Monday, March 1, 2021

Gadget Reviews Roundup: February 2021

Thinking of getting a new gadget or car soon? Before you do that, you might want to check out our reviews from last month. It includes the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, Xiaomi Mi 11, ASUS ZenBook 14, and 2020 Ford Ranger Raptor, to name a few. If you want to learn more, then read our Gadget Reviews Roundup for the month of February.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is priced at PHP 69,990 for the 12GB + 256GB variant, and PHP 79,990 for the 16GB + 512GB option. Compared to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra holds note-worthy upgrades that are perfect for creatives or users with demanding lifestyles—or you just have the budget for it (we’re not judging). Without a doubt, it upholds the Ultra in its name and probably even beyond. You get a stellar Dynamic AMOLED display, excellent flagship performance, versatile cameras, reliable battery, IP68 water & dust resistance, S-Pen support, 5G connectivity, and even access to Wi-Fi 6E. This phone is a winner.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T 5G

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T 5G has the makings of a good mid-range smartphone — a large hi-res screen, new and capable chipset, 5G connectivity, good cameras, and a large battery. We don’t have the local SRP, though, but we expect it to be priced competitively like the older Redmi 9 series models. If you’re looking for a solid daily driver with casual gaming power, this phone should be on your list.

vivo Y31

vivo designs and colorways are beautiful, and for PHP 12,999, you actually get what you’re paying for. If you decide to go with the Y31, you get a sizeable screen, pretty great battery life, expandable storage, and performance decent enough for everyday use. PLUS, you get Funtouch OS 11 with the latest Android 11.

ASUS ZenBook 14 UX435

The ASUS ZenBook 14 UX435 is quite a promising ultrabook that packs a lot of punch for its compact size. It manages to fit in not just a 14-inch main display but also a ScreenPad. Its internals packs quite a punch for performance, and it’s all rounded out by solid battery life. It’s a great ultrabook for users who are looking for something portable yet powerful at the same time. It is priced at PHP 79,995 for the Core i7 and 1TB SSD variant and PHP 64,995 for the Core i5 and 512GB SSD variant. Both of them come with 16GB of RAM and an MX450 GPU. Although pricey, the design, features, and performance should make it worth the money.

OPPO Reno5 5G

The Reno5 5G is one device packed with some impressive specs for something that costs PHP 23,999. We can say that it can be a hot pick based on its excellent camera performance. There is support for a 90Hz high refresh rate and good battery life. Yes, there are many good devices in the market around this price range, but the Reno5 5G is undoubtedly not one to be missed out on.

2020 Ford Ranger Raptor

The 2020 Ford Ranger Raptor reminds us that anybody can be a pickup-truck owner (yes, even you!), but that’s not to say it’s for everyone. If there’s anything we learned from driving this, it’s that you don’t necessarily need to be always off-roading or hauling things to appreciate this 4×4 vehicle. If that doesn’t convince you, I’m sure the growing number of Rangers you can see on the road will. And despite the little hiccups, the pros generally still outweigh the cons by a long shot, especially if you’re looking for an outstanding pick-up truck with a whole lotta premium.

OPPO Reno5 4G

Looking at the Reno5 series, the 5G variant is the best you can get. However, it’s not for everyone, given the higher price tag. Some users might be contented with having 4G LTE, 90Hz refresh rate, good quad-rear camera setup, and a 4,310mAh battery with 50W fast charging at a lower price. And that’s where the Reno5 4G comes in. At PHP 18,999, that’s PHP 5K cheaper, which is a good option for those on a budget. There are other worthy options from other brands though, but if you’re looking into OPPO’s most recent offerings with a budget of PHP 19K, check out the Reno5 4G.

Xiaomi Mi 11

Sure, the Xiaomi Mi 11 has a few drawbacks: the occasional heating, lack of telephoto lens, slightly lower battery capacity, and lack of an IP rating. But there’s still a lot of convincing reasons why you should get this beastly phone. Besides the stellar performance and outstanding display, you get a good set of cameras, Harman Kardon stereo speakers, and fast wired & wireless charging that’s all sealed in an attractive premium design. It’s one of the best-performing phones you can get to the date, and we do highly recommend it.

2020 Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid is definitely a great consideration if you’re looking for an economical daily driver. Sure, it might be more expensive than its fully gas-powered counterparts, but in the long-run, you could save a lot of gas money as compared to conventional vehicles. Apart from that, the pros seem to outweigh the cons. It’s quiet and nimble, has less of those nasty tailpipe emissions, and the fact that you’ll be paying visits to the gas station much less is going to be a great feeling for anyone.

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