I thought initially that in 2024, I would have my gadget spree spending in check. Contrary to what people close to me believe, it’s not the flying around that’s costing me much, but it’s the gadgets. In 2024 alone, the second half of it most particularly, I added a number of new devices.
- iPhone 15 Pro Max 512GB Natural Titanium (already sold off)
- M2 Macbook Air (to replace my dead M1 Macbook Pro)
- M4 iPad Pro 512GB with Magic Keyboard (as my mobile work machine)
- Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (I just love pink! Already traded off)
- Honor Magic v2 (A foldable that I really love, which is currently my main phone)
- Oppo Reno 11 Pro (handed over to my mother)
- iPhone 15 Pro Max 512GB Black Titanium (my secondary phone)
- Amazon Kindle Basic 11th Gen (my go-to reading device)
Not to forget are numerous cases for these devices, a few other accessories like a new keyboard (that’s actually just sitting around), a new office/gaming chair, some LAN hubs, MagSafe powerbanks, and so on.
I’ve gone quite crazy with the spending, really. But I want to believe that I am well equipped for 2025 and will go as lean as possible into the year. The only gadget that I will perhaps add is the iPhone 17 Pro Max once I renew my Globe Platinum plan in November.
Even prior this year, I did have quite a number of devices, and I always, most of the time, sported two smartphones. One android and one iPhone. This will continue into the coming year, with me perhaps alternating year over year which phone gets updated. It’s still a much more frequent update pattern, but if you consider that I had a Galaxy Fold 5, S21 Ultra, S22 Ultra, S23 Ultra, iPhone 12 Pro Max all the way through to 15 Pro Max… You will understand that it’s quite a more simple upgrade pattern that I plan to undertake.
Smartphones have long reached a point where they don’t need to be upgraded every year. I have graduated the tech nerdiness desire of upgrading every year as well. As you can see, I did not opt for the 16 Pro Max this year at all. It wasn’t even a close consideration for me.
In my ecosystem, Apple still reigns supreme. While I use my iPhone less than my foldable, it still holds my main sim card as codes can be easily copied to the Macs that I have at home and the Mac that I often travel with. But yes, the iPhone is not the most fun device anymore. Actually, it hasn’t been for quite a while. It doesn’t excel in any particular department, may that be battery or charging speed, camera, etc… but it’s very good at being consistent in most of these areas. And as of writing, it is indeed the best camera phone that I have. That title was actually held by my Huawei P60 Pro for quite a long time last year and this year.
A Strong Samsung Block vs Huawei’s Google Block
I keep on trying and running away from Samsung devices most of the time. I had an S21 Ultra, loved the design, but hated how it performed. I kept it for less than 2 months. Same goes for the S22 Ultra. But it was in the S23 Ultra in Lavender, that I found a phone that has been with me the longest in a while. I kept it for 9 months and it was just recently sold off. The longest that I have kept a phone in recent memory was my Huawei P60 Pro that was with me for a year. As of writing, the “oldest” phone that I posses is the v2, which is about 2 months old. The youngest is the new iPhone 15 Pro Max, that came to me just two short weeks ago. I am planning to keep these, and eventually hand them down in the future.
Had it not been for the ban on of GMS on Huawei smartphones, I am sure that I would have had a lot more of those devices. The Pura 70 Ultra was especially enticing, but I just can’t justify its price point without having Google Mobile Services, especially if my setup rely heavily on Google Photos, OneDrive, and the like. I know, I could set them up with ease, and I did so on my P60 Pro, but updating apps has really been a pain in the butt.
The Favorites in their respective time
For in their respective time, here are my favorite devices and a bit of a rationale behind them.
Huawei P60 Pro
The Huawei P60 Pro is the best camera (phone) that I have had owned to date. It’s the reason why I started this meticulous setup of Google Photos, iCloud, OneDrive, and Lightroom in the first place. (More on that perhaps in another post). Amazing battery life, butter smooth performance, fast charging, and of course, as I already mentioned, that camera. The form factor was quite neat, too. Its only weakness really, was the lack of GMS, and I kind of had enough of some bad updates closing my ups abruptly until a newer, better update, came out. Plus I was getting an iPhone back at the time and I didn’t want to give up on my S23 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
My absolute favorite phone, but the Samsung Flagship of 2023 has had to be left behind in 2024, since I have another duo that I am sporting. I loved its color, and even to its final couple of days, I would more often than not reach out to the S23 Ultra. It was still butter smooth, charges, decently, and lasted quite long as well. Not to forget the S Pen on it. It really had the best display out there for me, but it just so happens that I decided to go with a foldable for 2025 in the form of the V2.
Huawei P30 Pro
The smartphone that was ahead of its time and the one that probably caused Huawei to lose access to GMS. It had the best camera at the time, had the fastest charging, was exceptionally smooth even down the years, and only succumbed to Yannah losing the phone in school for some reason. It was such an amazing phone, along with the Mate 20 Pro series at the time. And it’s just wild how many years later it was still a great phone. I absolutely loved the aurora color of my P30 Pro.
As you can see, there are no iPhones. They are just very good well rounders for me.
For 2025, I hope that I can establish a better system in place in terms of productivity for my devices. For the year, I have even planned and identified certain apps and games that need to be removed for a more fruitful year. There is much that I have planned for 2025, but more on that perhaps in another post.
In conclusion, while 2024 saw an intense surge in my gadget purchases and an ecosystem in flux, it also presented a mirror for self-reflection on priorities. The year became a litmus test for financial discipline, reminding me of the importance of intentionality in my choices. Moving into 2025, I aim to lean into a more sustainable approach—not just for my spending but also for the overall alignment of my lifestyle with long-term goals. Allocating resources more wisely, especially towards enriching experiences like travel, seems to be the direction worth exploring. After all, gadgets are tools to complement life, not the centerpiece of it. Here’s to a leaner, more purpose-driven year ahead!
Leave a Reply