![](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/220901-GadgetMatch-iQOO-9T-Beauty-Back-2.jpg)
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Reviews
iQOO 9T review: The ultimate gaming phone killer?
Pure gaming flagship, no overhyped knick-knacks
If you’re someone who’s into the nitty-gritty of smartphones, iQOO won’t sound like a complete stranger. But if you’re just a casual reader of anything about tech, you might have never heard of this brand ever before.
Just like any other Chinese manufacturer launching their own sub-brands such as OPPO and realme, Xiaomi and Redmi (and formerly POCO), and even Huawei with HONOR (before the latter came back to the scene as an “independent” company), vivo also has a sub-brand called ‘iQOO’. However, iQOO is meant to disrupt the flagship smartphone space — unlike the budget-conscious sub-brands stated prior.
I have reviewed several vivo smartphones before, but using an iQOO phone is actually my first time. Let’s dive right in.
iQOO or vivo?
The moment I first saw the iQOO 9T, it instantly reminded me of the vivo X80 Pro. Apart from the different materials used, lack of ZEISS logo, and an extra periscope lens, the similar overall size and left-justified camera layout with three holes are what made these two phones similar to my eyes.
Looking closer, the iQOO 9T might just be the “gaming phone” version of the mobile photography-centric vivo X80 Pro.
iQOO 9T | vivo X80 Pro | |
Display | 6.78” AMOLED 120Hz flat display Schott Xensation Alpha |
6.78” LTPO3 AMOLED Adaptive 120Hz curved display Schott Xensation Up |
Processor | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
Configuration | 8GB + 128GB 12GB + 256GB |
12GB + 256GB |
Cameras | 50MP f/1.88 wide Samsung GN5 main sensor 13MP 120º f/2.2 ultra-wide 12MP f/1.98 2x telephoto 16MP f/2.45 selfie |
50MP f/1.57 wide Samsung GNV main sensor 48MP 114º f/2.2 ultra-wide 12MP f/1.85 2x telephoto 8MP periscope 5x zoom 32MP f/2.45 selfie ZEISS T* lens coating |
Battery + Charging | 4700mAh 120W FlashCharge |
4700mAh 80W FlashCharge |
Operating System | Android 12 FuntouchOS 12 |
Premium Packaging
If you’re fond of sports cars (like me), the iQOO 9T ships in a box plastered with BMW Motorsport’s branding. Coincidentally, BMW M is BMW AG’s subsidiary that produces high-performance cars — pretty much like iQOO under vivo.
The sports car look is evident all over the box.
Aside from the sports car branding, the box details look premium with all the carbon fiber texture, a set of thin lines, together with iQOO’s signature color.
There’s even a paper showcasing the BMW M4 wrapped in iQOO decals.
Lifting the box reveals the phone wrapped in plastic.
Let me first just appreciate this phone’s exquisite design and how it stands out from afar.
After unwrapping the phone and lifting the tab, there are the paper work, SIM tray ejector pin, and a not-so-enticing clear jelly case.
Shockingly, it’s bundled with a USB-C to USB-C cable instead of the usual vivo cables with a USB-A ending.
There’s also a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. But unlike the packaging of its big brother, iQOO doesn’t include any bundled earphones out of the box.
Finally! Other than the smartphone itself, the star of the show has got to be this massive 120W FlashCharge charging brick. More on that later.
Streamlined Design
As already spoiled in the unboxing earlier, the iQOO 9T has a design that looks flashy yet streamlined.
Other than the offset iQOO logo with its tagline along the red, black, and blue lines…
…the carbon fiber texture can also be seen at the upper right part of the phone together with the “Powered by V1+” branding — which is vivo’s in-house imaging chip that’s also inside the aforementioned vivo X80 Pro.
This two-tone black and white design is one of the best design smartphone incorporations I’ve ever seen. It’s clean yet not too much in the face type of gaming phone.
On its right, there’s the usual volume rocker paired with a very distinct blue power button — a design touch I personally like.
At the bottom, there are the speaker grilles, USB-C port, microphone hole, and the SIM card tray without support for expandable microSD storage.
Just like its back, the left side is clean. The things you’ll only see are the antenna bands and the separation of the display from its aluminum frame with chamfered edges.
