To be honest, Samsung’s A Series devices have always struck me as the kinds of phones you’d get for a tween or a hip grandparent—they get the job done, they’re well-rounded, but certainly nothing top-of-the-line.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Someone’s gotta serve the tweens and the elderly.

But is there something wrong with my opinion? Are Samsung’s Series A phones actually better than what I’m giving them credit for?

Well, I got my answer after testing out the new RM1,699 Samsung Galaxy A35.

A for attractive visuals

A step up from its predecessor (the A34), the Galaxy A35 has a glass back instead of plastic, giving it a polished finish. The frame of the phone is still plastic, though, but for our Awesome Iceblue colourway in particular, it has a slight metallic sheen that makes it look classy.

Overall, the build of the phone feels nice and durable. I might even say that it feels better than the Galaxy S24 FE, which launched with a more expensive price of RM2,999.

With an IP67 rating, the phone is water-resistant up to a depth of about 3 feet for up to 30 minutes.

The 6.6-inch AMOLED display allows for sharp and crisp quality, and the 120Hz variable refresh rate makes for a fluid experience for the most part.

Paired with the speakers on the phone, which boast pretty good audio quality, watching content from the phone is rather satisfactory.

An improvement in the display, compared to the A34, is that there’s no longer a notched design where the front camera is, but rather a hole-punch cutout. This makes for a more seamless display. That said, the bezels still feel a little chunky, especially on the top and the bottom.

Something I noticed about the A35 is that it’s quite fingerprint resistant, from its glass screen to its plastic frame. This might be thanks to the very pale blue colour we got, though.

In any case, as someone who smudges everything from my glasses to my camera lens, this is something I greatly appreciate.  

A for above average cameras

And that might be understating it.

The cameras on the A35 aren’t necessarily jaw-dropping, but they’re certainly not lacking.  

With a toggleable 50MP main camera (you can switch to a 12MP), pictures taken on the Galaxy A35 are clear and I do like the colour balancing, though it tends to be on the warm side.

My expectations for the phone’s night photography were low, but I’m glad to say it surpassed them. Once again, it’s nothing wow, but it does balance light and dark well, capturing street lights nicely without becoming overexposed.  

At 5MP and 8MP respectively, the macro and ultrawide cameras function well enough. But with the specs they’re given, don’t expect to get DSLR-level crispness, especially when shooting close-ups.

If you love taking selfies, the 13MP front camera is decent—no criticisms, but I wouldn’t shower it with compliments.  

Sadly, the A series does not come equipped with most of the Galaxy AI features, meaning you won’t be able to play around with the generative fill features just yet on the mid-range phone.

A for acceptable performance

Equipped with the Exynos 1380, I wouldn’t consider this to be a powerful phone for gaming purposes.

But that doesn’t mean it can’t handle some demanding games with high-quality graphics. It definitely can.

Don’t judge me, but I tried out dating simulator Love and Deepspace on the highest picture quality (Ultra), and what can I say? They—um, I mean it—looks pixel perfect.

But I can still feel a difference between this phone and the S24 Ultra that we reviewed earlier this year, which has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 under the hood. With the image quality set so high, I did experience some lag and choppiness with the A35, but not to an unusable degree.

As most phones do, the A35 did get warm after sustained usage, but not unbearably so.  

One of the highlights of the phone, though, is its impressive 5,000mAh battery. As someone whose phone is always dangerously low on battery when I’m out and about for events, I love the ease of mind that the Galaxy A35 gives me.

Speaking of ease of mind, the latest Galaxy Series A phones, which includes the A35 as well as the A55, are the first in the series to come with Samsung Knox.

Specifically, it features the Samsung Knox Vault, designed to protect users’ sensitive information, such as their PIN, password, and pattern. The encrypted data can then be safely transferred to the Samsung Knox Vault storage, which is completely isolated and separated from the main operating system.

A for affordable all-rounder

With a price tag of RM1,699, the Galaxy A35 is a value-for-money device that has all the basics down pat.

There are many other phones in the market in this price range (like the new Nothing Phone 2(a) which we’re currently reviewing), but I would say the reliability of Samsung makes the Galaxy A35 a competitive mid-range phone.

Coming with Samsung’s One UI 6.1, the phone will get four years of software updates and five years of security patches, which is great for a mid-range phone.

All this to say, I think the Galaxy A35 is a really solid phone. And I don’t mean just for tweens and grandparents, but for everyday users.

Pros	Cons
Impressive performance from the cameras, especially given their specs	Some lagginess after sustained usage
Bright, crisp, and vivid display as well as long-lasting battery life, making it great for gaming and streaming content
Affordable with great value for money

• Learn more about Samsung Galaxy A35 here.
• Read other articles we’ve written about Samsung here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.

There’s a common misconception that new phone models nowadays need to have the latest technological advances. But that’s just not realistic. 

Why? Because not everyone wants them.

Think of your grandmother or less tech-savvy aunts and uncles, do you think they care much about these updates? And would they want to pay more than a few thousand ringgit for it?

Chances are they just want a good phone with good specifications that’s an upgrade from their last device. Nothing too fancy (as new tech can be confusing) or anything that will break the bank.

This is where mid-tier phones like the latest Samsung Galaxy A55 shine bright. 

Starting off with the basics

Coming at the decent price of RM1,999, the newly launched mobile phone is one of two latest additions in Samsung’s Galaxy A series. The Galaxy A55 is an improved version of its Galaxy A54 which launched last year, featuring more upgrades internally rather than externally.

On the outside, the phone sports a sleek look thanks to its aluminium metal side frames. This is a step up from its predecessor’s plastic material. The back panel is made of Gorilla Glass Victus+, so don’t worry about dropping it or getting scratches. 

The phone is rated IP67 which means the phone is durable and can last up to 30 minutes while submerged in water. But only at a depth of a metre, so you shouldn’t bring it for a swim.

The 6.6-inch FHD display wasn’t a far cry from my own daily driver which I believe is a good size, but it was a little bulky for my small hands. Typing with one hand felt more secure but gripping it for long periods wasn’t very comfortable.

Similar to the Galaxy A54, this new model is still equipped with Super AMOLED, Samsung’s Vision Booster technology, and a peak display brightness of 1,000 nits. Together, they ensure clear visibility under direct sunlight. 

