MANILA, Philippines – 2022’s Steam Deck has seen some success, enough of it that it has jump started a sort of new-ish product category: handheld gaming PCs.

There had been attempts more than 10 years ago to make a portable PC gaming experience. A little digging reveals the crowdfunded Linux-based OpenPandora of the late 2000s, made for homebrew games and emulators. In 2013, there was the far more mainstream Windows 8-based gaming tablet that slotted into a controller device, the Razer Edge.

Brave efforts, but these were merely the first evolutionary steps for a new organism looking for its place in the gaming ecosystem. And the Steam Deck appeared to be its eureka moment, having found its niche, resulting in units sold in the “multiple millions.” 

More than the sales numbers, the Deck has had quite the market impact because, in its wake, several household PC gaming brands have put forth their own attempts at a PC handheld: the ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and the MSI Claw. 

These brands sell gaming laptops. The Steam Deck presented a threat. They had to get on the boat. And so we consumers find ourselves at an exciting moment where the brands are still trying to find out the best configuration, and we get to enjoy a bunch of wild choices. 

There’s of course the sensible Steam Deck, the most affordable, designed for just enough power for an unplugged portable gaming session. Then the ROG Ally upped the ante with more processing power, and brought Windows to the fray (the Steam Deck uses the Linux-based SteamOS). 

Then the Lenovo Legion Go came along, just supersizing everything – the display most of all. It has the biggest display of them all, including the upcoming MSI Claw. It’s that dinosaur that chose to go big in an attempt to eat everything that moved in the Cretaceous. 

It’s the XL choice in the current crop of handheld PC gaming systems. I have no point of comparison as I haven’t tried the other systems, but all I can say is that while it is still portable, the most comfortable way to play it for longer sessions is to have your arms propped up on a table or legs while playing. It’s a big device.

It has the biggest display among all the devices at 8.8 inches, with the highest resolution at 1440p, and a 144Hz refresh rate. MSI and ROG’s devices have a 7-inch Full HD display at 120Hz, while the Steam Deck OLED has a below full HD 800p screen at 90Hz. Colors look rich, the dynamic range looks satisfying, and it looks very crisp.

Beyond just screen size, the Legion Go is also quite possibly the boldest and most inventive right now. It has detachable controllers like the Switch. (And speaking of the Switch, this PC category probably owes a lot to the Nintendo console too.) You can also take the right controller, put it in a magnetic, disc-like apparatus included in the package to let you use it as a mouse for first-person games. It’s pretty neat, but I can’t say yet whether it’s something that I can really get acclimated to.

I also like the built-in kickstand, and the included case even has a tiny hole through which you can course the charging cable, so you can charge it while in its enclosure – so that’s really thoughtful.

The ROG Ally, as I’ve read, doesn’t come with a case. The Steam Deck does. 

Solid hardware, but future versions need a specialized user interface

The Legion Go and the ROG Ally share the same APU (accelerated processing unit): the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme. There are lots of in-depth performance reviews already out there. But a quick search on the ROG Ally subreddit compares the Z1 to being a tad below 2020’s high-end Ryzen 5800X CPU with the graphics prowess of 2019’s midrange Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU. 

You have to dial things down a bit for the latest AAA games for this generation of PC handhelds. For example, a demanding game like Alan Wake II, per our testing, had to be dialed down to about an 800p resolution or slightly below for it to be a playable 30 frames per second.

As is the case with laptops, you’ll have your best chance of hitting high frame rates on less demanding esports-style titles or older games, so you can take advantage of the 144Hz display.

The MSI Claw, expected to come out before the first half of 2024 is over, will be introducing Intel chips to this product category, with the newer Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. We’ll have to wait and see which is better.

OS, some bugs

What the three devices need the most right now though is on the OS side. Windows 11 on these devices isn’t that user-friendly. The icons are tiny, there’s just a bit of a learning curve to get acclimated, and while the Legion Go has made some efforts with its own app that lets you quickly access the popular game storefronts such as Xbox, Steam, and Epic, it’s not quite there yet.

The overall experience before you get to jump into a game is not yet completely intuitive – understandable since this is new territory. It more or less feels like a shoehorned Windows 11. It’s not intuitive to access functions like alt-tabbing or ctrl-alt-deleting. The virtual keyboard didn’t automatically pop up on the Epic game launcher.