Lastly, there’s the other microphone at top with what seems like an IR blaster — a feature you don’t see that much in 2022 phones.
The Better Display?
It’s finally time to flip the phone over to showcase its front display. For specifics, it sports a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10 plus 100% DCI-P3 wide color gamut.
Different from usual Chinese flagship smartphones that still rock curved displays for the sake of “immersiveness”, the iQOO 9T is equipped with a flat display instead.
Also, there’s a single punch-hole camera cutout on top.
The display bezels are thin enough. While not 100% symmetrical, the chin is obviously thinner than the rest of the display competition.
If you’re wondering where the fingerprint scanner is, it’s hidden beneath the display. vivo being the first company that started this technology, it should be given that its in-house under-display fingerprint sensor is fast and accurate.
Ideal for Entertainment
![iQOO 9T](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/220901-GadgetMatch-iQOO-9T-Usage-YouTube-IVE-After-Like.jpg)
IVE has completely dominated the whole K-Pop scene with After Like…
While we’re already on the topic, it’s worthy to point out how ideal the iQOO 9T is for your audiovisual needs.
![iQOO 9T](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/220901-GadgetMatch-iQOO-9T-Usage-YouTube-IVE-After-Like-Ahn-Yujin.jpg)
…and so as Ahn Yujin and her power visuals and vocals
Given that it features an AMOLED display, visuals should look vivid. It’s bright enough when used indoors even at the lower side of brightness. When outdoors, it can get even brighter all thanks to its 1500nits of peak brightness.
While I may not have the essential equipment nor the skill to completely say its audio quality is better than other flagship smartphones, personally, it’s loud with a decent amount of bass. It’s good enough if you don’t want to hear the heavy rain outside. It’s also sufficient for bathroom concert sessions (which is my regular use-case).
![iQOO 9T](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/220901-GadgetMatch-iQOO-9T-Usage-Apple-Music-SNSD-Girls-Generation-Forever-1.jpg)
As a SONE since 2009, I still can’t get over how SNSD already reached their 15th year anniversary *silently weeps in the corner*
And if you’re not the type who plays songs or videos using loudspeakers, a pair of wireless earbuds will always work. As previously shown, there’s no bundled USB-C earphones. It’s either you can buy a separate set or just use existing 3.5mm wired earphones with the adapter — which looks very odd in 2022.
More-than-sufficient Performance
One of the highlights of the iQOO 9T is none other than its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. Paired with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, expect speedy performance using this phone.
As usual, I played my favorite game first — the Asphalt 9: Legends. Similar to other Android smartphones, iQOO also features an extensive game-boosting extension thanks to the extra software feature provided by FunTouchOS 12 based on Android 12.
While the balanced mode is already enough when playing these games, there’s the “Monster Mode” option if you want to maximize your gameplay to the full extent. You just have to be cautious as it consumes more battery power.
Onto the next game: Call of Duty: Mobile (CoDM).
As the “Very High” graphics quality and maxed out frame rate options were both ticked, this FPS game was able to withstand thirty (30) minutes of gameplay without those annoying lag and stutter. That’s all thanks to its VC liquid cooling system. If that ain’t enough, it also features what iQOO calls “game frame interpolation” which enhances frame rate up to 90fps.
Last but definitely not the least, I also tested the phone with Genshin Impact.
I first checked its overall graphics quality and changed it from Medium to High just to test its limits since we all know how graphics-intensive this title is.
Just like what I expected, the gameplay is smoother in contrast to other smartphones with lower-end chipsets. Albeit, the game will suffer frame rate drops over a course of time especially when you’re playing in a hotter than usual environment.
But when you’re inside a cool-controlled room with the air-conditioner turned on, Genshin Impact should be less laggy.
While this isn’t a comprehensive gaming review (nor provide an ever-subjective gaming benchmark results of each game), it’s very obvious that the iQOO 9T can handle most (if not all) of the graphics-heavy games available in the Android space — more than enough for your mobile gaming needs.
Blazing-fast Charging
Another highlight of this phone is none other than its 120W FlashCharge capability.
The iQOO 9T is one of the very few smartphones in 2022 that still provides a charger out of the box. Not to mention it’s a charging brick that has an output of more than 100W. Other smartphones range from 65W to 80W, just like its vivo counterpart.