But the actual highlight of the phone is…

Good photography at a decent price

If you’re looking at the hardware camera’s specifications, you’ll find no significant differences between the Galaxy A55 and the Galaxy A54.

Selfie camera	21MP, f/2.2
Wide camera	50MP, f/1.8
Ultrawide camera	12MP, f/2.2
Macro camera	5MP, f/2.4

However, you’d be sorely mistaken to think there haven’t been any improvements since the last model.

A core focus of the Galaxy A55’s camera is its better nightography with its image processing abilities. Specifically, the phone uses an AI depth map and AI ISP (image signal processing) to make photos look clearer in low-light conditions. 

Note that the keyword here is low-light and not no-light.

If you’re in a dimly lit environment, the AI features do a great job at enhancing the clarity of your photos. The images come out looking high-contrast and detailed. The latter depends highly on your ability to stay still while the camera snaps a photo.

You can see how important this is based on this image of a flower I took at night. 

I don’t have the most stable hands and sometimes struggle to take photos without something to lean on. This was one of those times and it’s very evident in the photo because the details can’t be captured. But if you put that aside, the AI features enhance it pretty well.

A good rule of thumb to remember is that the darker the environment, the worse the photos come out. So you shouldn’t expect the AI tech to be a miracle worker. My recommendation for dark rooms is to just use good old-fashioned flash.

It’s what’s on the inside that matters

Another highlight of the Galaxy A55 is the Samsung Knox Security that’s built into the phone. For the Galaxy A series, it’s currently only available in the other new addition, the Galaxy A35.

This is Samsung’s secure mobile solution that provides real-time protection for your data, such as:

• Blocking unknown apps from unauthorised access to your phone 
• Labelling unknown and unsafe phone numbers that are potentially scams or fraud phone calls 
• Providing end-to-end encryption for data storage on Samsung Cloud 

Essentially, it provides safety against hackers who will perform malicious acts. This includes gaining access to personal data like messages and documents, location tracking, extracting passwords and login credentials, and even remotely controlling your phone.

Although, this isn’t to say the other Samsung models aren’t protected from such threats. The Knox security system simply enhances this protection, since it has multiple layers of security across hardware and software.

Verdict

The Galaxy A55 uses an improved Octa-core processor that is supposed to make multi-tasking, gaming, and streaming more effortless. 

Personally, I’m not a gamer girl so I didn’t really test this out. But when it comes to multitasking and streaming videos on YouTube, it certainly lived up to these claims. Even when I streamed YouTube videos for four hours straight with my Bluetooth earphones connected, the phone didn’t heat up or hang.

Like the Galaxy A54, this new model has a 5,000 mAh battery that lasts up to 28 hours before it needs to be charged. So, you don’t have to carry around a powerbank for outings.

Sporting 5G capabilities and an internal storage of 256GB, you can choose between three colourways: Awesome Violet, Awesome IceBlue, Awesome Navy. 

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A55 is a reliable phone with tools that are useful for daily needs. So if you’re someone who likes a good phone without too many frills, this might be a suitable choice for you.

Pros	Cons
Improved nightography abilities for better quality images in low-light conditions	Features are quite basic, might not be the best option if you’re looking for more tools to play with
Has built-in Samsung Knox Security to ensure device is safe from hackers

• Read other articles we’ve written about Samsung here.
• Learn more about Samsung Galaxy A55 here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.

The OPPO Reno11 Pro is the latest successor to the brand’s portrait expert series, and with a proud title like “portrait expert”, my expectations are high.

So, I brought the phone out on a trip to Farm In The City, where a bunch of animals would be my models for the day.

Getting a grip on things

At 181g, this has been one of the lightest phones I’ve tested so far, which made it nice to carry around for the outing. Anything that has my bag feeling less like a rock is a plus in my books.

Available in a Pearl White or Rock Grey colourway, the former is for those who prefer a fashionable statement phone, while the latter is for those who like it more discreet.

The Rock Grey we got is quite beautiful regardless, with a sheen that looks like tightly-packed fine glitter under light.

While I’m not exactly sure what the back of the Rock Grey variant is made of, I will say that tapping or knocking on it gives off a rather plasticky sound.

In contrast, the camera module is quite solid, and OPPO has innovated its look from the previous model. 

It’s a lot sleeker now, and I like that the cameras are housed in a smooth pill-shaped glass casing.

The separated lens look and feel of many flagships nowadays isn’t my cup of tea, because I overthink how debris would easily get trapped in the valleys between each lens and the entire thing just often feels… more fragile.

All that aside, the camera module does stick out a bit, so get a case that balances it all out if that bothers you.

Speaking of cases, I highly recommend using the provided case or getting your own, because the Rock Grey Reno11 Pro is super slippery to hold (not sure about the Pearl White), and the curved AMOLED display doesn’t help. 

Thankfully, though the display is curved, it doesn’t seem like the edges are overly-sensitive, so I didn’t experience any accidental touches.

The 6.7-inch screen is nice, going up to 120Hz, and it has a peak brightness of 950 nits. Under the decently sunny weather, I was able to see the Reno11 Pro’s screen at all times while snapping away at Farm In The City.

Now, how did those snaps turn out? 

Okay portrait expert, come through

Full disclosure, I’m no photography expert (mobile or otherwise) but I think I share similar standards to most people as to what constitutes a nice photo in terms of clarity and colours.

And I’d say that the photos taken with the Reno11 Pro came out pretty nice.

Colours weren’t overly vivid, leaning towards a more natural look without being too dull. Overall, they were comparable to what my eyes observed in real life.

The 50MP wide camera performed well, capturing nice detail under good natural light.

In low light though, you do lose some clarity.

The zoom capabilities were sufficient to capture animals that I spotted further away. Though I personally prefer crisper images, I’m still satisfied with the details maintained.

Honest opinion: mobile cameras still have a ways to go before they can truly replicate what DSLRs can do. But what some have achieved is still impressive.

The Reno11 Pro is one of them. Just check out the glamour shots I took of these Farm In The City residents with Portrait mode.

Sure, they’re a little hairier than our smooth-skinned brethren, and maybe the edge detection of the Portrait mode could be better for those blessed with thick fur, but I think these shots are beautiful. The bokeh can also be adjusted post-snap to hide any issues with the edge detection.

