maximum with heavy gaming.

Fortunately enough, the 380W charger charged it back to full at a quicker time and pace as its battery drain time.

Going from none to done took an average of two hours when idle, nearly two and half hours when in use while charging.

To me, this is more than enough time to go on a break when the games are tilting you too much. You can also use the 100W USB-C charger if you want to keep the laptop idle for longer and it will take four hours.

Is the ROG STRIX G16 your GadgetMatch?

For a laptop priced at a whopping PhP 319,995, the ASUS ROG STRIX G16 is the kind of all-around machine you can build to capture any moment. On its own, the performance truly speaks for itself whether you need it for work in the day or play till the wee hours.

However, when you’re willing to tinker around the machine like I was, you can unlock so much more out of it, especially in the hardware department. It’s a bonus that this machine lets you do it a lot easier without risking any warranties to be voided.

Admittedly, I still have some more questions about the design philosophy and longevity because of the hardware pre-built in.

For one, some design choices truly made it feel like you could only enjoy this with additional peripherals at your disposal. Plus, the battery charges fast to compensate for how quickly it runs out, too.

Although these aren’t deal breakers for me but for others, you might want to take note and try it out too.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with a machine that lets you achieve great performance when you’re willing to dig deeper into it.

As someone who loves to build PCs, this is one of the few gaming laptops that appeals to me while ignoring the obvious dent on my wallet. Even with other options out there, this might just be the one that you can future-proof as long as you can afford to do so!

Reviews

realme C100: Enduring and durable in spite of entry-level realities

Enough power but needs more agility

Published

July 11, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

Several smartphone brands have successfully balanced cost and capability in the entry-level and midrange segments. realme, on the other hand, appears to still be navigating this refinement process after the realignment in budget handsets.

The brand’s latest mass market offering, the realme C100, highlights an aggressive focus on physical endurance and battery capacity.

These are two welcome additions to give consumers more value for what they purchase. Yet, there are compromises in other areas that ultimately hold the package back from being a worthy everyday utility.

Long battery life

Bannering the realme C100 is its 8,000mAh Titan battery. This substantial boost in capacity translates to better longevity on a day-to-day basis.

For just casual usage patterns, it can easily last even up to four days. When left on standby, it can even stretch to an impressive nine days or so.

When finally time to recharge, the device supports 45W SUPERVOOC fast charging, which is ample for its segment.

As smartphone brands lean toward offering larger batteries, it’s a positive trade-off for those who don’t plan on purchasing power banks any time soon.

Unoptimized performance

The C100 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G92 Max processor and runs on the Android 16-based realme UI 7.0.

Performance is inconsistent at best. Light social media scrolling and casual streaming aren’t met with hiccups.

But, with gaming, the handset falters a bit, even with the supposedly less demanding titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. There are frame drops, stutters, and a it of lag that disrupts the overall experience.

That’s even with GT Mode turned on.

This would also considerably hamper the workflow of utility workers’ daily routines, should they choose this.

Thankfully, with a long battery life, the C100 is still something you can wield to stay connected throughout the entire day, especially for commuters, students, and young professionals.

However, the lack of 5G connectivity is also a downer, especially if you’ll need a better and faster network.

Ideally, I would put it as chiefly just a tool for constant comms and something you’d put on your desk — expecting new messages, emails, and notifications or updates here and there.

Inferior display

In front, the realme C100 sports a 6.8-inch 120Hz display on paper. It has an HD+ resolution but the pixel density sits at just a mere 256ppi.

There’s visible graininess or lack of distinct sharpness, be it streaming YouTube or viewing photos you’ve just taken with the device.

The same hardware limitation reminds me of past compromises in previous C series entries. Photos appear muddy and noticeably soft on screen, so it’s difficult to judge image clarity until files are transferred to another display.

The 1,200 nits of peak brightness helps a bit, although it is still a bit trickier to see things under the bright sunlight.

Cameras: Decent, as usual

For its camera, the realme C100 has quite the standard 50MP main camera. It’s decent for captures in terms of color and detail, but I’ve seen better overall quality from previous C series entries.

It’s tough when its indoors and under low light conditions — as expected. Naturally, you can’t expect the same detail outside of 1x zoom.

Some quick samples:

It’s a you-get-what-you-paid for on the stills department; something you’d use for documentation more rather than artistic captures. I would have hoped for more stability with filming, so you can use it for quick reels or splice them for vlogs.

When I asked my nephew to use the phone for a bit, he didn’t take too many images, which tells a lot about what the camera package can offer.

Look and feel

Onto its appearance, the device comes with a simple, squarish build with a faux triple camera island at the back.

It’s nothing we haven’t seen before, though in the place of round cameras, they look more like app icons shape-wise.

There’s slightly curved corners, just the right amount of thickness, a decent 90.4% screen-to-body ratio, and a bit of weight given the larger battery.

To its credit, the phone has a good grip and a less slippery back, even with its fancy design.

It is obviously great to have ArmorShell Glass protection too, as durability and ruggedness are two non-negotiables in this segment to remain competitive.

Aside from that, the phone boasts of IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K dust and water resistance. The display itself is also optimized for wet touches through Rain Touch Mode.

Is this your BudgetMatch?

For consumers prioritizing raw survival metrics, the final verdict leans toward a Swipe Left. It’s close though.

While the market shift toward military-grade drop resistance, high-tier IP waterproofing, and massive batteries makes sense as they save users from the hidden or unexpected costs of broken screens, liquid damage, and purchasing extra power banks, smartphones still requires a baseline level of operational smoothness.

At this price point, there are multiple cheaper alternatives with a more stable and responsive user experience.