According to iQOO, using this charger can provide you a full charge from 0% in just 20 minutes. I tried and tested iQOO’s claim. Here are my charge test results using the bundled 120W FlashCharge adapter:
- 2 minutes = 3%
- 5 minutes = 26%
- 7 minutes = 33%
- 10 minutes = 45%
- 11 minutes, 27 seconds = 50%
- 15 minutes = 60%
- 20 minutes = 82%
- 25 minutes = 96%
- 27 minutes = 100%
While the claim isn’t exactly like how iQOO advertised it, the 7-minute discrepancy shouldn’t be a big fuss. It still provided blazing-fast charging speeds under thirty minutes — something most phone chargers can’t even provide.
If you’re curious about its battery life, it has a decently-sized 4700mAh battery that lasted me at least a full day of moderate to heavy use. That’s socials, casual gaming, taking photos, listening to Apple Music, and watching YouTube videos or Netflix series for hours.
When I played for a longer duration than usual (over an hour or two), it (obviously) had a major battery level depletion and didn’t last until the end of day. For lighter usage with power saving on, the iQOO 9T can last more than that — even days — especially if it stays inside your pocket or just chillin’ at your tabletop.
Very Capable Cameras
Unalike most gaming phones, the iQOO 9T provides the quintessential trio of cameras that other manufacturers fail to provide.
It’s got everything you need in a smartphone camera: a 1x wide, ultra-wide, and a 2x telephoto lens. I like how they didn’t slap other gimmicky cameras such as a macro, portrait, 3D ToF, or even a B/W (black and white) sensor just to say the phone has more than two cameras at the back.
Wide
The iQOO 9T has a 50MP wide (1x) camera based on the Samsung GN5 sensor — the same exact sensor used by Samsung in the Galaxy S22 and S22+. With the pairing of this sensor together with the vivo V1+ imaging chip, it’s expected that it’s a great performer in one’s day-to-day scenarios.
Images taken with the main sensor looked enticing enough with the right amount of contrast, sharpness, and warmth. That’s all thanks to iQOO’s adequate software post-processing and AI algorithm techniques.
And with a wide aperture of f/1.88, Night Mode shots using the regular 1x lens all looked astonishing.
Ultra-wide
The iQOO 9T’s 13MP 120º f/2.2 ultra-wide angle (UWA) camera that doubles as a macro lens is also a decent shooter.
Despite the different sensors used, photos taken with the UWA lens looked consistent to that of the 1x wide camera.
Surprisingly, Night Mode shots also turned out pretty similar to the output of the wide camera.
Telephoto
The iQOO 9T provides a 12MP f/1.98 telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom.
For the most part, zoomed shots look consistent just like the wide camera. But if you focus on the details, the images are less sharp.
And as there is more absence of natural light and the lack of gimbal OIS or gyro-EIS (that the vivo X80 Pro was able to provide to its 2x telephoto lens), the iQOO 9T 2x shots look less promising — but still alright if you’ll just post it on socials.
SEE ALSO: iQOO 9T vs vivo X80 Pro: Camera Shootout
Portraits and selfies
To escalate human subjects even further, portraits taken with the iQOO 9T looked satisfactory.
If you switch to Portrait Mode, there are several options for you to adjust such as Beauty Mode and even the style and level of bokeh blur or depth segmentation. Personally, I like how it was able to create a clean segmentation of the subject despite the noisy and fast-moving environment happening in the background.
For selfies, it relies on the 16MP f/2.45 punch-hole camera. While preferential, turning on Beauty Mode (even at the lowest level) still provides you an ample amount of skin smoothing that can either make or break your selfies.
![](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/220904-GadgetMatch-iQOO-9T-Photo-Samples-Selfie-2.jpg)
Beauty Mode OFF | ON
While it’s all preferential and may vary from person to person, selfies in the iQOO 9T aren’t grainy — even when you take them indoors where fill light is turned off and there’s no presence of natural light.
Is the iQOO 9T Your GadgetMatch?
