A new triple camera smartphone from Samsung has been announced and it’s the Samsung Galaxy M40. The M-series is slated as a smartphone series from Samsung that is aimed to battle in the online-only market as this one will go head to head with smartphones like Xiaomi and other brands. The Galaxy M40 is fairly interesting as this will have a Infinity-O display on the front, a Snapdragon 675 inside, and a triple lens rear camera
32MP main camera + 8MP Ultrawide-angle camera + 5MP depth sensor
16MP front-facing camera
WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, GLONASS, BDS
USB-C
Fingerprint scanner
15W Fast Charging
3500mAh battery
One UI based on Android 9 Pie
The smartphone is really interesting as this one is jam-packed with everthing that you need from a smartphone. We got a decent CPU, a triple lens camera, a fast charging, and a beautiful Infinity-O display.
The Samsung Galaxy M40 comes in Midnight Blue and Seawater Blue colors and it’s priced at INR19,990 (Php14,961). No word yet regarding local availability.
In a surprising move today from AMD, the company has revealed their newest generation of 7nm graphics cards at E3 2019 and these are the Radeon RX 5700XT, Radeon RX 5700, and the RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary Edition which are all under the Navi line of GPUs
The Radeon RX 5700 features a lower base clock of 1465 Mhz with a boost clock of 1725 Mhz and 8GB of GDDR6 video memory and it can top out at 7.95 teraflops and it goes head to head with Nvidia’s RTX 2060 GPU while the RX 5700 XT will also feature an 8GB of GDDR6 video memory with 1605 Mhz Base Clock with a boost clock of 1905 Mhz that can deliver up to 9.75 teraflops of performance but this one will go head to head with RTX 2070 and AMD promises that the RX 5700 XT can deliver better performance than the counterpart of Nvidia.
While the Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary Edition will have a base clock of 1680 Mhz and boost clock speed of 1980 Mhz and then there’s 8GB of GDDR6 video memory with a performance that can be maxed out at 10 teraflops.
The Radeon RX 5700 is priced at $379 while the RX 5700 XT is priced at $449 while the best of them all, the RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary Edition will be available for $499 and it will be exclusively available on the AMD website and these cards will be available this July 7 along with third-gen Ryzen CPU.
Huawei might be having a lot of issues with the US government right now but the company isn’t stopping on releasing their new smartphones. Recently, the company has teased the arrival of their next biggest mid-range smartphone — the Huawei Nova 5 in their Weibo page and we’re definitely excited as the Huawei Nova 3 series was a very popular mid-range smartphone when it was released in the Philippines.
The Huawei Nova 5 is expected to sport a punch-hole design at the upper left corner of the smartphone and it is also expected that the smartphone will have three to four more cameras on the back.
The specs leaked at TENAA suggests that the smartphone will have a 24MP+8MP+2MP+ToF camera and unfortunately, the Huawei Nova 5i is expected that it will still have a Kirin 710 processor while the Huawei Nova 5 will have a Kirin 970 or Kirin 980 flagship SoC.
Finally, after years of waiting for the Final Fantasy VIII getting a touch of modern consoles, we now have a remaster coming for the PS4, Steam, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Yep, they’ve just announced a remaster after they snubbed the game last year with the announcement of Nintendo Switch ports of the other Final Fantasy games.
Of course, the gameplay and the story will still be the same and the graphics will be enhanced for 2019 (Squall will finally be the best looking guy around)
No release date for the Final Fantasy VIII Remake has been announced but the game is expected to be out this 2019 and we’re definitely excited that the game finally got its justice and will have a remake on the newer consoles.
After years of waiting, Microsoft has finally confirmed their next-generation console and it is currently named as Project Scarlett. This is the next video game console from Microsoft and it will be a lot powerful than the current Xbox One X in the market right now. So what can we expect from Project Scarlett?
Well, Microsoft has promised variable refresh rates, up to 120fps, real-time ray tracing, SSD, and 8K resolution which means that the next-gen console will be proof. There will be a custom chip based on AMD inside based on Zen 2 and Navi technology and it will be 4x more powerful than the Xbox One X.
Hopefully, we’ll get to know more about Project Scarlett in the coming months. The next-gen Xbox codename “Project Scarlett” is expected to be out in the market on Holidays 2020.
The remake of the best Final fantasy game ever released now has a release date and the Final Fantasy VII Remake will be out this March 2020 and of course, they’ve announced the release date of the game with a brand new trailer. Haven’t seen the trailer? Check it out below.
Final Fantasy VII Remake will be released on the PlayStation 4 on March 3, 2020. As expected, the trailer featured different characters and locations that was not present in the previous trailer. However, they didn’t reveal anything about the episodic content of the game.
ASUS has launched a lot of new laptops in the Philippines including the mother of all ROG notebooks — the ASUS ROG Mothership. ROG has announced the pricing of their different notebooks ranging from ROG Strix series to the ROG Mothership. So what are these notebooks? Check it out below.