The Portrait mode on the selfie camera (32MP) performs really well, keeping faces and colours natural, and the face detection was able to focus on the different subjects in frame.

I think all subjects do have to be facing the camera though for this to work properly.

Colour me impressed.

Verdict

On the performance side of things, you’ve got a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset and a 4,600mAh battery under the hood.

Nothing really stood out here, but playing a demanding game (Honkai: Star Rail) on the Reno11 Pro on maximum settings did have it noticeably warm up within 10 minutes.

When not gaming, the battery has good lasting power, so no complaints there.

Where I do see people having some complaints is at the lack of an IP rating.

I think having an IP rating is a no-brainer for smartphones these days, because of how attached we are to these little devices. 

We bring them everywhere we go, and into all kinds of situations. Like, what if I had dropped this into Farm In The City’s many bodies of water? (Luckily, that didn’t happen.)

So while I don’t see the lack of an IP rating as a deal-breaker per se, it’s definitely something that many appreciate having.

All things considered though, the Reno11 Pro appears to be an all-rounder, if you can acknowledge it for what it is—a mid-range phone.

It comes with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, and is available in Malaysia at a starting price of RM2,499.

Pros	Cons
Impressive Portrait mode for both main and selfie cameras	No IP rating
Battery has good lasting power	Phone without a casing is quite slippery to hold
Sleeker, more modern look compared to previous model

• Learn more about the OPPO Reno11 Pro here.
• Read more VP Verdicts here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.

For the past week, I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra as my daily driver, toying around with its suite of various AI-powered features.

On paper, it’s clearly much more powerful and impressive than its predecessors, but just because it comes loaded with all these features, that doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily better in practice. As one might put it…

Is more always more?

While the customisability of Samsung phones is a plus point to many users, there might come a point where it gets too much.

For me, that point is now. With the new AI tools, the phone has more settings and buttons than ever.

There’s now a button for AI features such as the “writing style” and “spelling and grammar” checker, as well as a built-in translator app. Of course, there are even more options hidden away in the three dots off to the side.

The advanced intelligence features are also hidden away in the Advanced features tab, which doesn’t feel quite intuitive to me.

Something else that doesn’t feel very intuitive is the photo editor. Once again, the new AI tools such as the generative fill and object eraser make for more buttons and tabs than ever.

As an iPhone user who is used to a very streamlined experience, the S24 Ultra honestly feels quite overwhelming to use at first. Like anything else though, it gets easier the more time you spend with it.

High-spec cameras meet AI photo editing

One major camera upgrade on the Galaxy S24 Ultra compared to the S23 Ultra is its 5x telephoto camera, which now sports a 50MP sensor. There’s a secondary telephoto camera for 3x zoom that’s 10MP.

This means the Galaxy S24 Ultra supports optical zoom in 3x and 5x, as well as optical quality zoom on 2x and 10x.

Note that Samsung uses the language optical quality, not actually optical zoom, as it’s essentially a digital zoom that’s enhanced by Samsung’s Adaptive Pixel sensor.

So, what does any of that mean? Well basically, 5x and 10x zoom images are supposed to be better than ever. Check out these zoomed-in images we took of the KL city skyline and decide for yourself.

Here’s another example.

Digital zoom is supported up to 100x on the phone, so if you’re trying for a moon shot, you still can.

While these cameras are fantastic, I find that they pair even better with the new AI technology. I personally have been enjoying the object eraser tools.

The erase reflections tool is certainly not perfect, but it’s a good start. Here are some examples so you can judge for yourself. This one is edited to remove the reflection of the phone in the window.

Here’s an example using the object eraser tool manually. It’s like a game of spot the difference.

While I like the object eraser for what it is, the generative fill technology is not my favourite so far. For one, it’s not very reliable as of now. The AI often tries to fill in the missing data with random artefacts or details that I never wanted in the first place.  

Something on my wishlist is that there’ll be an “expand” tool using generative fill as well so you can extend the sides of an image.

But AI tools aside, I must say, the new and improved 50MP telephoto camera makes for some very crisp and satisfying zoomed-in imagery.

Overall, I don’t have any harsh critiques about the S24 Ultra’s photography capabilities. The images are crisp, beautiful, bright, and vibrant. From ultra-wide images to close-up pics, this phone is an extremely reliable mobile camera.   

Time for a performance assessment

The S24 Ultra is Samsung’s brightest phone yet, supporting a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. This means under our radiant Malaysian sun, you’ll still be able to use your phone with no issues.

But honestly, I don’t have trouble with most phones nowadays when it comes to using them under the sun. The real question may be, how does the 6.7-inch AMOLED display hold up for gaming and entertainment?

The phone supports ray tracing, so it’s supposed to enable some ultra-realistic graphics to enhance gameplay and experience.

But ray tracing isn’t really supported by a lot of mobile games yet. So, unless you play the select number of games that currently support ray tracing, it’s not something that might make or break the S24 Ultra for you.

In any case, the display supports an adaptive 1 to 120Hz refresh rate for buttery smooth graphics or to save battery.

As for audio, the phone speakers can go very loud. Under the hood of the phone is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which means it supports Qualcomm’s latest innovative audio technologies, the S7 and S7 Pro audio platforms.

These platforms supposedly bring more intelligent and powerful features, but the catch, according to tech publication ZDNET, is that no earphones support the technology just yet.

Verdict

At 233g, the phone is notably heavier than my usual iPhone (189g), but rather than its heft, it’s more the size that has been my concern.

Its sharper corners and width (3.11 inches) have led to some twinges in the wrist, but it could be a worthy trade-off for those who believe bigger is better.

For those who value AI software, the Galaxy S24 Ultra may come across as a no brainer. The notable upgrades to the telephoto camera are also a big plus to mobile photographers.

All this is made even better with the phone’s 5,000 mAh battery, a step up from the 4,855mAh of the S23 Ultra.

That said, with these upgrades also comes an increased price point. With a 512GB storage option (the 256GB is “coming soon”), this new phone is priced at RM6,799, which is a pretty big jump from the S23 Ultra’s debut price of RM5,699.