The iQOO 9T is currently available in two colorways: Alpha (Black) and Legend (White). It’s being sold in India alongside two configurations:
- 8GB+128GB = INR 49,999
(US$ 626 / EUR 626 / GBP 542 / S$ 878 / PhP 35,618) - 12GB+256GB = INR 54,999
(US$ 687 / EUR 689 / GBP 596 / S$ 966 / PhP 39,180)
I’ll get straight to the point: the iQOO 9T is one deserving smartphone that’s more than just a “flagship killer”.
It’s more of a “gaming phone killer” — providing the necessities that any gaming smartphone should provide minus the overhyped knick-knacks of dedicated gaming phones with flashy RGB lights, extra set of gaming-specified buttons, second screen at the back, and other set of gaming accessories being sold to you — either bundled or through additional costs.
The iQOO 9T provided more than what was expected in this price range: a flagship-grade mobile processor, fast and vibrant display, loud-enough stereo speakers, modest battery, fast AF charging, and even a decent set of cameras that other phone brands refuse to supply in their gaming smartphones.
While there are compromises such as the lack of IP rating nor support for wireless charging, those aren’t dealbreakers for most users (or potential buyers) who are looking for the best-in-class gaming performance minus the heft in pocket. It’s also fortunate that iQOO didn’t forego the premium design with the 9T’s aluminum frame and glass back incorporation.
The pro-grade features of the iQOO 9T outweigh the compromises. And with a price tag below the INR 50K mark (a price tag phone companies can’t even provide in their top-spec’d or gaming-centric smartphones anymore), the iQOO 9T is one hell of a deal — especially in the gaming and mobile photography segment.
Overall, this makes the iQOO 9T a deserving recipient of the the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.
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![Galaxy Z Fold5](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/gadgetmatch-20230814-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-5-1.jpg)
The messaging for the two foldables Unpacked by Samsung in Seoul is pretty clear. For more creative, artsy, and overall jovial pursuits, you should rock the Galaxy Z Flip5. For productivity, multi-tasking, and general business needs, you acquire the Galaxy Z Fold5.
But who says you can’t have fun with the Fold?
While Michael Josh rocked the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, I had the pleasure of taking the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 around Seoul.
Great for Reels
One thing I really enjoyed using the Galaxy Z Fold5 for is shooting and editing Reels/Shorts/TikToks. I’ll just call it reels from here on out.
Its long and narrow form-factor when folded lends itself nicely for taking vertical videos. I said the same thing for the Galazy Z Fold4 a year ago. It’s even better now that the hinge closes the Fold fully.
It also helped that I was in Seoul for the first time ever and enjoyed my time in the city. This first reel was primarily taken while I was with the Philippine media team dining and roaming around.
I typically don’t enjoy the experience of editing videos on a smartphone. But that wasn’t the case with the Galaxy Z Fold5 because I had a larger screen to work with. I fired up CapCut and edited a minute-long clip for about 30 minutes while replying to chats and doom scrolling in between.
I did the same thing when my friend and former work colleague took me to the Spotify x NewJeans pop-up event.
It was quite a bit of a wait to get in so we decided to grab something to eat first. Fortunately, we were close to Ikseon-Dong which is quite a “hip” spot in Seoul. There were plenty of cafe’s, shops for trinkets, photobooths, and many more.
We were having our fill of dessert when we realized we had to dash to the pop-up event. Thankfully, we made it in time and went through the pop-up without being super shy.
Seoul snaps
The cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold5 are unchanged, hardware-wise, from its predecessor:
- 50MP Wide-angle Camera Dual Pixel AF, OIS, f/1.8
- 10MP Telephoto Camera PDAF, f/2.4
- 12MP Ultra Wide Camera f/2.2
In terms of the photos produced, it’s your typical Samsung color science which tends to have high contrast and sharpness. More than anything, the images that come out are usually social media ready.
Sharing some of the ones I took in Seoul:
Food
Streets and sights
In Seongdong-gu, Samsung prepared a few spots where people can check out the new foldables.
A few more shots of various streets in Seoul.
Bright night scenes
Some parts of Seoul can be really stunning at night.
People
I didn’t have a lot of chances to take portrait photos. But these candid-ish shots from the lovely people I hung out with have a general feel-good vibe.