The OS acts up sometimes, and simply stops responding. Often, if you’re a laptop user, you’d know what to do to resolve things, but here it can be a little more frustrating because, first and foremost, you don’t have a traditional mouse and keyboard to work with. Sure, you can attach one, but that just takes you closer to laptop territory, so I think, long-term, UI polish is the key.

Once you get into a game, though, the experience is pretty stable, although there were three games – Hades, Psychonauts 2, and Alan Wake II – that sometimes didn’t detect the controller, and switched to a keyboard configuration. I needed to restart those games, and I’m not sure how many games are affected by this.

It can be done, but the overall polish, especially on the software side, needs improvement.

Maybe wait for the second generation devices?

But there’s indeed potential here for these devices to be quite impactful like the Switch, which proved that graphical horsepower isn’t all there is to gaming. Might this new PC form factor do the same to a platform that has always called itself the master race?

I’m excited that this is something that would be easier to take around, or play while in bed. This coming year is one to watch with the MSI Claw coming, and some already good beginning efforts from ROG and Lenovo. 

And, all things aside, the Legion Go just gives you a new way to experience PC games. It’s so cozy to play in bed, and surprisingly immersive. And it might be a fun thing to bring at, say, a coffee shop for when you want to play your Steam games outside the house. It might be good for long bus rides (premium buses to Baguio, anyone?) or plane rides, but the general two-hour battery life means it’s not a play-until-your-thumbs-fall-off portable affair.

Just for opening up those new experiences (and I really love the big screen), the Legion Go’s already a dream device, but personally I feel like I want to wait for the next iteration, instead of making a first-gen splash.

If future iterations can really fine-tune the user interface and software, and really find that sweet spot between size, display, battery life, and power, more might just shift from gaming laptops to this new legion of handheld PCs/high-powered tablets that can play Windows games. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – I’ve been using the Honor Magic V2 for about two weeks now, in anticipation of its February 21 launch, so I’ve been able to take note of what I’ve liked and not liked about it so far. 

The thinness does matter 

I already mentioned in a recent video that the phone being 9.9 millimeters thin, making it the world’s thinnest foldable, is something that matters because it makes it feel just like a regular phone.

In my short time using it, I sometimes even forget that I’m using a foldable because it’s just so perfectly usable in its folded form. And then you remember that you’re using a foldie, and you go, “Oh yeah, I have all this extra real estate too” for maybe when you’re reading a manga with really nice art, and that’s a great feeling.

I haven’t used a lot of foldables – just this, the Galaxy Fold phones, and some time with Huawei’s Mate X series. But it’s the Fold that I’ve had the most time with. I was impressed with the thinness of the latest, the Fold5 which was launched in mid-2023, but the Magic V2 blows it out of the water. 

Actually, the bigger issue with the Fold, in terms of its usability as a regular phone, is its long and slim form factor. It squeezes everything in, and makes you miss a standard phone’s display aspect ratio. The Magic V2’s aspect ratio doesn’t have that problem. 

I didn’t know that I had an issue with the Fold5’s Snickers bar-style form factor until I got time with the Magic V2. 

It fulfills being a standard phone first, and then adds on the amazing usability of a mini tablet screen. Meanwhile, the Fold5 made me want to just use it in tablet mode more often because its phone mode was a little too slim for my liking. 

I’m working from memory here though so I can’t completely remember if I was really that irked with Fold5’s long-ish display, but that the Magic V2’s phone-mode display felt really new and great to me must mean something. 

And again, its thinness is important. For instance, if it had the regular aspect ratio but was thick, it wouldn’t have felt like a regular phone, and I would’ve been grumpy-old-man-yells-at-cloud about it. 

Must Read

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 quick review: New hinge, thinner frame enhance sleekness

Amazing build

I’m really surprised with the build of the Magic V2 as well: slim, rounded metal corner, a back with a premium-feeling matte finish, a cool, understated camera array design, and an included back case with a faux leather finish and kickstand. It’s a really confident design that belongs in the top tier. 