At the time of writing there is a RM500 discount for the S24 Ultra (making it RM6,299), but it’s still a very, very pretty penny to pay for a phone.

If you want to invest in a top-of-the-line device though, this might be your chance. Samsung has promised seven years of OS upgrades and security updates for the S24 Series, after all.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a reliable phone with very nifty tools, and it feels like it’s only uphill from here, especially when it comes to the all the new AI features.

Pros	Cons
New AI features, especially in the photo editor, are fun and practical	New AI features may make the screen feel more cluttered
Improved telephoto camera makes for higher quality zoomed-in images
Improved battery life for longer usage

• Read other articles we’ve written about Samsung here.
• Learn more about Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.

Another year, another Vivobook release from ASUS. This isn’t their top-of-line laptop series, but it has a reputation for being a reliable device for students and working professionals who need the essentials.

So, what does the Vivobook 16 bring to the table?

I’ve spent about a month using it as my work laptop, and here’s my experience so far.

Large but lightweight

You get a nice large 16” display with thin bezels for maximum screen usage, but the laptop itself is very thin.

It weighs 1.88kg, but it doesn’t quite feel like it in my backpack. The ease of transporting it makes it ideal for digital nomads or those who do hybrid work.

I’ve seen some reviews online talking about the display being a little low-res and dull for their liking, but I don’t have an issue with it. 

If your work hinges on colour accuracy, then perhaps the ASUS Vivobook 16 OLED might be a better choice, since that one has been Pantone validated for professional-grade colour accuracy.

I enjoy working with a mouse, but when I’m on the go, I don’t usually like to bring the extra bulk around. Thankfully, the large touchpad on the Vivobook 16 is very functional, supporting your usual single click gestures up to 4-finger gestures.

The large touchpad has another plus: it gives you a lot of real estate to rest your palms when you’re using the built-in keyboard. 

The keyboard itself is comfortable to use too, it feels responsive without needing me to tap on the keys too hard. 

ASUS calls this their ErgoSense keyboard, which has “optimum key bounce and travel calculated with fine-tuned precision”. I believe them. 

Another feature geared towards working professionals (perhaps more for those in the creative industry) is the 180-degree hinge, allowing the laptop to lay almost flat when opened.

ASUS states that this would be useful for those who often have roundtable discussions on projects, since it easily allows everyone at the table to view the screen. 

Productivity-focused performance

On the performance side of things, I’ve not experienced any lag or stutters during work, even when running multiple programmes at once.

Granted, I’m not usually running any heavy-duty apps, but I usually have Chrome (with minimum 15 tabs), Lark (our work communications platform), and Edge (yes, I enjoy using Edge, sue me!) open at the same time.

Despite all that, the laptop has never heated up uncomfortably nor has its fan whirred too loudly in our office. When on performance mode with a game running, you do hear the fan kick up, but that’s to be expected.

I’ve admittedly not gamed much on this laptop because, ahem, this is a work laptop for the office. 

The few times I’ve opened up Genshin Impact on it for purely testing purposes though, the game booted up at a decent speed and the framerate does get a bit choppy when on maximum settings. Still playable, just not preferred.

The Vivobook 16 has 8GB RAM but you can add an 8GB SO-DIMM memory module on top of that to get a total 16GB of RAM. For storage, you get a 512GB SSD. Depending on your needs, you can choose between two processors: the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U or AMD Ryzen 7 7730U.

The battery life on the Vivobook 16 has honestly been quite amazing in my opinion. I’m able to get a full day’s worth of work done on a full charge of the 42WHr battery, and this has been a consistent performance so far.

This lets me take the laptop to day-long events to work on the go without the worry of my tasks getting disrupted halfway by the laptop suddenly shutting down.

ASUS offers a suite of settings that you can toggle between on the MyASUS app if you want to get the most out of your Vivobook 16 too. It’s great for personalising the laptop to your use.

For those who often do video conferencing or calls, you might also appreciate these other features:

• AI noise-canceling audio technology that filters out unwanted noise from your microphone
• Built-in webcam shield for privacy
• ASUS 3D Noise Reduction (3DNR) technology in the 720p HD webcam which upgrades the video clarity

Verdict

I couldn’t find much to dislike about the Vivobook 16, but if I really had to complain about something, it would be that the matte material of the laptop is super prone to fingerprint smudges.

The Vivobook 16 also feels a tad more plasticky compared to other laptops I’ve tried, but it’s probably why it’s able to remain quite lightweight despite its size. Besides, it still passed ASUS’ military-grade laptop durability tests, so that puts me at ease.

Overall, rather than trying to impress with jargony features, the ASUS Vivobook 16 keeps things simple. It’s reliable and consistent, and it’s honestly all that a working individual like me really needs.

ASUS has been known to push the boundaries of laptops and other devices, but when it comes to productivity-focused tech, they know their priorities too.

The ASUS Vivobook 16 comes in the modest colourways of Indie Black and Cool Silver, and is available from a starting price of RM2,599.

Pros	Cons
16″ display with thin bezels for maximum screen real estate	External body material attracts fingerprint smudges easily
Lightweight and portable despite its size, good for working on the go
Reliable and consistent performance for work purposes

• Learn more about the ASUS Vivobook 16 here.
• Read more of our reviews on ASUS here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.

Earlier this year, I bought the Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones to level up my gaming experience.

Unfortunately, I’ve not used it very much since then, because it usually starts feeling too heavy a few hours into use, hurting the top of my head. (When I first reviewed them, I apparently didn’t feel that way, so maybe my scalp sensitivity changed?)

It’s really a pity, because I adore the audio quality.

So could my alternative be the Sony Inzone Buds instead?

Aesthetics

The white variant we got is neither discreet nor loud, and it certainly resembles the PlayStation 5 in design. The black variant is for those who want a sleeker look.

The casing is on the larger end which will make it stick out in pockets, but the pro is that it has great stability.

Inside the case, you get the earbuds and a USB-C dongle to connect to your device. The set comes with three other earbud tip sizes and a… very short charging wire. Thankfully, it seems that any other USB-C charging wire will also work.

Although each bud weighs 6.5g, which is heavier than other earbuds I’ve used in the past, my ears don’t feel fatigued when I wear them for hours on end.

The default ear tips on the Inzone Buds fit my ears nicely, with no sound leakage even on high volume.