K-Pop adjacent things
As a K-Pop enjoyer, I naturally had to take snaps of the ads around the city featuring some of my faves.
Beyond just more screen real estate
Outside of video and photo-taking things, I really enjoyed the large screen on the Galaxy Z Fold5. And it goes beyond giving your more screen real estate.
Some apps like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook now adapt their layout to the screen’s orientation. Instead of just being a blown-up version of the smartphone, certain UI elements now take advantage of the extra display space. The navigation buttons on Facebook are flushed to the right. The comments section on TikTok appear on the right hand side with the video still in full view. This is in contrast to other foldables without this kind of software integration which completely obscures the video.
Speaking of video watching, it’s such a joy on the large screen. Most of the time you really don’t see crease in the middle, especially if you’re holding it straight up. The crease only appears if you view it from certain tilted angles. I brought a tablet with me as in flight entertainment heading into South Korea. But on the flight back, I relied only the Galaxy Z Fold5 for that purpose and the screen space didn’t leave me wanting.
Work mode
Work doesn’t necessarily spark joy for most people. But completing tasks on the Galaxy Z Fold5 has been quite enjoyable for me.
Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve been using a tablet as sort of my more-mobile-and-compact laptop alternative. However, since I got my hands on the Galaxy Z Fold5, I’ve found myself not needing the tablet as much.
I handle plenty of correspondence both internally and externally. This ranges from emails, text messages, and various chat apps. I find handling these on the Galaxy Z Fold5 better than on a generally larger tablet.
Additionally, I’m also able to copy edit articles on-the-go with the Fold in hand. And in certain occassions, I even do some writing myself. In fact, parts of this review were written using the Galaxy Z Fold5.
Narrow screen, general thickness
My personal gripes with the Galaxy Z Fold5 generally align with most criticisms about it. Despite the improved hinge, it still feels pretty thick. And that narrow screen is pretty tough to use for regular phone browsing.
Samsung really needs to rethink the folded form factor. If it can improve on that, then they can have a firmer hold on the book-style foldable market. Outside of being easy to hold for photo and video taking, there’s no real advantage to the narrow cover screen.
As it stands, I find the OPPO Find N2 and the Huawei Mate X3 to be superior book-style designs. Hopefully, Samsung improves this aspect on the Galaxy Z Fold6.
Join the Fold side?
There’s been more excitement around the Flip than the Fold. The Galaxy Z Flip5 truly is the more mainstream foldable and might just be more appealing to a larger group of people.
General usage is fine, media consumption is great, and the battery life is par for the course. On my truly heavy usage days – which include taking photos and videos — it held out for about 12 hours before it prompted me to juice up.
However, if you enjoy and believe would benefit from a larger screen real estate, the Galaxy Z Fold5 is the clear choice. Samsung might have maxxed out what it can do for this particular form factor. If you’re jumping in just now or are upgrading from the Fold1 or Fold2, then the Galaxy Z Fold5 should be an acquisition worthy of your hard-earned money.
![Xiaomi Pad 6](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/xiaomi-pad-6-review-gadgetmatch-20230810-02.jpg)
I have been on the market for a tablet for a rather specific need. You see, 2023 rolling in also marked the return of more face-to-face events. As I attended a select few of these, I’ve had to bring along my not-exactly-lightweight laptop only to end up not using it at all. In the interest of reducing my lower back pain, I needed something that was smaller, lighter, but still good enough to handle some of the tasks I might need to get to while on the go. Enter, the Xiaomi Pad 6.
Unboxing the Xiaomi Pad 6 and its accessories
Xiaomi was pretty darn generous sending over not only the tablet but also the multiple accessories you can use with it. In the video below, we unboxed the Xiaomi Pad 6, the Xiaomi Pad 6 Keyboard, the Xiaomi Pad 6 Cover, and the Xiaomi Smart Pen.
@gadgetmatch Xiaomi’s best Android tablet has just got an upgrade! #Xiaomi #XiaomiPad6 #Android #Tablet #fypシ
‘Laptop’ on the go
In the past couple of weeks, the Xiaomi Pad 6 fulfilled the laptop-on-the-go role that I desperately needed, and then some. Most notably, I took the tablet with me on an overseas coverage trip. True enough, I found myself in the exact same situations I would have found myself in had there been events domestically.