No wonder, they’re really going after current foldable leader Samsung with the #MagicBeyondtheGalaxy hashtag, referring to Samsung’s Galaxy branding. Well, that, and the fact that there aren’t really a lot of choices yet when it comes to book-style foldables that are officially here in the Philippines – I believe it’s just the Galaxy Fold, the Huawei Mate X, and now, the Magic V2.

The included kickstand on the case is really thoughtful. With it, you can prop up the phone anywhere, and it’s great for watching Netflix or reading comics or mangas. 

Speaking of reading, it’s generally a great experience on the V2 because it’s also relatively light, and the weight balance feels really good when in tablet mode. It’s so nice to lay in bed, pop it open in tablet mode, and read. 

The Magic V2 displays look crisp too with deep colors and nice contrast, and most importantly, the front one’s brightness goes up to 2,500 nits so it’s still usable under the sun. By comparison, the flagship Samsung S24 Ultra recently just went to 2,600 nits from last year’s 1,750 nits on the S23 Ultra. 

But to be clear, the inner screen of the Magic V2 has a lower rating of 1,600 nits. 

Lower price?

I’m also expecting the Magic V2 to be priced lower here in the Philippines than the Fold5 as has been the case internationally. The Fold5 launched at a staggering P98,990 for the cheapest 256GB model in August 2023. The Magic V2’s 512GB model launched in China in July 2023 for about 10,000 yuan or about P78,000 converted via current rates. Still expensive but less so, and I guess that’s a step in the right direction for book-style foldies, right? 

(UPDATE: The Honor Magic V2’s price has been set at P79,999 for the sole 512GB model.)

I’m going to mention the battery life too. The V2 has a 5,000 mAh battery with 66W fast-charging (brand-claimed full charge in less than an hour) while the Fold5 has a 4,400 mAh battery with 25W fast-charging (brand-claimed full charge in about 80 minutes). 

The pictures look good too. Here are some samples below. You can click on the photo to enlarge:

My main complaints so far

Probably my main gripe with the Magic V2 is that it uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and not the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. That’s because it was initially launched in July 2023 in China, and is coming late here in the Philippines. If I would buy something in this price range, I would really rather have something with the latest processor, which is likely something the Fold6 will have. 

The Fold5 has the Gen 2 as well, but we have Gen 3 flagships right now.

Another thing that the Fold5 has over the V2 is water resistance. The former has an IPX8 water resistance rating, while the V2 has none. Keep that in mind if that feature is important for you.

I have a few other gripes too. When shooting a video, you can’t switch the camera from rear to front or vice versa, which is something that Samsung phones let you do. I’ve seen some instances where the Facebook app didn’t switch from tablet mode to phone mode and vice versa, causing display issues and a few other bugs. 

Because of this experience, perhaps it would be good to read up on whether the phone bugs out on the apps you use. In my own experience, it was only the Facebook app that had issues. Something that I would check out further if I were to review the phone longer is its software and user interface.

There’s no 16:9 aspect ratio when shooting a photo (just a full screen one), although there is one when shooting a video. 

The fingerprint reader on the power button is sensitive. You press it to lock the phone, but don’t let your thumb linger there because you might unlock it again accidentally. The included screen protector also showed some bubbles in my short time using it. 

But apart from these, the Magic V2, even if I weren’t in the market for a book-style foldie, would make me want to consider whether it’s time to get on the foldables train. It’s sexy and slim, and priced lower than the competition – even though there really aren’t many official local choices out there, with competing models from other brands not yet officially here in the Philippines.

I think many Filipinos still see Samsung and Apple as the premium brands, but you’d be remiss not to give this one a serious look. – Rappler.com

Honor’s campaign hashtag? #ExperienceMagicBeyondTheGalaxy. A not-subtle-at-all dig at foldable market leader Samsung, and their line of Galaxy Fold book-style foldables.

The confidence is justified. We’ve had some hands on time with the Magic V2, and what I can tell you is that the Magic V2 looks stunning. It is indeed the world’s thinnest foldable at 9.9 millimeters (folded), beating the former record holder the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold 3 at 10.89 millimeters.