Audio

When it came to audio, Sony’s excellence in the field was made clear once again. I couldn’t find anything to complain about. 

The ANC throws me into a void where it’s just me and my music or game, and I love that. It’s definitely intense for those who aren’t used to or enjoy strong ANC.

However, if you use very clacky keyboards like me, you will still hear them come through slightly. I could also hear the low hum of my laptop fan working overtime while gaming, but it’s definitely less of a distraction with the ANC on.

The audio itself was rich, warm, and sufficiently bassy when it came to music or games.

I don’t play first-person shooter games so I can’t speak for the efficiency of the 360 Spatial Sound feature for detecting opponents, but every layer of sound in the role-playing games I play was crisp and clear.

The Inzone Buds’ dongle enables latency of less than 30 m/s, so every action you make in games feels very responsive. 

On the other hand, the microphone was “just okay” according to everyone who had a call with me while I used the earbuds.

Connectivity 

The dongle enables easy connection to mobile devices, PC, and PS5, which I really liked. It’s much faster than Bluetooth pairing, although the Inzone Buds do support LE Audio (not Bluetooth Classic) too.

I did try connecting to my Samsung S20 via Bluetooth, which wasn’t too difficult. But the problem came when I wanted to return to a dongle connection, because for the life of me, I simply couldn’t figure out how to.

Even when I turned off my device’s Bluetooth, the right earbud (and just the right earbud) would remain in Bluetooth mode, and it simply refused to disconnect. Meanwhile, the left earbud connected via the dongle as usual.

I had to do a whole reset on the earbuds in order to connect just via dongle. 

But I had my gripes with the dongle too. On the laptops I use, the only USB-C port is on the right edge, and is typically next to other USB ports.

Meaning, if I were to use the dongle the “right” side up, it would block access to the other port. 

My only other option was to either unplug my mouse or external keyboard, or use the dongle upside down. On a proper PC setup, this probably won’t be a big deal.

If you have a thicker phone case, be prepared for the fact that the dongle won’t sit flush against your phone.

Controls

I find the controls—or the limitations of the controls—on the Inzone Buds a bit of a pity, considering how good the audio is. 

You can customise your controls, but only on PC, and it requires the dedicated Inzone Hub app.

There is no dedicated phone app for this, and the Sony Headphones app does not detect the Inzone Buds.

This means that on mobile, you’re stuck with the default controls. On the left earbud, you can toggle between Quick Attention (like hear-through), Ambient Sound Mode, and ANC (left earbud), and on the right earbud, you can control the volume.

Through the Inzone Hub on PC, you can switch things up, but these controls will only be saved for use on the PC, and don’t translate to use on mobile. 

Each earbud is also limited to only one function, which is something to get used to, because most other earbuds I’ve tried allow me to have at least three controls—playback, ambient/ANC, and volume—accessible at the same time across both earbuds.

Verdict

As gaming earbuds, the Inzone Buds work as advertised and do their job very well. 

Music seems to come secondary since there’s no auto-pause when you take off the earbuds, and you can’t have playback controls as a default when on mobile.

So, convenience-wise, these earbuds aren’t the friendliest for on-the-go use. But if you’re locked down in your gamer seat and ready for a session, these earbuds are practically fuss-free, allowing you to immerse and enjoy yourself in-game.

The battery on the Inzone Buds is long-lasting, even on ANC. If your earbuds start running low on juice, five minutes in the case will give you another hour of use.

In total, Sony claims that you can get up to 12 hours of use, with another 12 hours from the case, and my experience lived up to that. In two weeks, I’ve only needed to charge the earbuds case to full once (which takes about two hours).

For full immersion in my game or music, I would still go for my WH-1000XM5 headphones, simply because they’re built for that purpose. 

Despite that, the Inzone Buds are very enjoyable in their own right, being easier to carry around and pop into your ears. Plus, they’re way more comfortable than a headset to me.

If you’re looking for something with great ANC, amazing audio, and good comfort, and don’t mind the trade-off of limited control customisation, it’s worth looking into the Inzone Buds. They are available for RM899.

Pros	Cons
Strong ANC that blocks out most noises	Limited control customisation on PC, no customisation on mobile
Great, clear audio when gaming and listening to music	Lacks a dedicated mobile app for control customisation
Very comfortable for hours of use	USB-C dongle might get in the way of your other ports on laptops

• Learn more about the Sony Inzone Buds here.
• Read more of our reviews on Sony here.

After using the Oppo Find N3, switching over to the clamshell foldable, Oppo Find N3 Flip, was quite a big change. After all, I was going from a phone that featured an expansive 7.82-inch screen (diagonal, when unfolded) to one with a 3.26-inch cover display.

Clearly, each foldable has its own strength and thus provides a unique experience. So, here’s my experience with the Oppo Find N3 Flip.  

The design

Our review unit came in the beautiful Misty Pink colourway, complete with lavender metallic embellishments. The phone also comes in Sleek Black and Cream Gold.

In terms of size, the Find N3 Flip hasn’t seemed to change much from its predecessor, the Find N2 Flip. Although slightly bigger and about 7 grams weightier, the actual display of both the cover screen and the main screen is the same.

It does have a curvier body compared to the last phone, though, which helps provide a more comfortable grip.  

Encircled by the Cosmos Ring design, the new camera array does look like it’s a bit tight, pressing up against the cover screen and the edge of the phone.

Moving on to the hinges, you’ll find aircraft-grade steel that has this swirly pattern to it that makes it look quite cool. The phone is said to be durable even after a million folds. Of course, I haven’t been able to test that, but I will say it feels very secure and smooth.

Another thing to highlight about the Find N3 Flip is that it has an IPX4 splash resistance, which isn’t the best, but is certainly better than the larger Oppo Find N3, which I couldn’t find an IP rating for.

Vertical & versatile cover screen

Now, let’s talk about the cover screen in earnest.

The AMOLED cover display provides a fairly nice viewing experience for what it is. It offers a typical 500 nits and 800 nits in the sunlight, which is decent, but nothing worth shouting about, especially when Oppo itself has released the Oppo Find X6 Pro, which boasts 2,500 nits.  

Like the main screen, it offers adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, supporting a low of 10Hz. This makes for a smooth performance and viewing experience.

