New smartphones, gadgets from January, February 2025

Looking to get a new phone? Here are some of the most notable ones released in the past two months! Other than the smartphones, we also get new laptops from ASUS, and a new Legion Go device from Lenovo.

POCO X7

THe X7 from Xiaomi sub-brand POCO is youthful and capable, known for its striking black and yellow colorway. Two variants came out in January: the base and the Pro. The latter is known for being the first phone with the Mediatek Dimensity 8400 Ultra chip, a midranger that’s drawn praise for its performance and efficiency. 

The Pro boasts a huge 6,000mAh battery with 90-watt fast-charging. Both carry an IP68 water and dustproof rating. 

Price:

X7 – Starts at P14,999. (Get it here:

X7 Pro – Starts at P16,999. (Get it here:

HONOR X9c 5G

The X9c 5G made some of the loudest noise in the first month of the year with stunts that touted its durability, including being dropped off from a helicopter, or tossed into a pot of boiling water. You wouldn’t do these in real life (probably) but at least you can hold the brand to account if your phone broke too easily. 

It features a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip, which means it’s slightly lower performance than the Dimensity 8400 found in the POCO model above, that is supposed to match up against a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. The cameras, headlined by a 108MP main shooter, has performed well. 

It boasts an even bigger battery at 6,600mAh with 66-watt fast-charging. 

Price: 

P16,999 (Get it here:

OnePlus 13

The OnePlus 13 are one of the few non-Apple and Samsung flagships that exude a dose of cool. 

Expect the usual numbers and performance you’ll expect from a flagship: a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip like the one found in the S25, 12GB of RAM, 256GB storage, a triple-camera wide, ultrawide, and tele setup at 50MP across the board. It one-ups the Samsung and Apple flagships with an IP69 rating compared to the usual IP68 water and dustproof rating, and boasts a 6,000 mAh battery with 100-watt supercharging. 

The 13R is its “fe” or “e” variant, with a less powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, and dips in camera specs, IP rating (IP65) and fastcharging (80 watts).

Price: 

13 – Starts at P54,990 (Get it here:

13R – Starts at P38,990 (Get it here:

Redmi Note 14 

The Redmi Note 14 is also a phone coming from a Xiaomi sub-brand. And its Pro variants compete with the POCO X7 Pro. In fact, that’s what we compared it to in our review, with cameras being the edge for the Note 14 Pro:

“The Note 14 Pro+ is another solid addition to Xiaomi’s ever-growing mid-range stable, packing everything you could possibly expect from a phone in this price segment. That said, when it comes to value for money, I think it could be better. Peso-for-peso, the X7 Pro, in my opinion, gives you more for what you’re paying for. Then again, if you want higher-resolution cameras, I’d lean more towards the Note 14 Pro+.”

The Note models also sport a more mature look compared to the X7’s youthful vibe. 

Price:

Note 14 (4G) – Starts at P7,999 (Get it here:

Note 14 5G – Starts at P13,999 (Get it here:

Note 14 Pro – starts at P17,999 (Get it here:

Note 14 Pro+ – Starts at  P22,999 (Get it here:

Lenovo Legion Go S

The Legion Go S is a more compact version of last year’s Legion Go, and has a SteamOS model as an option, expected in May, and at a cheaper price.

For now, what’s available is the Windows 11 version, which has a start price of P44,995. 

The Go S comes with either the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, already found in the Go 1, or a newer, cheaper but slightly lower performing Ryzen Z2 Go. The Go S loses the detachable controllers, and has a smaller, slower, lower resolution screen (8-inch, 1920 x 1200, 120Hz LCD, VRR) compared to the original (8.8-inch, 2560 x 1600, 144Hz, VRR), but has a slightly better battery (55.5Whr) versus the original’s 49.2 Whr. The Go S will also be able to take in more RAM at 32GB max, compared to the 16GB max of the original.

Price: Starts at P44,995 (Get it here:

Samsung Galaxy S25 

Samsung’s S-series flagship line was announced at the brand’s annual Unpacked event in January, headlined by the Ultra model, which features a redesigned exterior, and a set of AI-focused features, along with improved ergonomics. 

The S25 Ultra, as we said in our review-in-progress, is “a continuation of what the S24 started — you continue to see Samsung’s shift from a hardware and camera focus to a focus on AI features” that’s more cohesive this year. 

Price: 

Base – Starts at P51,990 (Get it here:

Plus – Starts at P67,990 (Get it here:

Ultra – Starts at P84,990 (Get it here:

Huawei Nova 13 

The Nova 13 is a midrange phone from Huawei, featuring a Kirin 9000 processor. Cameras are the big draw for the phone, reflecting the brand’s lineage of powerful imaging, currently represented by the DxoMark-topping Pura 70 phone last year. 

The 13 Pro features dual-selfie cams (60MP ultrawide + 8MP portrait), a rarity nowadays, and triple rear cameras, two of which have optical image stabilization, while the last one is a macro. 

The 13 has a dual rear camera setup, and a single selfie shooter, plus a less powerful Kirin 8000 chip. 

Both are only 4G-capable phones, in case you are looking for 5G connectivity. 

Price:

Base – Starts at P24,999 (Get it here:

Pro – Starts at P32,999 (Get it here:

OPPO Reno 13

OPPO’s premium midrange Reno series takes cues from Apple, and comes out with a unit that’s decidedly premium to the look and touch, competing with the likes of the OnePlus 13. 

It boasts a Dimensity 8350 chipset, 12GB RAM, 512GB storage, a triple-camera setup for the Pro and a dual for the base, and an IP69 rating like its OnePlus rival. The base has a 5,600 mAh battery while the Pro has a 5,800 one, with both capable of 80-watt fastcharging. 

A midrange F variant also exists, with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip, 8GB RAM, and 45-watt fastcharging.

Price:

F – Starts at P22,999 (Get it here:

Base – Starts at 34,999 (Get it here:

Pro – Starts at P43,999 (Get it here:

2025 ASUS Zenbook laptops 

ASUS touts its newest lineup of Zenbook laptops to be the first to launch with the latest AI-enabled Intel and AMD processor. 

The lineup includes the dual-screen Duo, the sophisticated Zenbook 14, and the Zenbook 14 with Microsoft CoPilot. 

“With powerful performance, extended battery life, premium designs, and a customizable Copilot key, the latest Zenbook AI Laptops allow users to experience AI productivity and creativity like never before,” the brand said. 

Price: 

Duo – Starts at P139,995

Zenbook 14 – Starts at P77,995 (Get it here:

14 with CoPilot – TBA

iPhone 16e

The 16e will have the same A18 chip as the base iPhone 16 and the 16 Plus, but will be cheaper at P39,990, and will also feature Apple Intelligence.

No release date has been announced for the Philippines.

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– Rappler.com