I think part of the reason the Magic stunned me was because I’ve been so used to the chunkiness of the Galaxy Fold phones. Samsung’s latest, 2023’s Galaxy Fold 5, is its thinnest so far (a thickness of 13.4 millimeters when folded) but it still makes an uncomfortable bulge in the pocket. The Magic V2, on the other hand, is legitimately pocketable.

More importantly, at least for me, when the Magic V2 is folded, it just feels like pretty much a regular large-screened phone because of its display’s more traditional-looking 20:9 aspect ratio compared to the Fold5’s tall and long 23.1:9 aspect ratio. The latter’s front screen is usable, but the Magic V2’s feels more natural to use.

The Galaxy Fold5 looked good but I’m just really impressed with the thinness of the Magic V2, and how it feels very much like a regular phone when folded. It nails the premium look too with a beautiful, metallic rounded frame, vibrant display, and a matte, crystalline purple rear. It comes in black too. Click to enlarge the photos:

There’s certainly more to it than its looks, build, and ergonomics – although these are truly some of its strongest suits – so tune in for our full review.

Honor will be holding an online launch on their Facebook page on February 21, 6 pm as well, where prices will likely be announced. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is quite the phone. Of course, that’s almost always the case with Samsung’s Ultra models. But it’s not every year that they truly hit the mark. However, this year feels like the closest they’ve gotten to a bullseye in recent memory. 

The gist of it is that the S24 Ultra is great on both the hardware and software fronts. On the hardware side, it’s a refinement of last year’s S23 Ultra – and that phone got great reviews last year – with several key improvements. On the software side, there are, of course, all those fancy AI functions you’ve been hearing about. And all in all, it’s greater than the sum of its parts, making the S24 Ultra quite the object of tech desire. 

Of course, it’s not for everyone. Starting at P84,990, there are much more practical choices out there, even within the Ultra’s own S line. But where money is no object, it’s hard not to get excited about the S24 Ultra.

Display ditches the curves and is now flat

The S24 Ultra doesn’t look significantly different from the S23 Ultra: same size (6.8 inch display), and same rear camera array.

But there are changes. The S24 Ultra’s display is now completely flat. The S23 Ultra still had a slight curve. The side of the body still has a slight curve on the S24 Ultra, but it’s less pronounced than last year’s model. It’s a matter of taste, but I’m liking the flat display so far. 

The change is kind of bittersweet too though as curved displays had always been an S-phone signature. Does this officially mark the end for Samsung’s curved phones? 

Titanium build

The titanium back feels great to the touch, and feels and looks premium. Apple also touted the titanium in its iPhone 15 phones, but according to CNN, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max’s titanium can only be found on the frame, while the back remains glass. The S24 Ultra’s frame and back are made of titanium.

Interestingly though, while the S24 Ultra’s titanium use is found on both the frame and back, YouTuber JerryRigEverything’s teardown of the iPhone 15 Pro series and S24 Ultra showed that the former uses higher grade titanium than the latter, which is supposedly tougher. 

Still, I have no complaints on the S24 Ultra. It really feels great in the hand, although it will indeed feel too big for some. Make sure to test out the size at stores, and see if you’re comfortable with this phablet. The titanium back also appears to have some more grip, and less obvious fingerprint smudging than the S23 Ultra’s glass back.

Higher max brightness

The display has a major improvement too, with the S24 Ultra’s maximum brightness increasing to 2,600 nits from the S23 Ultra’s 1,750 nits. You’ll see the difference when using it in broad daylight. Its display is brighter than its rival, the iPhone 15 Pro phones at 2,000 nits.

For further comparison though, there are other flagships such as the OPPO Find X7 Ultra, whose display is at 4,500 nits and the Xiaomi 14 phones at 3,000 nits. But it’s not yet clear when these phones are coming to our shores.

The brightness level isn’t the only thing helping the S24’s display look better in bright scenarios, as its new anti-glare coating appears to be doing some good work too. We tried shining a flashlight on the displays of both the S24 Ultra and S23 Ultra, and there does appear to be a noticeable difference. 

Goodbye 10x optical zoom, hello 5x

On the camera end of things, the big change comes in the form of a new 50MP 5x telephoto camera. Three of the S24 Ultra’s cameras are the same as the S23 Ultra’s: a 200MP wide camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP 3x telephoto. Gone is the S23 Ultra’s 10MP 10x telephoto. 