The cover screen utilises the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, dubbed the toughest Gorilla Glass yet, while the main screen inside uses SCHOTT UTG, which is often used in foldable displays due to its touted strength and versatility.

There’s quite a number of supported apps for the cover screen, including the more practical ones such as the audio recorder, alarms, email, and messages. YouTube and TikTok are also supported. Some of these apps are labelled with a “Labs” icon, meaning they’re still considered experimental.

Other apps you can use on the cover screen include WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Pay.  

If you like mobile gaming, the cover screen also features an app called GameSnacks where you can play adorable little games like Comfy Farm, Fullspeed Racing, Gold Adventures, and more.

Of course, there are third-party apps you can download to transform the screen into more of a mini phone, but I find that the basic offerings are already pretty good.

Another highlighted cover screen function is the interactive pet wallpaper that honestly isn’t that interactive. I thought it would be like a Tamagotchi thing where you can feed and pet the animals, but all I could do was cycle through videos of the animals. Does that really count as interactive?

A flippin’ good camera

With a 50MP main camera, 32MP telephoto camera, and a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera, the Oppo Find N3 Flip (like the Oppo Find N3) certainly wowed me with its specs.

This is especially true for this phone, considering that it’s a clamshell foldable phone, which sometimes don’t even feature a three-camera system.  

According to a press release found online, Oppo claims that this is the first flip foldable phone with a telephoto camera.

To my knowledge, this is true. The other flip foldable I know of with a three-camera setup is the Huawei P50 Pocket, which comprises a 40MP True-Chroma Camera, a 13MP Ultra-Wide Angle Camera, and a 32MP Ultra Spectrum Camera.

But is it actually a good camera?

I would say that it’s a formidable camera, even as regular phones go. It’s particularly good considering that it’s a flip foldable, providing crisp images with vibrant colours.

A downside is that images tend to veer on the blurry side, like with the Oppo Find N3, even after post-processing, and I promise my hands are usually pretty steady. It could be that the shutter speed is quite slow on these phones.

One of the best features of any flip foldable is that it can work as a tripod (monopod? Bipod?) on the go by just partly unfolding the phone.

Oppo calls this form the FlexForm Mode, and claims that the hinges can support between 45 to 120 degrees.

This is perfect for moments when you want to take pictures of yourself with no cameraperson or group shots with your friends.

Performance time

Under the hood, the Oppo Find N3 Flip is fitted with the MediaTek Dimensity 9200, a powerful and consistent octacore chipset in its own right, but reported to be beaten by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (which is used in the Oppo Find N3) in benchmark tests.

But tests are tests, and in actual use, gaming on this phone is very smooth and quite comparable to my experience on the larger Oppo foldable, albeit on a smaller screen this time.

The verdict

From what we can see, the Oppo Find N3 Flip is one of the pricier flip foldables on the market currently at RM4,399 (given, there aren’t that many clamshell foldables available, especially in Malaysia). But I believe you do get what you pay for.

The Oppo Find N3 Flip is a quality, premium, and portable phone with excellent cameras. With that in mind, I believe it makes for a good daily driver, even more so than its Find N3 counterpart.  

The 4,300mAh battery is also decent, promising a full day’s worth of usage, and it supports super-fast charging that brings the phone to 50% in 23 minutes.

Pros	Cons
Great camera performance	Not the brightest phone under strong natural light
Versatile cover screen that supports a variety of features
IPX4 rating means it’s at least splash resistant

• Learn more about the Oppo Find N3 Flip here.
• Read other gadget and product reviews we’ve written here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.

It feels like everyone has been giving the Oppo Find N3 Flip its flowers, but where’s the love for its bigger sibling, the Oppo Find N3?

A part of Oppo’s latest lineup, the Find N3 is a foldable phone measuring at 7.8 inches in height. When unfolded, the width goes from 73.3 mm to 143.1 mm, nearly doubling in size.

The foldable was made available to buy in Malaysia on October 28 (though pre-orders were open before that), so if you’re curious about how it performs, here’s our review of it.

A lux, leathery design

Coming in the subtle black colourway, the foldable we got features the eco leather back rather than the glass back.  

The leather is smooth with some grain, making the steely deep grey finishings stand out elegantly. I do think the black looks sleeker compared to its champagne gold alternative, which sports matching gold finishings. But, to each their own.

In terms of thickness and weight, it does feel quite hefty in the hand and pockets compared to my usual phone. However, for a foldable, it is actually on the lighter side at about 239 grams. When unfolded, it has a very slim profile, which might feel a bit precarious at first.

I’m usually not a big fan of chunky looking cameras, but I find that this foldable manages to pull it off relatively well. On the black leather, especially, the cameras looked like that of a professional DSLR’s.  

The bezel is very slim, giving a seamless full-screen look to the display. I find that the screen along the edges are maybe a bit too touch-responsive though—whenever I’m just holding the sides of the phones in my hand, I often mis-click something.

Overall, I find the build quality feels very luxurious, with buttery smooth and sturdy hinges that work as intended.

Phenomenal photography

Oppo has been partnering up with Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad for a while now to develop its cameras. Having previously tried the Oppo Reno 8 in the past, my expectations for the Oppo Find N3’s photography was high.

Of course, my expectations were only heightened further when I learnt that it boasted impressive specs. Namely, it has a 48MP ultrawide camera, a 64MP telephoto camera, and a 48MP main (wide) camera. This was excitingly one of the highest-spec mobile cameras I’ve tried, especially when it comes to that ultrawide camera.

There are two more cameras, the 20MP main screen camera and the 32MP cover screen camera. While they aren’t comparable to the main triple-camera system of the phone, they’re still decent selfie cameras in their own right, though the colours are a bit duller.

But numbers aside, is photography on the phone actually good?

The answer is, well, yes. When it comes to pure camera performance, it’s really great. Photos come out with lots of details and depth. The auto-focus on the videography is responsive, and I think it’d work great as an on-the-go vlog camera for content creators.

One thing that I think isn’t as powerful, though, is its image processing, which can be a good thing for some people.

Having tried quite a number of phones, I’m used to seeing some pretty heavy image processing to bolster mobile photography. The processing usually sharpens and brightens, while adding some vibrance and contrast to images.