With the Pad 6 on hand, I didn’t have to bring a backpack with me. All I needed was the trusty Xiaomi Sling bag that I’ve had for years, my mirrorless camera, a couple of smartphones, and my mobile loadout was ready to go.
I found it much easier to move around as we traversed from one location to another during the many events spread across the week. In certain stops here or there, I was able to sit down to catch-up on some emails. Having access to a full-sized keyboard is a godsend for the number of emails and other correspondence I had to reply to.
Not only that, having the Xiaomi Pad 6 around also made it easy to copy edit a few articles here and there. As an editor that can’t exactly be glued to the desk all the time, this was a huge relief.
The typing experience is satisfactory and the general performance switching from email, to browser, to chat apps, was hiccup-free. If this is what you’re after the tablet for, know that it is more than capable for these types of tasks.
Great entertainment hub
The 11-inch display is the sweet spot for me. Small enough to fit in a sling bag, but large enough to serve as in-flight entertainment. Prior to flying, I downloaded episodes of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Mushoku Tensei, as well as a couple of movies like Shin Kamen Rider.
I never realized how small the in-flight entertainment screen was in the economy flights I took until I had this 11-inch tablet with me. It’s such a better viewing experience and it allowed me to catch up to shows I was already watching versus settling for whatever’s available on the flight.
Best part? I conserved my smartphone’s battery levels by making the Xiaomi Pad 6 my primary entertainment hub. Not only did I download shows and movies, I also had plenty of storage room to spare for my main playlists on Spotify along with a handful of podcast episodes.
The pen is good for whoever will find use for it
Which isn’t yours truly if I’m being honest. My days of scribbling and sketching are way, waaaay behind me. You can probably tell from my sad, sorry, attempt to sketch Mina of TWICE/MISAMO in the photo below.
What I can tell you though is that the Xiaomi Smart Pen handles great even with the limited usage I squeezed out of it. It certainly still feels like you’re sketching on glass and there’s nothing mind boggling here like the experience feeling like pen-to-paper, but it works nonetheless.
If you’re into sketching, scribbling, and whatnot, it shouldn’t take too long to get used to the feeling.
And with the multi-window feature, you should, in theory, have an easier time referencing any material you’d like to draw.
Speaking of the multi-window feature, as someone who writes, it’s a great way to quickly see information at a glance and quickly add it to whatever you’re writing. It’s a handy feature that I’m sure a lot of people will be able to take advantage of.
Xiaomi Pad 6 specs
- Display – 11” WQHD+ (2880 x 1800) display at 309 ppi
- Processor – Snapdragon 870 Mobile Platform
- Battery – 8840mAh
- RAM and Storage – 6GB+128GB / 8GB+128GB /
- 8GB+256GB
- OS – MIUI Pad 14/Android 13
- Cameras – 13MP rear, 8MP front
- Connectivity – USB 3.2 Gen 1, BLUETOOTH 5.2, Wi-Fi 6
More quick notes
I installed a couple of games on it but never got to really, really play. It ran Asphalt 9 and Honkai: Star Rail just fine in my very, very limited play time. I personally never saw myself playing on this as much.
I also never truly exhausted the battery. The lowest it ever got was after I used it thoroughly on a 4-hour flight. And even then, I didn’t even hit 50% despite consuming plenty of media both video and audio. It supports up to 33W fast charging. If you juice it up with anything over that, you can expect the quick charge feature to kick in and top you up pretty quickly.
MIUI Pad 14 on Android 13 is fine. There’s nothing offensive about the UI and any shortcomings against the most popular tablet in the market has more to do with Android itself than the skin that Xiaomi put on top of it. It’s still good, it’s still very much functional, and pretty easy to figure out how to use if you’re at all familiar with Android.
Is the Xiaomi Pad 6 your GadgetMatch?
Like I mentioned at the start of the article, I had a very specific use-case in mind as I took the Xiaomi Pad 6 with me on my daily grind. For the editor part of my job, it worked perfectly. It’s compact, capable, and can do more than what I originally set out for it to do. With a starting price of just under PhP 30,000 for the full tablet-keyboard-pen package, it’s also one hell of a deal. Even moreso when you see the discounts during the first few days of sale.