You’re getting less zoom here but a higher resolution with the 5x telephoto. The Verge’s review notes that Samsung’s justification for this change is that the 5x optical is much more usable than 10x. Maybe Samsung indeed has data on what zoom level people use more, but to me, it still feels like a subjective matter, so just be aware of this change. 

Here are a few samples, but we’ll do a more in-depth camera review next time. You can click on the photo for a closer view.

For the processor, in markets outside the US, only the S24 Ultra will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The base and Plus variants will carry the Samsung Exynos 2400. Early benchmarking tests have shown the Snapdragon having slightly better performance than the Exynos. 

AI in focus

For at least a few months, Samsung’s AI features – powered by both in-house AI solutions and from AI partner Google – will be exclusive to the S24 line. That’s one of the appeals for the early adopter, and there are a lot of fun, and some genuinely useful AI features here. 

And even when the AI features do come to the older models, the S24’s newer processors are better attuned for on-device AI processing.

Circle-to-search is the most useful AI feature here, and I’m seeing this as something that changes the way we use and search for information on our phone. It just makes things so much easier. See something you want on your screen you want more information on? Just hold the home button, tap or encircle the particular object you want to know more about, and that’s it, you’re given a set of search results. 

The large display of the Ultra works really well with the new function.

And it works on nearly whatever the screen is displaying on. So far, only Netflix seems to have blocked usage of the feature. But when you’re on Instagram, Facebook, browsing on Chrome, chatting on apps, YouTube, or just on your home screen, you can call up Circle to Search. It can identify art, a pair of shoes, a restaurant, and all sorts of information except for information on people, which are limited. 

Using it is habit-forming, and whenever I switch to an older phone, I feel slightly annoyed that I can’t bring up the Circle to Search function. 

Live call translation and interpreter features are potentially very useful too. But the limitation here is that it’s useful for maybe short conversations, like asking for directions, or as we’ve demoed before, setting a reservation at a restaurant where they don’t speak your language. Longer conversations may feel tedious as while the translation isn’t slow, it’s not fast enough to make a conversation feel really natural.

Voice transcription is a favorite too, as often, such a service can be found online for a fee. It’s great that this can be done via phone. The Google Pixel, however, as The Verge has reported, transcribes in real time, while the S24 can only do so after the recording. Like anything AI-produced though, the transcript or summaries the phone produces is something that I would still double check for accuracy before completely trusting it or using it in my work. 

Of all the AI features, the most fun for me is the slow-mo AI feature for videos. With it, you can turn any video shot at either 30 frames per second or 60 frames per second to slow mo, with generative AI adding frames to achieve slow motion. It’s not flawless, and best results are seen when shooting videos that don’t have complicated elements or backgrounds. 

But when it works, it does look good, and it’s fun to look back at old videos and see how they’d look in slow motion, even if they weren’t shot in slow-mode to begin with. 

There are also image editing features that use AI such as a function that allows you to erase objects or move them around in a photo, or erase reflections. These are fun too but the results can certainly be improved. 

And by the way, the AI features are only guaranteed to be free until the end of 2025 – a decision that Samsung owes to the high costs associated with demanding AI cloud processing, and evolving AI technology – and we aren’t sure yet what sort of paid system Samsung will put up when that time comes. 

Must Read

The Samsung S24’s AI features will only be free until end of 2025 – here’s why

Aside from that, what’s notable is Samsung increasing software and security update support from the S23’s 5 years to the S24’s 7 years. That’s an excellent support guarantee for a phone at this price range, and that’s plus points to sustainability too as the longer you can hold on to your phones, the better it is for the environment.

All in all, with the display brightness improvement, titanium finish, this being the only Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset-equipped S24, and of course, its stage-setting AI features that are a mix of useful, experimental, and extended software and security support, the S24 Ultra represents a good upgrade year. 

Or if you can’t wait to dip your toes into mobile-enabled AI, the Ultra offers a strong package, if not entirely cohesive, as brands including Samsung are only now starting to figure out how to roll out AI-enabled features on their phones. 