One of my favourite things about today’s post-processing technology is how the AI fills in missing data and detail in images to give a very crisp image. And while the Oppo does seem to do this (I watched as it added some contrast and detail in a far-away music score), it’s not as powerful as, say, Huawei’s tech.

Rather, I felt like the Oppo Find N3’s image processing is a lot more natural, prioritising colour accuracy while providing a smooth finish to its images.

I feel that the shutter speed tends to be quite long, though, making action shots and telephoto images trickier.

As for its ProXDR technology, all it really does is just make lights… brighter? It identifies light sources in the image (from a laptop screen to a tube light), and just brings out their bright whiteness. While this might not sound very useful, it’s helpful in backlit environments.

One huge struggle I had, though, was with selfies. While it’s true that with the foldable’s amazing cameras, my selfie game has never been the same, I found it challenging to take good wefies (or selfies with multiple people, since “wefie” never seemed to take off).

With the depth of field on the cameras, my companions in my photos always end up out of focus, unless they’re pressed up right next to me. And if I focus on them, I obviously would go out of focus.  

We’re not sure where we might be able to adjust this, or if there is even a setting for that. Playing around with the aperture doesn’t quite work. So, for now, if I want to take crisp selfies where everyone is in view, I’ll just have to stick to the actual front cameras.  

Powerful performance

Coming with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, the foldable promises a powerful experience, one that I wanted to put to the test with some gaming.

Through this process, I somehow got addicted to a cosy mobile game by the name of Campfire Cat Cafe. Although this game seems deceptively simple, it actually involves a lot of high-speed tapping. But if you don’t believe me, my editor Sade also tested the phone on a heavier game, Honkai: Star Rail, and reported that everything went swell.

Overall, the phone gave an incredibly smooth gaming experience. In fact, while using the phone, my colleague had asked me what the refresh rate was (120Hz, dynamic), impressed by how smooth everything looked.

One downside, which I suppose applies to all foldables, is that gameplay on the cover screen feels too narrow. On the inside, however, everything works perfectly fine, but the dimensions can be a bit off at times. These issues are mainly for portrait-oriented games, we’ve noticed.

The battery life was more than decent, considering how much I was using it to game. The 4,805mAh battery lasted me one and a half days, with under five hours of actual screentime, which I felt was more than satisfactory, especially considering the number of apps I had open.

There’s something called “super power saving mode” on the phone that I accidentally turned on when the phone dipped below 10%. This is a pretty interesting feature to really make that last bit of battery stretch when you’re in a dire situation.

Turning on this mode will bar you from using anything that isn’t emergency related. It’ll kick you out of your games, block your camera, and location services will be off too. All you’re left with is messages, the time, and your phone. You can further customise this to add things like WhatsApp.

Personally, I’m someone whose phone is always dying. Always. So this is actually a really great mode, since I’m always worried that I’ll end up stranded outside with no battery to phone for emergency.

The verdict

As you can see, I’ve found the Oppo Find N3 to perform excellently for photography as well as gaming. Amazing cameras and powerful performance aside, the smart split screen functions also work well, such as for note-taking purposes.

Beyond that, there are a lot of nifty features, from things like the power saving features to the sound-sealed call technology (prevents sound leakage to keep calls private). Some other small plus points include the facts that the phone is able to go up to 2,800 nits at peak brightness, and how you can remove watermarks in post-editing.

Overall, the foldable feels very well-made. Foldables have definitely come a long way since being introduced to the public as well, and Oppo Find N3 once again proves how capable such phones are at being a solid daily driver. The only deterrent to this, I would say, is its lack of any kind of IP rating.

Oppo does say that it’s five times more drop resistant with 70% improved impact resistance—but that’s in comparison to ordinary glass of the same thickness. For someone who’s clumsy, this is quite worrisome.  

The RM7,999 price feels a little up there, but it is pretty comparable to foldables from other contemporaries. So, for those in the market for a foldable, you’ll find (pun intended) the Oppo Find N3 to be a strong contender.

As for its flip foldable sibling, stay tuned for our review on that one.

Pros	Cons
Incredible mobile photography capabilities with the main triad of cameras	Depth of field on the camera makes clear wefies tricky
Great battery life, and the super saving mode is a super saviour in tough situations	No IP rating, and the durability leaves something to be desired
Powerful chipset and display for a smooth gaming experience

• Learn more about Oppo Find N3 here.
• Read other gadget and product reviews we’ve written here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.

After skipping it for the Galaxy S22, Samsung has brought back its FE devices for the Galaxy S23 Series.

Other than the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra, there’s now also the more affordable Galaxy S23 FE priced at RM3,299.

My first impressions of the phone, which you can read about here, had been that it made for a viable option amidst the S23 series.

However, has this changed at all the more I’ve used it?

For all your daily photography needs

“Epic starts here,” Samsung promises on its landing page for the Galaxy S23 FE. The features highlighted include “long-lasting power” and “stunning night shots”, both of which are meant to be my “gateway to lasting epic memories”.

Alright, then. Let’s start with the nightography.

While images taken with the S23 FE in dark environments are crisp and vibrant, it almost feels overly so. Yet, I suppose I’ll take that over a blurry and grainy image.  

I haven’t been very impressed with the telephoto camera either, finding zoomed-in images lacking in detail and losing some shadow and contrast.

On the bright side, the phone is fitted with all the various camera modes such as Single Take, Director’s View, Pro, and more.

However, these critiques are if I were to compare the device with premium offerings on the market. I’ve reviewed phones that are almost double the price point of the Galaxy S23 FE, and naturally, these phones have been fitted with higher-spec parts.

If I’m looking at it as a general consumer who wants to use the phone on the daily, though, the S23 FE is pretty decent, if not good.

As for video, it doesn’t support 4K at any framerate, but does offer 8K at 24fps.

So, if you’re not someone who requires the highest quality images for photography in your daily life, then yes, the camera is completely up to the task.

Gaming and more

One thing I’ve really enjoyed about the Galaxy S23 FE is its display. The dynamic AMOLED screen is able to get quite bright, which I like in a phone (and something my colleagues hate me for, because my screens tend to act like a flashbang when I shove it in their faces).

