April Gadget Reviews Roundup

April has already passed but it has brought with it exciting new gadgets that will tickle your pockets. One of them is the Samsung Galaxy S4. Take a look at our gadget reviews roundup for the month of April.

Samsung Galaxy S4

The cream of the crop. The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a great display, amazing performance, awesome camera and a ton of new functions and features. However, some are complaining about Samsung’s strong affinity to the plastic build. Regardless, it is still one of the best Android flagships in the market to date. The Galaxy S4 has an SRP of Php30,990USD 528INR 44,768EUR 503CNY 3,846.

What we liked about it:
* Top-notch performance
* Very high display resolution
* Great camera performance and features
* High-speed LTE connectivity
* NFC functions and features
* IR Blaster
* Good battery life

What we did not like:
* More gimmicky features and bloatware

Cooler Master Sentinel Advance II

The Sentinel Advance II is a gaming mouse that has a great build and packs a ton of customizable settings. It has 8 programmable buttons, LED light effects, but too wide and a little heavy than your average mouse. Still, it gets the job done both for work and play. Costs $60PHP 3,521INR 5,085EUR 57CNY 437 or almost Php2,500USD 43INR 3,612EUR 41CNY 310.

What we liked about it:
* Tons of modifiable settings (scripts, macros etc.)
* Customizable

What we didn’t like about it:
* Too wide

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

The Galaxy S3 Mini is the toned-down version of the Galaxy S3. It almost has the same feel as its bigger and more powerful brother but only smaller and feels less premium. However, it has a very capable camera, decent display, and a good set of software features. The Galaxy S3 Mini has a price tag of Php14,990USD 255INR 21,655EUR 243CNY 1,860.

What we liked about it:
* Great alternative to the S3
* Good camera
* Long lasting battery
* Software has little compromise

What we didn’t like about it:
* Cramped experience
* S-AMOLED display could be better
* Plastic & uninspired feel
* Video captures flare, no 1080p

Adin D2 Vibrating Speaker

It’s tiny, hefty, and unsuspecting. Still, the Adin D2 is one of those gadgets that we enjoyed reviewing. Compared to your normal BT-enabled speakers, this one doesn’t actually have a conventional speaker. To produce sound, the Adin D2 needs to be placed on a solid platform like a coffee table. In terms of loudness, the this device can easily outgun an X-Mini without breaking a sweat. The Adin D2 has a suggested retail price of Php1,200USD 20INR 1,734EUR 19CNY 149.

What we liked about it:
* Simple but durable build
* Loud
* Powerful bass and good vocals
* MicroSD card support
* FM Radio
* Low price

What we didn’t like about it:
* Highs are recessed
* Audio distortion above 70%

Sony Xperia Tablet S

The Xperia Tablet S is Sony’s tablet from last year that packs a good set of hardware inside an unusual design. Although an old device, the Tegra 3 quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM on board makes the Tablet S a solid performing slate in today’s standards. The only gripes that we have are the low-resolution display, Android Ice Cream Sandwich, and the expensive price tag of Php24,000USD 409INR 34,670EUR 390CNY 2,978. On the other hand, the Jellybean update for the Tablet S should be out now so that’s one less thing to to be concerned about.

What we like about it:
* Great build
* Unique design
* Great camera
* Good display in terms of features
* Decent battery life
* Fast gaming performance

What we didn’t like about it:
* Outdated OS
* Low resolution display
* Occasional lags and crashes
* Still expensive
* Proprietary cable instead of standard microUSB

Cooler Master Sonuz

Here’s another one from Cooler Master and this time its the Sonuz gaming headphones. These huge cans are well made, comfortable and are capable of producing amazing sound. However, it falls short in portability and noise canceling. The Cooler Master Sonuz has a price tag of $60PHP 3,521INR 5,085EUR 57CNY 437 or almost Php2,500USD 43INR 3,612EUR 41CNY 310.