Interested only in the AI features? The cheapest way you’ll be able to get your hands on those will be with the Galaxy S23 FE at P36,990. The update for the AI functions is expected to arrive by June 2024, and will be coming to the full S23 line, the Galaxy Tab S9, and the Flip5 and Fold5. – Rappler.com

Pre-order Samsung Galaxy S24 devices:

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Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2-inch tablet

Huawei says this is its “thinnest and lightest yet.” It features a high-contrast OLED display, 88-watt wired fast-charging (0%-to-85% charge in 40 minutes), WPS Office productivity suite, and Harmony OS4 operating system.

Price: P59,999

Availability: February 2

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Huawei MateBook D 16 2024

Huawei touts this laptop’s sleekness, faster and more far-reaching Wi-Fi connectivity with its Huawei “Metaline Antenna,” up to an Intel Core i9 processor, long battery life, Windows 11 Home operating system, and AI features for teleconferencing.

The 2024 line includes both 12th generation models and newer 13th generation models.

Price: P38,999 to P69,999

Availability: January 19

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 13

The Redmi Note line’s appeal has always been its ability to offer great specs at an affordable price. This year’s line includes the Redmi Note 13, the Note 13 5G, the Note 13 Pro, the Note 13 Pro 5G, and the Note 13 Pro+ 5G.

We reviewed the lattermost, where we found that while the other models hold true to their affordability appeal, the top-of-the-line variant is having a slight identity crisis either as a budget-friendly release or a premium midranger.

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Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, A25 5G

These units are Samsung’s most affordable 5G-capable models, featuring Super AMOLED displays, 5,000 mAh batteries, and 25-watt wired fast-charging.

Price: A15 starts at P10,990, A25 starts at P15,990

Availability: January 15

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Samsung Galaxy S24

Samsung’s 2024 flagship model highlights its AI features such as language translation, interpreter feature, and AI image editing. Read our coverage of their launch event here last January 18, Manila time. Three models are available: the base S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra.

Price: P53,990 to P106,990

Availability: February 19; pre-orders ongoing

🛒 Pre-order Samsung Galaxy S24 devices: https://invol.co/clkll8d 

realme Note 50

The Note line is new for realme, with the Note 50 being the first model introduced. It’s notable for its very low price at P3,599, while including features such as a 6.7-inch display, sleek design, being IP54 water- and dust-proof, and a 90Hz refresh rate – features that are not usually seen or expected in a budget phone.

Price: P3,599

Availability: January 23

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realme C67

Another budget release from realme, the C67 features a 108MP 3x zoom camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 chipset, 6.7-inch display, and 8GB RAM. It comes in 128GB and 256GB storage variants.

Price: Starts at P9,999

Availability: February 1

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Honor X9b 5G

Videos of the phone being put in various durability tests have gone viral, with its main marketing push involving its toughness. It features a 108MP camera, an upgrade over its predecessor X9a’s 64MP shooter.

Price: P16,999

Availability: January 20

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OPPO Reno 11 5G

OPPO’s newest flagship touts its portrait camera, and improved software for portrait photography, calling itself “The Portrait Expert.” The phone itself attempts to be eye-catching with its back having a textured look and hues. It’s available in a base variant and a Pro variant.

Price: P24,999 (base) and P31,999 (Pro)

Availability: February 1

Special edition Steelseries Dragon Arctis Nova 7 wireless gaming headphones

This limited edition version of the Arctis Nova 7, featuring 38 hours of battery life, a mic system with AI-assisted audio cleanup, and AirWeave Memory Foam cushions, has a design made to celebrate the 2024 Lunar New Year.

Price: P11,995

Availability: Pre-orders run from February 1 to 15

Sony Alpha 9 III camera

Sony’s newest pro camera is the first one that has a full-frame sensor with a global shutter system, which Sony says will further minimize image distortion, and improve capturing “split-second moments.”

Price: 349,599

Availability: Pre-orders run until February 4

– Rappler.com

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When you purchase a Redmi Note smartphone, it was almost always a guarantee that you were getting close to, if not, the best specs within that price range. That reputation, however, might soon change if the Chinese electronics giant continues to pursue more premium features at the cost of affordability – at least for the top-end options of the series.