This is good for watching videos and shows. Plus, the speakers on this are great, too.

The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate makes itself known when gaming, and overall, it provides a very fluid scrolling experience.

The phone does sport a different (and less powerful) chipset, the Exynos 2200. I’ve read nightmare tales of the chipset, which is why I had low expectations for gaming on the S23 FE.

However, trying out Genshin Impact on the device, I experienced pretty decent gameplay. Well, until I realised I was on the lowest graphics settings and tried to adjust it to medium, only to be told that the current performance load was overclocked.

Yes, loading in the world is a bit slow and there is some choppiness, but it’s not that bad if you’re a casual player who doesn’t need the most fluid gameplay.

But for those who don’t play heavy mobile games, it’s really not game-changing (pun intended). It hasn’t overheated on me, and it works great for everything else, like doomscrolling on Twitter (sorry, X) or watching a YouTube essay on a topic you do not care for.

As for the other thing Samsung highlights about the phone, which is its battery life, the S23 FE does have a bigger battery specs-wise (4,500mAh).

An all-rounded daily driver

“Jack of all trades, master of none,” they say, but there’s also the often-redacted part of the adage, “better than a master of one”.

There aren’t exactly many features of the S23 FE that stand out in particular. There’s nothing much to praise, necessarily, but there’s also nothing to complain about.

So, in a nutshell, yes, I still believe it makes for a viable option, especially for those who don’t ask too much from a phone. But for those who heavily rely on phone photography for a career, or play mobile games on the regular, it might not promise the best experience.

In other words, it’s a mid-range phone with mid-tier performance. It’s a phone you can count on, and for some, that’s all you need.

Pros	Cons
Great display, refresh rate, and audio	Images taken with the telephoto camera may be a little blurry
Nightography is vibrant	Gameplay is a little choppy with Exynos 2200

• Learn more about the Galaxy Buds FE here.
• Read other articles we’ve written about Samsung here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.

I admit that I didn’t have the highest of expectations for the Galaxy Buds FE. At just RM399, it’s certainly on the more affordable side for an ANC-enabled pair of wireless earbuds, especially considering it’s from Samsung.

And yet, here I am, eager to prove to you why these earbuds might just promise a bang for your buck.

Design & fit

At first glance, I hadn’t been sold by the design of the Galaxy Buds FE. Unlike the other earbuds by Samsung, it doesn’t have the same rounded body, but rather a flat surface where the touch sensors are.  

After having used them for over a week now, though, the design has grown on me. Plus, functionality-wise, the flat touch surface just makes more sense compared to the Buds 2 Pro’s pea pod-like body.

I still prefer more tactile haptics, so the push of a literal button is always more my speed compared to just touch controls. Personal preference aside, accidental touches are less likely when it’s a physical button.  

That said, I’ve had way fewer accidental touches (zero, actually) with the Buds FE compared to the Buds2 Pro (definitely not zero).

On that note, compared to the Buds2 Pro, I’ve had a much more comfortable experience with the Buds FE. One critique, though, is that they haven’t provided me the most secure fit.

An intense shaking of the head will send the buds flying, so you may run into some challenges if you’re thinking of using these as your workout buds.

Adding to the comfort is the fact that these earbuds are lightweight, at 5.6g per earbud and 40g for its case.

Powerful ANC

One area I thought the Galaxy Buds FE would underperform in was its noise-cancelling capabilities, but I’m happy to announce that I was wrong.

Although there have been a couple times when I’ve had to readjust the buds to get that perfect seal, the ANC has been surprisingly good.

It’s not lacking at all compared to other great earbuds I’ve tried in the past, and I even feel like it outdoes itself for a RM399 pair.

There’s not much to report about the Ambient sound mode, either. I like that the level of hear-through is adjustable on the Galaxy Wear app. You can also adjust each bud separately, which is great accessibility-wise.

But one thing that I dislike is that for the life of me, I haven’t been able to figure out a way to cycle through all three different sound modes. There are only three options to choose from:

• Active noise cancelling <-> Ambient sound
• Active noise cancelling <-> Off
• Ambient sound <-> Off

As someone who has a use case for each mode, this can be a little frustrating.

There’s also nothing to shout home about when it comes to sound quality. The bass, which is a highlighted feature by Samsung, is good, but I don’t think the Buds FE will shock any audiophiles out there.

The Buds FE has three microphones—the Main Mic, Sub Mic, and Inner Mic. This allows for nice and crisp calls, and eliminates wind sounds reliably.

The battery life is good, supposedly lasting up to 30 hours on a single charge with ANC off. When the ANC is on, this number is more like 21 hours, which is still pretty decent. The buds can play continuously for six hours with ANC on, which is more than the five hours promised by the Buds2 Pro.

One feature that seems to be trimmed from the Buds FE though is its durability in terms of water resistance.

While the Buds2 Pro had sported IPX7 water resistance, I couldn’t even find the IP rating for the Buds FE on Samsung’s own page. According to other sources, though, the Buds FE have an IPX2 rating, which means they’re just splash-resistant.

A quality wallet-friendly option

At RM399, I truly think these buds are a great option for those looking for a high-quality, ANC-enabled pair of wireless earbuds.

Heck, the lower price tag aside, I feel like the buds still make for a strong contender overall, and I actually prefer these over the Buds2 Pro. These FE (meaning fan edition, for those who don’t know) buds really did hit the spot for me.

If it weren’t for the fact that I’m an iPhone user, I’d consider getting these earbuds for myself. Alas, Samsung’s earbuds are only compatible with Android devices, with the full range of features only available for Samsung users.

From now until October 31, Samsung has an ongoing promotion whereby the buds come with a free Minion Eco-Friends Cover (worth RM169).

Made with recycled polycarbonate, the case is made by Illumination (the studio behind Minions). We got the Bob one with his heterochromatic eyes, but there are also designs featuring Otto and Stuart.

While the cover is bulky, what with the protruding goggles, it’s admittedly quite cute, especially if you’re a fan of the Minions. And it adds some protection to your buds, too.

Pros	Cons
Great ANC and good sound quality	Doesn’t let you cycle through the three sound modes
Affordable	Only splash-resistant

• Learn more about the Galaxy Buds FE here.
• Read other articles we’ve written about Samsung here.

VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.