The Xiaomi Pad 6 has to be the easiest Android tablet to recommend right now. It’s the ultimate bang-for-your-buck tablet, squeezing out plenty of features and functionality for a package price that’s more than reasonable. Xiaomi has a winner on their hands. One that deserves the GadgetMatch seal of approval.
Price, availability
The Xiaomi Pad 6 comes in Gravity Gray, Gold, and Mist Blue. The 8GB+128GB variant is priced at PhP 20,999 and the 8GB+256GB variant retails for from PhP 21,999.
The first 50 online buyers will get a free Xiaomi Smart Pen on a first come first serve basis starting August 11, 2023, and with an early bird promo:
8+128GB
- SRP: Php 20,999
- Early bird promo (August 12-20):
- Php 16,999 (Aug 11, 2023; online only)
- Php 17,999 (Aug 12-20, 2023; online only)
8+256 GB
- SRP: Php 21,999
- Early bird promo (August 18-27): Php 19,999
Xiaomi Pad 6 Keyboard
- SRP: Php 3,499
- Early bird promo (August 12-27): Php 2,499.30
Xiaomi Smart Pen
- SRP: Php 3,999
- Early bird promo: (August 12- 27) Php 2799.30
![HONOR 90](https://149367133.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/gadgetmatch-20230807-honor-90-10.jpg)
I have always loved anything shining, shimmering, and splendid. There’s a reason why I’m hooked on Taylor Swift’s “Bejeweled” on her Midnights album.
Put on your headphones and listen to this line. “Best believe I’m still bejeweled when I walk in a room, I can still make a whole place shimmer.”
That line struck me with how I always move in my circles, and that’s certainly how the HONOR 90 made its debut in the city of love. The young technology company showcased an exquisite beauty bewitching anyone who dare to lay their eyes on it, on a stage where you can marvel at its grandeur. Yes, it’s in Paris — and Taylor Swift has a song with the exact title.
I’m starting to believe that the HONOR 90 is a match made for me.
Bedazzling, bejeweled
After the GadgetMatch team witnessed the parade of the HONOR 90 in the revered city of love, I flew to China to witness the unveiling of the HONOR Magic V2. I brought the HONOR 90 with me, thinking it’d be an ideal companion as I walk through the streets of Shenzhen and Beijing.
Spoiler alert: Some days, it did not. The lack of IP rating didn’t give me the confidence to take it out while I’m running or braving the streets during a heavy downpour.
But it gave me attention, what with the dazzling design inspired by luxury jewelry as seen on my Diamond Silver unit. The sight of a glimmering silver smartphone with the sunlight shining across its diamond-like panel can bedazzle anyone who locks their eyes on the device.
It felt like a must-have accessory for summer and sparkling nights. The only caveat? You can’t get it wet. Let’s bid goodbye to pool parties and trying to meet someone in the pouring rain.
Not your ordinary midrange smartphone
Nevertheless, it gave me an exquisite experience. I’ve used the HONOR 50 and the HONOR 70 more than just review devices, I actually spent time using it as my secondary phone to play games, take extra footage of my workouts, and scroll on my other apps like the one with a yellow bee. So trust me when I say that the HONOR 90 is both different and similar to its predecessors.
Running on MagicOS 7.1 with enhanced CPU and GPU performance, the HONOR 90 offers a buttery-smooth performance. It also maintained an ultra-long battery life.
Compared to other smartphones equipped with 5000mAh Super Battery, HONOR’s N-devices last longer for me even with heavy data usage. I can last a day without a power bank even with mobile data turned on. And if I ran out of juice, the 66W HONOR SuperCharge comes in handy. I don’t need to wait almost an hour to get it recharged.
It might be disappointing to some since the POCO F5 — a much cheaper device — sports a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 1 while the HONOR 90 houses a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset. Even so, the smartphone does the job! There were no hiccups when browsing, scrolling, multitasking, creating content, and definitely when taking a high-resolution photo. You know, the 200MP ones?
Between the past and the future
The new HONOR 90 takes pride in having the best-in-class camera system for a midrange smartphone. FYI, it sports a 200-megapixel main camera with a 1/1.4-inch sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and macro camera, a 2-megapixel depth camera, and a 50-megapixel front camera.