After getting some hands-on time with the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, it gave me the impression that it was suffering from a slight identity crisis, not knowing whether it wanted to be a budget-friendly release or a premium midranger.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot to love about the device, and I always appreciate the inclusion of premium features on more affordable releases. It’s just that, with a retail price of P23,999, the device falls into that unwieldy middle ground where it’s barely affordable enough to compete with budget releases and barely strong enough to compete with sub-flagships.

Still, it’s hard to deny how Xiaomi’s desire to make the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G look and feel premium elevates the experience it offers. Because it is, in my opinion, a smartphone that truly looks and feels premium, highlighted by an elegant curved display, a glossy glass back, and strong performance. It’s just that in terms of value for money, I think its Pro siblings are better choices.

Also worth noting, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is P2,000 more expensive than last year’s Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, which starts at P21,990.

Elegant curved display

What I love most about the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is the 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display, which is exclusive to this model and is a first for the Redmi series as a whole. The 3D curves not only look elegant but they also help mask the already thin bezels, delivering a more immersive viewing experience. On top of that, they make the device more ergonomic and easier for you to hold.

The panel itself features a 1.5K resolution with a peak brightness of 1,800 nits, along with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It also supports HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG. In-hand, the panel delivers clear and vibrant images, with the high brightness levels greatly helping in outdoor visibility. The variable refresh rate, meanwhile, enhances your gaming experience, allowing animations to appear smoother and with less friction.

There’s also an in-display fingerprint sensor, which works as advertised. But its positioning on the panel doesn’t feel as accessible as I want it to be for my thumb.

Strong performance

Housing an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra chipset and 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, performance-wise, is very capable. The chipset, in particular, is based on TSMC’s advanced 4nm tech, which a year or two ago was mostly reserved for high-end, flagship chipsets.

In daily use, you can expect apps and games to open in a flash and run smoothly. You can additionally multitask and have up to six to eight apps open at the same time without any hiccups. Performance-wise, I have zero complaints, especially for the price.

The software, however, is a different story. One, I wish the device shipped with the cleaner and the more feature-rich HyperOS software, Xiaomi’s next-generation operating system, over the existing MIUI. The device is sure to get updated sometime in the future, but, considering HyperOS has already started rolling out, it’s a bummer that it’s not pre-installed out of the box. Two, it comes with plenty of bloatware, which has become rather common among Xiaomi’s smartphone releases. While they’re easy to uninstall, it remains an annoyance that I wish I didn’t have to deal with when one is already paying quite a premium for the device.

For the battery, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G has a 5,000mAh cell that supports fast charging of up to a whopping 120W. While that type of charging tech is no longer new, it’ll always be impressive to see your device top itself from empty to full in just minutes. The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is able to do that with the included charging brick and cable in under 30 minutes, which is very fast.

As for how long the battery lasts, a full charge can last about a day of heavy usage, which is about par for the course with the chipset and battery capacity. You could probably get more use out of it if you lower the display’s refresh rate or close unused and background apps all the time. Then again, when you can charge the device very fast, you probably don’t have to worry too much about draining your battery, provided there’s a nearby outlet.

Flagship-grade cameras

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G comes equipped with a triple-rear setup, consisting of a 200MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. The main sensor, a Samsung ISOCELL HP3 with a f/1.65 aperture, is, as you might expect, the highlight of the system. The 12.5MP pixel-binned photos it takes have good dynamic range, natural-looking colors, and decent amount of detail. If you want more detail, however, you can opt for the dedicated 200MP mode that maximizes resolution and sharpness.

The combination of optical and electronic image stabilization features can help produce usable photos and videos even if you have shaky hands.

The focusing system also works great, locking onto human subjects in a snappy fashion. Plus, the inclusion of other photography modes and tools like a pro mode and panoramas make for a more robust experience.

Overall, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is another solid addition to Xiaomi’s ever-growing Redmi line, boasting a vibrant AMOLED panel, a 200MP main camera sensor, and a 4nm chipset.