ASUS ROG Strix G
The ASUS ROG Strix G is the most affordable in the ROG Strix lineup and it packs a GeForce GTX 16 series inside which is perfect for those people who want to have a ROG notebook for the right price-performance ratio. The notebook comes in 15-inch and 17-inch variants and they both got an RGB and gaming feels and aesthetics.
For those who are delving into esports then this is the laptop for you. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar III and Hero III are made for people who want to have a competitive edge against their opponents. The laptop’s design is in collaboration with BMW Designworks Group which inspired the ROG Keystone which can be docked on the laptop to have an NFC-enabled device that acts as a physical key that can change the Armoury Crate profiles and even access Shadow Drive that hides and encrypts important files.
The most affordable notebook in the Zephyrus line is the ASUS ROG Zephryus G and it’s a little bit different compared to previous ASUS ROG Zephyrus notebooks as this one packs a GeForce graphics and also an AMD Ryzen CPU inside. The notebook delivers a powerful experience as we got a GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU inside and also an optional 120Hz display for better refresh rate. The notebook is expected to be power-efficient as it is expected to have a battery life up to seven hours.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G GA502 Price
15″ Full HD 120Hz display, AMD Ryzen 7 3750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti – Php84,955
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GU502
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M features premium hardware inside and also a display that is PANTONE Validated 144Hz with 3ms response time which makes the notebook perfect for content creation and also for gaming. The notebook also comes with GTX 16-series GPU and also an Intel Core i7-9750H CPU.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GU502 Specs
15″ Full HD 240Hz display, Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti – Php109,995
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX502
Now, we have a lot of notebooks in the ASUS ROG Zephyrus line and one of the newest in the family is the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX502. The GX502 features a forward keyboard position which is normal to notebooks and a layout that is best used on a lap, unlike the other Zephyrus S notebooks. But don’t get fooled with this notebook because the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX502 still features an Intel Core i7-9750H CPU and up to RTX 2070 GPU with a display of up to 240Hz.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX502 Price
15″ Full HD 144Hz display, Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 – Php124,995
15″ Full HD 144Hz display, Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 – Php154,995
15″ Full HD 240Hz display, Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 – Php159,995
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX531 & GX701
These are the best notebooks in the Zephyrus line as both of them runs on up to the latest Intel Core i9 CPU and up to 240Hz display with the GX701 featuring an HDR display. The notebooks also feature Active Aerodynamic System for better cooling on the notebook and then, of course, there’s the ROG boost for better performance. If you’re curious about the keyboard placement, well, the positioning gives the notebook a better airflow for its powerful hardware inside like the Intel Core i9 processor and also the RTX 2080 GPU inside.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX531 Price
15″ Full HD 144Hz display, Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 – Php199,995
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX701 Price
17″ Full HD 144Hz display, Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 – Php169,995
17″ Full HD 144Hz display, Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q- Php209,995
ASUS ROG Mothership
Lastly, there’s the ASUS ROG Mothership. It’s the most innovative notebook of ASUS and it is currently the most powerful one as this one is categorized as a desktop replacement. The ASUS ROG mothership gives you a Surface-like structure with a stand at the back and of course, there’s a removable keyboard that you can even use wirelessly.
This one is pretty powerful too as we got an Intel Core i9-9900HK CPU and also an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 GPU inside and then there’s the Full HD panel with 144Hz refresh rate or 4K 60Hz panel.
ASUS ROG Mothership Price
17.3″ Full HD 144Hz display, Intel Core i9-9980H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 – Php379,995
A new entry-level smartphone has launched in the Philippines and it’s the Huawei Y5 2019. This is an affordable smartphone that packs a beautiful design as the Huawei Y5 2019 packs a 5.71-inch Dewdrop display and also a screen-to-ratio of 84.6%. The smartphone also features a large 3020mAh battery inside that can last a typical day and then there’s support for face unlock too.
When it comes to the most popular smartphone series in the Philippines, a lot of people will probably recognize or say to you that it’s the Redmi Note series. Why? Because the Redmi Note series is the perfect smartphone for most Filipinos as it brings powerful hardware inside and also a price that is hard to match.
Redmi Note 7 Review: Design and Hardware
One of the best things about the Redmi Note 7 is its design. Yep, for a midrange smartphone, the combination of the glass and metallic finish of the smartphone is something that we should praise but most of you will probably use the included case on this one to protect that glass back.
The smartphone has a clean look as we got a large display on the front with a tiny notch and at the back, we’re looking at a simple but beautiful design especially with the gradient colors. There’s the fingerprint scanner at the back too which is fast enough and accessible. There’s a face unlock too if you’re not a fan of the fingerprint scanner.
Speaking of ergonomics, the smartphone features a flat glass back design and then there are the rounded edges of the smartphone which adds a grip to the smartphone but I would appreciate if Xiaomi has opted for a curved glass back instead of a flat glass back for a better grip and ergonomics.