What we liked about it:
* Great sound quality
* Durable feel and design
* Comfortable to use

What we didn’t like about it:
* Microphone fails at noise management
* Non-foldable / not pocketable

Dell Latitude 6430u Ultrabook

This ultrabook packs a wallop. It has a 3rd Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD and a 14-inch HD display. Not only it can perform, it also has the looks and build quality that workaholics will surely love. It has a few flaws though and it doesn’t come cheap as it costs around Php62,000USD 1,056INR 89,565EUR 1,006CNY 7,694. Still, the Dell Latitude 6430u is one of the best ultrabook we’ve reviewed so far.

What we liked about it:
* Solid build quality
* Simple yet elegant design
* Large display
* Comfortable keyboard with backlighting
* Full set of ports
* Good battery life
* Great performance

What we didn’t like about it:
* Display color needs a little boost
* Top lid is dust magnet
* Bottom side heats up when playing games
* Hefty compared to other Ultrabooks
* SD card slot set too deep

Sony Xperia ZL

Next up is the Sony Xperia Z’s sibling, the Xperia ZL. The ZL is almost identical to the Z except for the glass back and IP57 certification. However, it doesn’t mean that the ZL is a lesser phone. It also has a solid design, great performance, good battery life and amazing camera – definitely a good option for those who wouldn’t mind forgoing the elegant body of the Xperia Z. The Xperia ZL sells for Php22,500USD 383INR 32,504EUR 365CNY 2,792 in online stores.

What we liked about it:
* Solid design and build quality
* Great performance
* Impressive camera

What we did not like:
* Highly reflective TFT display

Starmobile Diamond

One of Starmobile’s best Android offerings go by the name of Diamond. It has a 5-inch IPS LCD HD display, dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 12MP BSI camera, dual-SIM capabilities, and Android 4.1 Jellybean. It looks good and is tough too thanks to Dragontrail Glass. The Starmobile Diamond is a locally branded yet very capable smartphone with an affordable price. However, it’s facing tough competition from another local brand with an almost identical offering. The Starmobile Diamond has an SRP of Php9,990USD 170INR 14,432EUR 162CNY 1,240.

What we liked about it:
* Great display
* Amazing image quality
* Good-looking design
* Solid construction
* Android 4.1 is a plus

What we didn’t like about it:
* Slightly unresponsive
* Camera software lags
* Bloatware
* Sub-par battery life
* Not for one-handed operation

Huawei Ascend W1

The Ascend W1 is Huawei’s first Windows Phone 8 offering. It has a solid construction, attractive design, great display, decent camera, and a really good battery life. However, the RAM is only 512MB but for a price of Php8,990USD 153INR 12,987EUR 146CNY 1,116, what more can you ask for?

What we liked about it:
*Solid construction
*Attractive design
*Good battery life
*Decent performance
*Affordable price tag

What we didn’t like about it:
*512MB RAM
*Limited internal storage
*Average camera performance

Toshiba Canvio Slim 3.0

The Toshiba Canvio Slim 3.0 is one of the thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive we’ve seen so far. It is capable of 5Gbps transfer rate on USB 3.0 and 480Mbps on USB 2.0. The Canvio Slim 3.0 also features the NTI Backup Now EZ software which lets you create an image of your entire system for a quick backup and easy restore. The Toshiba Canvio Slim 3.0 currently retails for Php3,999USD 68INR 5,777EUR 65CNY 496.

What we liked about it:
* Premium build
* Thin profile
* Inclusion of the NTI Backup Now EZ

What we didn’t like:
* A bit pricey

Huawei Ascend Y300

Huawei lifts the standards of its entry-level Android smartphones with the Ascend Y300. It sports a 4-inch IPS display, dual-core processors, 512MB of RAM, 5MP camera with flash, 1730mAh battery, and Android 4.1.1 Jellybean. The best part about it is the Php5,490USD 94INR 7,931EUR 89CNY 681 price tag.

What we liked about it:
* Solid build quality
* Good IPS display
* Above average performance for its category
* Good battery life
* Affordable price

What we didn’t like about it:
* Limited internal storage
* Limited camera performance
* 480p video recording resolution