At the same time, however, it’s on the pricier side for a Redmi release, so you have to weigh how much you’re willing to spend for those extra premium features.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, which starts at P16,999 also has a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel and 200MP main camera, as well as a 4nm chipset and a 5,100mAh battery. But the display here isn’t curved and its fast charging caps at 67W. Are those two extra features worth the P7,000 price different between the siblings? Your answer there should guide your purchasing decision. – Rappler.com

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The legal fight could take a year to resolve, and analysts had expected Apple would strike the feature, which is marketed for fitness uses, rather than pull devices from sale in one of its biggest markets.

The company said Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models without the feature would go on sale on its website and stores starting at 6 am Pacific Time (1400 GMT) on Thursday.

Apple shares closed 0.5% lower at $182.68 after the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled on Wednesday the company could no longer sell the models at the center of a the legal battle with medical technology company Masimo.

In December, Masimo secured a decision from the US International Trade Commission (ITC) to halt imports of the devices. Apple Watches comprise about a quarter of the global smartwatch market, according to Counterpoint Research.

In a statement, Joe Kiani, Masimo’s founder and chief executive, said the court ruling on Wednesday “affirms that even the largest and most powerful companies must respect the intellectual rights of American inventors and must deal with the consequences when they are caught infringing others’ patents.”

Apple said it “strongly disagreed” with the ITC decision and resulting orders and they should be should be reversed.

Existing Apple Watches are not affected by the orders, nor are devices sold outside the United States.

Series 9 and Ultra 2 models sold in the US from Thursday will still have an app icon for the blood oxygen features. But when users tap those icons, they will informed the features are unavailable.

Apple’s options

Ben Bajarin, chief executive of analyst firm Creative Strategies, had expected Apple to disable the blood oxygen features on its Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watch models in the US rather than stop selling the wearable devices.

Apple does not break out Apple Watch or US sales figures specifically, but about 42% of its overall revenue came from North America last year.

While Apple Watch sales are far smaller than those of Apple’s flagship iPhone, the device anchors the company’s wearables sales segment, which accounted for $39.84 billion of Apple’s overall $383.29 billion in sales for fiscal 2023.

The ITC’s import ban on Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watches briefly went into effect on Dec. 26. The Federal Circuit lifted the ban on Dec. 27 while it considered Apple’s request for a long-term pause, and Apple resumed sales of the smartwatches later that day.

Masimo has accused Apple of hiring away its employees and stealing its pulse oximetry technology to use in Apple Watches. The ITC barred imports and direct Apple sales of Apple Watches that read blood-oxygen levels following a Masimo complaint.

Apple stopped selling its latest Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches in the US before Christmas until the appeals court’s temporary pause. The devices remained available from other US retailers including Amazon.com, Best Buy, Costco, and Walmart.

Apple asked the Washington-based Federal Circuit to keep the ban on hold for the duration of the appeals process, which is likely to take months. It argued that it was likely to win its appeal and that keeping the ban in effect would harm the company, its suppliers and the public.

The commission countered that Apple’s arguments “amount to little more” than a patent infringer “requesting permission to continue infringing.”

Apple has included a pulse oximeter feature in smartwatches since its Series 6 Apple Watch in 2020. It has countersued Masimo for patent infringement, calling Masimo’s legal actions a “maneuver to clear a path” for its own competing watch.

An Apple company report said its wearables, home and accessory business, which includes the Apple Watch, AirPods earbuds and other products, brought in $8.28 billion in revenue during the third quarter of 2023. – Rappler.com

Check out our live updates of the event as they happen, when Unpacked goes live on Thursday, January 18, at 2 am in the Philippines.

Disclosure: Samsung sponsored the trip to the US for the coverage of the event.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 processes the voice data on the device itself – cutting the need to send the data to the cloud, which can slow down translation and make for awkward conversations with lots of dead air. On-device processing is also theoretically better for data privacy, as the information remains on the phone and not uploaded to a cloud service.

Rappler tech editor Gelo Gonzales tries out ‘Interpreter’ in this video. – Rappler.com

The Samsung Galaxy S24’s generative AI-powered image editing features allow users to select an object in a photo and move it around the frame, or to completely delete it. The generative AI technology is capable of filling in the holes left by the selection.

Rappler tech editor Gelo Gonzales is in San Jose, California for the launch of the new devices, and demonstrates the image editing feature in this video. – Rappler.com