Below the smartphone is where you can find the USB-C port and then there’s the power button and the volume rocker on the side while on the other side is where you can find the hybrid card tray. Despite the usage of the USB-C port, Redmi Note 7 still features an audio port which is located at the top of the smartphone.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Review: Display
The Redmi Note 7 features a large 6.3-inch IPS display with Full HD+ resolution and then there’s the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 that protects it so you don’t have to worry that much about this smartphone when it comes to scratches.
The display of the Redmi Note 7 is good. There’s the vibrant and vivid reproduction of colors and also the viewing angles of the smartphone is just fine with me. Yes, there’s a dewdrop notch at the top but it doesn’t block much of the content on the display and yeah, you can hide it too if you want.
However, the bezel on the smartphone is noticeable. Well, it won’t ruin your experience on the smartphone but I just find the bezel of the smartphone too thick for my taste considering that the smartphone packs a dewdrop notch.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Review: Battery
Xiaomi likes to boast the Redmi Note 7 as an all-in-one smartphone as the Redmi Note 7 features everything that you want from a smartphone from its performance, camera, up to the battery life of the smartphone. Yep, we got a 4000mAh battery on this smartphone which is decent and long-lasting.
In our PC Mark test, we got a score of 12 hours and 47 minutes which is already high and decent enough. In real life test, the Redmi Note 7 will last a day of usage or probably two depending on your usage but we’re pretty comfortable to use this smartphone without asking for a powerbank in a single day of usage.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Review: Software
The software of the Redmi Note 7 is something to hate and love. It’s heavily customized so you won’t get the same feel of a stock Android and you’re in the deep down well of the MIUI but this also means that we’re taking advantage of the fast and smooth UI of the Chinese brand.
But of course, there are the bloatwares that comes with it but don’t worry because the MIUI is user-friendly and the transitions and everything is smooth on this UI so you won’t have a problem with it. B
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Review: Performance
This is where the Redmi Note 7 excels, the smartphone packs a Snapdragon 660 AIE octa-core chipset inside along with the Adreno 512 GPU which is decent hardware for its price. The smartphone also comes with 4GB of RAM but the smartphone also comes in 3GB RAM for the most affordable variant.
In our benchmark tests, the Redmi Note 7 did fare well in different benchmarking applications which are expected as Xiaomi is known for creating smartphones with powerful hardware inside. Here are the scores that we got on the Redmi Note 7:
When it comes to gaming, the Redmi Note 7 doesn’t fail to impress me. I was able to run different games on the phone including Mobile Legends and PUBG Mobile. In Mobile Legends, I was able to run it at HD settings with High graphics while in PUBG Mobile, I was able to run the game in HD graphics with AA at High framerate. Unfortunately, Ultra framerates aren’t available on PUBG Mobile.
Overall, the Redmi Note 7 will be just fine to play with popular games and the FPS stability might not be 100% but these games are definitely playable on this smartphone.
One of the main highlights of the Redmi Note 7 is the 48MP + 5MP rear camera that can shoot really well. Most of the shots that I took using the Redmi Note 7 were just ok, and I can clearly capture most of the details and colors on this one. The dynamic range is fine too and at low-light, it wasn’t the best one. There’s the night mode that performs ok but at auto mode, the noise is noticeable on the smartphone. Check out the sample shots that we took using the smartphone.
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The selfie camera of the smartphone isn’t its best feature but it will definitely do its job. Overall, the camera of the Redmi Note 7 was just average.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Review: Verdict
The Redmi Note 7 has impressed us once again. Our expectations were already high when it was announced due to the promises of the Redmi Note series over the years and I’m happy to say that the Redmi Note 7 is a really decent smartphone especially for its price.
Everything is really good on this smartphone. The design of the smartphone is really well, the camera can shoot fine images, the display is good, the performance was good and the battery of the smartphone can last really long. But of course, when it comes to gaming, the highest settings can’t be run on this smartphone.
So if you’re looking for a smartphone that comes in a complete package of features then you better go to the nearest Mi Authorized store to check this one out and also to buy one. I highly recommend this smartphone if you’re a power user and your budget falls on this one.
OPPO introduced their 5G ready smartphone at MWC earlier this year and it was made available in Switzerland with the availability of the OPPO Reno 5G smartphone in the country which became the first smartphone brand in the European market to offer a 5G product. Finally, the device will be available in the Philippines in the coming months and now they, they set their vision for the 6G technology.
The OPPO Reno launched in European market last April and it features 5G, 10x Zoom, and also an aesthetically pleasing design. The camera is also unique too as the OPPO Reno features a pivot rising structure that only appears when you need it.
Regarding 6G, OPPO is already looking forward to the future as they are envisioning to strengthen 5G with existing AI technology for human and system interaction. 6G will allow more intelligent systems and it will be AI-driven which means businesses will no longer human intervention.
Personally, I’m excited with what OPPO has in store for the consumers in the future. Now that they’re the first one to release a 5G phone in Europe, I won’t be surprised if they’ll do that in the Philippines too.