Combined with its hardware and software prowess, the HONOR 90 captures any moment you deem important vividly. It takes excellent content, for the most part. It’s been like that since its predecessors, only just getting grander.
But what’s the point of telling all these perspectives when I can just parade foolproof evidence to back my claims? They say to see is to believe, so let me take you through a tale of two cities captured with the might of the HONOR 90.
Sight
Shenzhen and Beijing exhibit different faces of China. One is like the Silicon Valley of Asia that set its sights on the future, and the other looks back at the rich history of the country. While both cities exude different vibes, they both something have in common: a picturesque cityscape wherever you go.
From towering skyscrapers to wide avenues, and even architecture that encapsulates the country’s identity through intricate design and details. The HONOR 90’s 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera came in handy to see the beauty of both cities.
Taste
The memories of a trip is sometimes stored in photographs of food. It’s a glimpse of a country’s culture that can be cherished everytime you see it on a screen. The HONOR 90’s 2x zoom is perfect for capturing the rich, tasty cuisine of every culture you explore.
Feel
Truth be told: We’re not photographers who’ll need a 200-megapixel main camera to shoot our everyday life. I also take quick snaps to record a memory I want to treasure and share with my friends. If it’s pretty enough, it gets to be in my Stories. The HONOR 90 takes quick snaps without any delays, making it a great companion to capture the feel of your exact moment.
Look
Of course, what’s a trip and everyday life without selfies? The HONOR 90 is equipped with a 50-megapixel front camera with an option for a wider selfie. Like its predecessors, the selfies are still padded with extra beautification despite turning off the beauty mode. I still don’t like it though. Silver lining? You’d look fresh any time of the day.
Best for your eyes
The HONOR 90 takes pride in sporting a quad-curved display with an incredible viewing experience. Its 6.7-inch display goes toe-to-toe with almost every tall and huge smartphone out there, right now.
Just like most midrange smartphones with a “flagship-level” feature, the HONOR 90 has an HDR10+ certification along with Amazon Prime Video HDR and Netflix HDR. The pictures are quite vivid, you’ll enjoy watching any content even with just a smartphone.
It’s a bonus that the smartphone is lightweight enough that you can carry it with just a single hand.
It also has a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate and a TÜV Rheinland Flicker Free Certification for eye comfort. Speaking of which, the HONOR 90 is also equipped with the 3,840HZ PWM Dimming technology which I’ve seen in action through the HONOR Magic V2.
Basically, it exhibits a pulse at a rate of up to 3,840Hz that helps maintain a more comfortable, flicker-free viewing experience even at lower brightness levels.
It prioritizes alleviating eye fatigue to increase blood circulation. With the Circadian Night Display, the HONOR 90 also adjusts the display into warmer colors to reduce the amount of blue light.
Now, you don’t need to take lots of melatonin to fall asleep quickly even after using your smartphone. Your smartwatch might want to thank you for having better sleep quality.
Is this your GadgetMatch?
The HONOR 90 does a lot for a midrange smartphone. It’s not as specced up as other midrange competitors, but it surely stacks up when it comes to providing a flagship experience at a price that doesn’t break the bank. It’s got an incredible display that’s both pleasant and comfortable to the eyes, a hiccup-free performance coupled with long-lasting battery life, and a super-fast charging speed.
More importantly, it comes with an impressive camera system with the 200MP main sensor taking the spotlight.
The only caveat would be the lack of IP rating and to some, an option for wireless charging. What irks me would be the limited security and software updates. Meaning, if you get this smartphone, you’re bound to buy another one for the next year or two.
If you’re the type of person who frequently changes their smartphone, the compromises wouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s a solid deal, depending on your territory. The price really varies when it comes to different countries.
The HONOR 90 retails for GBP 450 for the 8GB/256GB unit and GBP 500 for the 12GB/512GB variant. It comes in three colors: Midnight Black, Emerald Green, and Diamond Silver — an exclusive color to the HONOR website, HiHonor.
In the Philippines, it retails for Php 24,990. Get it at select HONOR Outlets or online channels such as Shopee, Lazada, or TikTok Shop!
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